User:Charles Fifield

Charles Fifield should first be known by his faith in Jesus Christ and his love for his family. In 1984 at Second Baptist Church, Houston, Charles (who then went by the nickname "Chad") went forward to receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. He describes this decision as one compelled by God, and even as his mother grabbed at him to stop, he continued his march toward the front of the old sanctuary to shake Dr. Ed Young, Senior's hand and make his decision public. Charles was baptized on Father's Day 1984 with his family in attendance. A very authentic relationship began with God at that time, and Charles recalls praying with strong faith and reading the Holy Bible on a regular basis. As Charles says, "Jesus has always been my first love, and His love makes all other love in life possible." Charles grew up attending Second Baptist Elementary School and Junior High. Due to an interest in playing professional football, he attended the large public school Lamar High School his freshman and sophomore year, but, due to physical limitations and injury (caused by scoliosis), it became quite clear that Charles would become less of an athelete and more of an artist. Charles joined his first musical band, Vertigo Spin, his freshman year and began practicing the drums on a daily basis. It was soon that Charles began picking up everyone else's instruments, and he began playing the guitar and writing music daily along with the drums. Charles's parents, upon realizing that their child was turning into an artist, pulled him out of public school and forced him to leave his new friends and back into Second Baptist. While Charles was happy to see his old friends at SBS, there was only one student that possessed the same love for progressive popular rock music. Randy Robinson, an amazingly-gifted electric guitar player, and Charles, playing drums and programming keyboards, were quickly united as the band Damascus. The band went through a couple of bass guitarists, but finally settled on a wild, young musician attending the University of Houston who was in love with Metallica, Chris Regan. Damascus recorded several demos and toured throughout south Texas. They were regulars at the club Rockefellers in downtown Houston, and upon Curt Cobain's untimely death in 1994, they organized Houston's only tribute concert at Rockefellers. Charles not only played drums for Damascus at the event, but he was the concerts promoter and manager. Every popular local band came together and played their favorite tunes of Curt Cobain's band, Nirvana.

to be continued...