Carl hails from Northern Ontario, Sault Ste Marie - far from the centre of the musical universe. Listening to 60’s and 70s rock (The Guess Who, The Who, Jethro Tull, Grand Funk, CCR, Humble Pie and many more) Carl knew he wanted to be more than a fan - he wanted to live inside that music. His powerful vocals, energy and sheer determination landed him in three iconic Canadian bands CONEY HATCH (1981-present), APRIL WINE (four years) and THE GUESS WHO (8 years). A CBC radio description of Carl: “He remains one of Canada’s stellar rock voices.”
Carl came to prominence after answering an ad in newspaper classified ads, joining Toronto’s Coney Hatch and quickly rising in the Canadian 80s rock scene. Their debut album went gold with eight of the ten songs on the album written or co-written by Carl. Featured on MTV and opening for the likes of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden’s North American tours, Outa Hand and Friction followed in ’83 and ‘85 with Carl making his singing, playing and song writing contributions central to the band’s sound.
Carl later found a new career as a staff songwriter. Based in NYC and LA Carl wrote or co-wrote songs featured in films and television series including Baywatch and Jersey Girl, Dawson’s Creek, Degrassi, Saddle Club, Tornado Hunters and more.
April Wine employed him through 2001-2004, appearing on the release April Wine Greatest Hits Live 2003. In addition to his duties on keyboards, guitar, percussion and backing vocals Carl also played his solo acoustic show every night as the opening act - paving the way for his solo career.
In 1997 and again in 2004 Carl became singer for The Guess Who through eight years and hundreds of shows mainly in the USA.
In 2008 the charmed music life nearly ended. Carl was broken to pieces in a horrific car accident in rural Australia. Emerging from coma with 52 injuries, everything was in doubt beyond mere survival.
Carl’s determination to return to music pushed him through years of recovery. Titanium implants, a glass eye and damage from head to toe had to be overcome but many profound lessons awaited.
Never one to sit still while in recovery, Carl became an inspirational speaker and an author. His autobiography “Strange Way to Live” was published by Dundurn Press in 2015.
Along the way Carl has released eight solo albums, most recently PEACED TOGETHER (2026).
Carl plays his solo acoustic show across Canada and the USA, and has opened for Frampton, Heart, Grand Funk, Hootie and The Blowfish, Styx, Triumph, Ted Nugent. Kansas, Cheap Trick and many more in a journeyman career.
A full-time musician since 1981 Carl jokes "this is all he is trained to do ". He’s grateful for all of it, especially for the impactful day his kindred spirit, Helen, came to town.
