Charles Hayes, Bassist, Celebration of Life Sunday, January 7 at 5PM at The Minnesota Music Cafe, St. Paul, MN

Internationally known bass player and music producer/singer/songwriter Charles Marshall Hayes Jr. passed away peacefully on November 30, 2023 in Minneapolis, MN at the age of 57 due to heart-related medical conditions. Charles, affectionately known among his musical peers as "Mista Chalee", was a gifted multi-genre musician and an integral part of the Minneapolis music scene for over thirty years. 

Charles was one of the most sought-after bass players in both Minneapolis and Nashville, performing, touring and recording with other talented performers, including Gladys Knight, Mary J Blige, Keb Mo, Alexander O’Neal, Vince Gill, Trace Adkins, Michael Bland, Bernard Allison, Sting, Kandace Springs, Justin Timberlake, Mike Scott, Reba McIntyre, Renee Austin, Bernard Purdie, The Steeles, Wain McFarlane and many others.

Charles was also fortunate to play many legendary venues throughout his career including the Grand Ole Opry, the London Palladium, Red Rocks, the Apollo Theater, Paisley Park, First Avenue and Morgan Freeman’s Ground Zero Blues Club. He embraced collaboration within the local and national music scene and was a champion for live music and many up and coming new artists and bands.

In addition to being an extraordinary musician, Charles embraced technology and innovation in the music industry and returned to school for an Associate Degree in Computer Programming at Summit OIC. Charles was very proud of his studio engineering and production skills and also composed music for Best Buy commercials and other corporate projects. Before his passing, he became a small-tech business owner of “We Drop In”, an organization that helped seniors understand and use technology to improve their quality of life.

A celebration of Charles' life will be held on Sunday , January 7th, 2024, at the Minnesota Music Café at 501 Payne Avenue in St. Paul.  Doors open at 4:30PM and multiple bands Charles played with will perform from 5:00PM until 10:00PM. A $20 entry fee will be suggested at the door and all the proceeds will go to his family.