Musical treasure in our midst

Charlotte’s musical landscape is filled with some real talent, and we are lucky to include Aaron Flinn in the lineup with Francesca Blanchard, Jeff Hahn and Justin Panigutti, to name a few.

Flinn, a proud, lifelong Charlotte resident, lives in the home he grew up in, now with his wife and two children. Flinn began playing music in high school, but recalls being told that he sang Elvis songs from his highchair; music has been a part of his life since the very start.

After attending UVM Flinn made his way to Berklee College of Music where he continued to hone his technique as a player, singer and songwriter.

Flinn has his own record company, which he operates out of his home, called Sun God Records. He has recorded and mastered a catalogue of his own first-rate albums: My Left or Your Left, Rattle, Life of Riley, Flower + Bird=Butterfly, Half Mast, Giving up the Ghost, Oroboros, and Miss Ready Blossom. The albums are all available for purchase on CDbaby or iTunes.

As if that collection isn’t impressive enough, catching a live performance of Flinn is the icing on the cake. Most likely if you have heard Flinn perform, then you are already a fan. His natural resonant voice blends perfectly with his masterful guitar playing. His melodies are catchy, and his use of literary devices evokes feelings of nostalgia. In Scattered Birds, he writes: “If you get too close your vision blurs, turns all your love into shattered words, the wind will blow like you have never heard and make shadows dance like scattered birds … you can’t break a broken heart.” Much of Flinn’s talent is in his ability to transport the listener to another time and place, a hard feat for any artist. His life experiences are woven throughout the fabric of his music and are relatable to every human—he gets people. Hear the words in his song Beautiful: “Stars are wished away one by one, every view I have is a vision, every voice the voice of all.”

According to Flinn, music is as necessary as breathing. “I don’t completely understand it and I am happy with that unknown,” he says. So who has inspired this skilful musician? His first true love came from the four horsemen of the Beatles. Other influences include Nina Simone, Bach’s inventions, early Springsteen, Judas Priest, Chopin’s nocturnes, Miroslav Vitouš, The Waterboys, Kate Bush, The Ramones, and Ray Brown. His inspiration is not limited to music but “in every bit of life that creates beauty in a unique and empowering way.”

Recently Flinn took a short hiatus from playing and recording, but he is on the rise once again. Be on the lookout for his upcoming album, Handsome Devil (2019). You can catch Flinn at his next performance on Saturday, March 16, at the Courtyard Marriott in Burlington as part of a trio Duck, Duck, Goose that includes Flinn, Joshua Glass, and myself, Julia Beerworth.

Learn more about Aaron and his work at his website.