CARL BUTLER

Carl Butler was born in Kansas City Missouri in 1953.  Carl’s father worked as a musician in the Kansas City area playing upright bass and lead guitar as Carl and his sister were still small children.

Carl began to learn to play guitar himself at 5 years old.  He played his first show at the ripe old age of 10.  He began playing private clubs in the Kansas City Kansas area at 13 Carl also worked at that time as a duo act with Thom (Gabby) Gumm comedian and vocalist.  By the time he was 14  he found himself playing lead guitar for Tex Owens father of bass player singer Dave Owens.  He also started working at that time with recording artist Bill Laundy. When he was 15 he began working 6 nights a week at the Silver Spur a local Kansas City Night club and going to school during the day.

Carl continued to work doing work on lead guitar and bass guitar at a variety of clubs such as Chouteau Inn the Club Royal, Generals Inn, the Crossroads, The Green Light Club, Miss Kitty’s, the Cedar Club, Club 95, Bell Star Saloon, Starlight Club, The Frog Hop,  The Fun House, The Beaumont Club, The Roaring 20’s in Omaha to name a few.

Carl has appeared on shows with such artists as: Little Jimmie Dickens, Joe Nichols,  Sawyer Brown,  Billy Joe Shaver, Dino, Gene Watson,  John Conlee,  The Belamy Brothers,  Third Day,Travis Tritt, William Lee Golden of the (oak ridge boys), Stonewall Jackson, Gary Morris, Ray Bonniville,  Norma Zimmer,  Paul Clark,  Kelly Willard, Jimmie Bratcher’s Blues Band,  Connie Smith,  Jim Cole.

 He has played with:  Jimmie C Newman,  Gordon Terry,  Waylon Jennings, Jim Ed Brown, Helen Cornelius, Jennie Seeley, Don Helms, Marty Haggard etc.

 After a long stretch raising two children playing vocationally Carl accepted Jesus Christ as his savior and realized that God had a call on his life for years which he had been running from.

 He began to attend church and serve the Lord and eventually completed studies and was licensed and then ordained in 1993 into vocational ministry.

 He served on staff along with his wife Sharon also an ordained minister at New Life Community Church as associate pastor for 10 years. 

 Carl and Sharon knew that God had more in store for them.  They pioneered a church in the northland of Kansas City called New Song Christian Fellowship where they continue to serve as pastor’s.

 Carl’s wife Sharon also runs sound at Middle Creek Theatre.

 They have 2 daughters and 3 grandchildren who also live in the Kansas City area.

 Carl said: “It has been a true blessing for us to work alongside the great musicians and staff at Middle Creek Theatre.  We have had the honor or calling them friends . . . .  They are all a class act and we are humbled and grateful to be able to play a part.”