Bio
Too Sick Charlie (Eric Heiligenstein, M.D.) plays the cigar box guitar, a once forgotten instrument of American blues and roots music. His music has been described as traditional Upper Midwestern cigar box guitar blues.
Too Sick was born in a Nassau blue Chevy Bel Air that was being used as a beagle pen on the outskirts of Belleville, Illinois. He performed on the Mississippi River Medicine Show Circuit for several years before transitioning into a practice of medicine. After developing various snake oil cures for ailments that proved unfounded (but very, very profitable) he made his way to Madison, Wisconsin where he lives a quiet, ascetic life of medical study, song writing and robustly varied acquiescence to almost constant temptation.
2020 Samantha Fish/New Orleans Cigar Box Festival.
Too Sick Charlie uses Rocky Mountain Slide Company slides.
Short Press Bio
Too Sick Charlie’s distinctive blend of regional blues music is like a slow-cooked gumbo on a late summer evening; deep, flavorful, satisfying. Too Sick’s live performances combine a genuine one man band with compelling stories that make his shows captivating. A performance from Too Sick Charlie is truly “good for what ails ya!"
Short Press Bio #2
Too Sick Charlie and his genuine one man band may call Wisconsin home but his music is deeply rooted in the blues of the north Mississippi Hill country. With his 3 string cigar box guitar he picks out hip-grinding licks and lays down some solid beats with his drum kit. And throw in some harp for good measure. It’s the real deal.