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From opera to bluegrass, CT State Trouabdour Charlie Widmer has done it all

Connecticut State Troubadour Charlie Widmer in Hartford on May 7, 2026.
Tyler Russell
/
Connecticut Public
Connecticut State Troubadour Charlie Widmer in Hartford on May 7, 2026.

Charlie Widmer describes himself as a multi-genre musician, but his range goes far beyond most artists. From opera to bluegrass, he's pretty much done it all.

Widmer is now the Connecticut State Troubadour, an official position devoted to music education and community.

One of his major goals is to make more people comfortable pursuing music, he said.

"My whole goal with being an educator is to try and just help people be less hard on themselves," he said. "It's not about being perfect. It turns out no one has it figured out. It turns out everyone's pretending. And I think it's time we take the masks off."

Today, we’ll hear about Widmer's musical journey across the globe, and his ongoing work to nurture the local music scene in Connecticut.

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Tess is a senior producer for Connecticut Public news-talk show Where We Live. She enjoys hiking Connecticut's many trails and little peaks, knitting, gardening and writing in her journal.
Catherine is the Host of Connecticut Public’s morning talk show and podcast, Where We Live. Catherine and the WWL team focus on going beyond the headlines to bring in meaningful conversations that put Connecticut in context.