I can see Art in his garage working on someones car, I can see Art sitting on the bank of a lake fishing pole in hand, I can see Art sitting at the kitchen table telling stories and making sure the dogs had plenty of treats, I can see Art at his picnic table in the Pecan Grove, Stage 5 camp at the Winfield Bluegrass Festival handing out picks and talking to the folks as they go by, I can see Art sitting in his lawn chair .. cup of coffee in his hand listening to the guitars, banjos mandolins, dobros, fiddles, basses and singers for hours on end, I can see Art riding around the A-Frame house he built on his mower cutting grass in the setting Kansas sun, I can see Art smoking a pork loin on the smoker he built and mounted to a trailer, I can see Art waiting for the cemetery crew to finish closing my mothers grave just so they would do it right, I can see Art in the beautiful Kansas sunset, I can see Art looking down on me from above like a guardian angel. I will miss you dear friend, Stage 5 will miss you, but listen closely … we will play a song for you. Thanks for all of the wonderful memories. Goodbye for now … I will see you on the other side.

It is with great sadness that I write this post today, August 24 2014, as we learned of the passing of one of our beloved Stage 5 crew.  Art Charlet was a wonderful friend and his presence at the Stage 5 camp will leave a great void.  We will continue on, (Art would want it that way) .. but it will never be the same.  Art is the one who painted the Stage 5 truck cab and he also fabricated the stage walls, stairs and roof.  Art loved to sit at his picnic table in the Pecan Grove and pass out Stage 5 picks to anyone who would ask.  His laugh was infectious, his opinions were firm and his coffee cup was never far away.

We will miss you dear friend … rest now, in peace.

The Stage 5 Crew.