I worked with Charlie for several years as a Korg product specialist. He would drive me around his territory, in his tour bus, from dealer to dealer to train their keyboard staffs. During one trip there was a mechanical problem with the bus and we stopped at a bus/truck garage in Savannah.  Now understand that, in those days, I would be dressed in rock star type clothes to look pro when we visited the dealers. I also had hair down to my posterior.  Here’s the story: Charlie told one of the girls in the garage office that he was carrying the keyboard player from Bon Jovi. The girl was impressed and wanted to get my autograph and picture. I’m sitting, unaware of this charade, until he brings her onboard the bus.  I had to play along and sign an autograph and take a picture with her. One of many crazy road stories that occurred while working with Charlie. 

Whenever Charlie and I visited Rhythm City in Atlanta we’d first stop at a White Castle for bags of sliders for the store’s  employees. When we showed up at the store the guys would make fun of the sliders but they disappeared fast. A visit from Charlie was more than a sales call. He was loved by everybody. 

  I just learned that the world has lost Charlie. We met sometime in 1989 when I opened my little music shop in Tifton, Georgia.
  I had no money and Charlie found my shop and set me up as a Marshall amp dealer. When I told him I couldn't afford a dealership he said "how many amps you want? One or two?"
  He was always generous and was always a problem solver. We shared many laughs and great times. I loved Charlie and will always remember my good friend.

The one word I think of when I think of Charlie is “big”. He always did things in a big way. We went to watch a drag race and of course he entered and drove his car in the race. We went to a rock concert where he was the lead singer and I still have hearing issues from the big sound. Charlie took us on a surprise ride and we ended up flying in a single engine plane with him as the pilot. Once he came to our house driving his vintage Rolls Royce he had just bought. 

Charlie did things in a big way. However, what people remember about him is his big heart. He loved Brenda beyond measure. He loved his family and really enjoyed his grandkids. He loved his friends and would do anything to help them when needed. Much of this love came from his big love of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I look forward to the day when we can once again share in big experiences, only this time they will be in heaven.

Charlie became a part of my life in 1979 when he was referred to our firm for tax and accounting services he was requesting. It did not take long for Charlie to become not only a client but a great friend. Our growing families got to know each other and including Brenda’s family. Occasionally Charlie would ask me to prepare tax returns for Alice or Ruth when needed. 

Charlie was always highly supportive and loyal to me as I made some business moves and marriage changes. He would call if we had not seen each other for a while just to chat and see how I was doing. At one time, Charlie could see that I was going through a troubling time and he recommended a new church to me and that ended up being very valuable to me. Charlie reminded me about it several times. I went there and eventually got involved in some of the programs. It helped put me on track and prepared me for a lady named Lynn who I met years later and who became my wife. I am thankful to both Charlie and Brenda for their concerns and support.

Charlie and I would meet for lunch at a restaurant or have takeout at his office. We always had a lot to talk about. We sometimes went to dinner with the wives. I tried to pay the check many times but most of the time Charlie was the one who did pay the check.  He was a very generous man.

Charlie had a commanding voice and was an excellent story teller. He used to talk about how one of my young sons secretly crawled through the hedges by the house dressed in army camouflage and lay in wait for Charlie until Charlie spotted him. Charlie always said that he was never surprised that the son later became an army green beret.

Whenever I departed from a visit with Charlie in our later years he always said I love you Danny. And he gave me a big man hug. I think that I will always remember that the most.


I met Charlie 35 yrs. ago through baseball.  We were coaching pee wee ball on different teams.  We were both coaching our sons Alex & Chaz and moving along with them as they moved into other age groups.  When we were moving into Little League Charlie approached me and ask that we join forces, build a team and move our team into the Sanford City League.   I didn't hesitate.  We won two city championships and moved up to Babe Ruth and won I believe two or three more.  During these times our family's hung out together.  My family still today says that this was the best times of their lives and I couldn't agree more.  I got to know Charlie very well and I must say, I could write a book on his accomplishments.  We laughed, we fought on and off the field and we hugged at the end of the day.  During this time Charlie was working with a major music distributor and was extremely successful.  Me? I was a supervisor for a underground construction company and was barely making ends meet.  This meant nothing to Charlie.  He would always encourage me to do better, he was always building me up.  He never looked at what level of income I was making, what kind of house we lived in or what kind of car I drove.  He respected who I was and how much I was doing for my family.  We had great times together including he and his loving wife Brenda taking my wife Sarah and I to see the Allman Brothers (my all time dream band) on stage no less. He took us to see the rolling Stones and introduced me to Chuck Leavell.  He called me up one Saturday morning and said "hey Jeff, you want to go meet Shaq?" and we did.  This was all great stuff but what I will miss most is our talks, our discussions about life.  Charlie was a realist as I am as well.  Charlie would never hold back.  It angered some but if you listened to him you would walk away the wiser.  Charlie my dear friend, I miss you and I love you.  Thank you for being a huge part of my life my friend. 

There was truly nobody like Charlie...probably in the history of the world! He was a jolly soul with a warm smile and a generous spirit. Rest In Peace Charlie...although I don't believe you'll really rest until you've sold every rock star in the Great Beyond a shiny new Marshall stack!

If there wasn't a limit I'm sure some of these memories would be long enough to make a novel considering how many people's lives were influenced by my Uncle Charlie. As many have said, he was larger than life and would give you the shirt off his back. He went places where most people only dreamed of going. I remember anytime I would tell him where I was thinking about going, whether it was a concert or sporting event, and he would tell me to go and enjoy it. That is something I always think about and it's true, go and make memories with people you care about. There are many words of advice like this that I will continue to carry with me for the rest of my life. 
He also helped me out when I couldn't find summer work/internships while I was an undergrad at UCF. On the spot he said "my friend Jeff (Small) owns a helicopter blade repair company... let me give him a call." Fast forward 2 plus years... I have now graduated and I still work at Jeff's company as an engineer. Because of Uncle Charlie I work for an amazing company in a field that I absolutely love, and I will forever be grateful that he made that call for me when I needed it the most.
He will be missed dearly and I will make sure that all of his grandchildren know how special their grandpa was. Fly high and rest in peace Uncle Charlie... we love you! 

I had the pleasure of knowing Charlie since 1984 when we worked together at Korg. Charlie was one of my dearest friends and we spoke Weekly about many things. We shared some wonderful times together either at our homes, tradeshows, or just traveling together for work .He was probably the kindest person I ever met in my entire life. He always spoke about his wonderful wife Brenda, and his children that he was so proud of Chaz and Kaylie and of course his grandchildren. Charlie was one of the strongest people I ever knew.. He was a Vietnam veteran who was extremely proud of his country.
I still think about Charlie every day and I miss talking to him.
Godspeed my friend. May you always be smiling in the house of our Lord and Savior.

Shedding tears but also big smiles as I remember Charlie.  As so many others have written, Charlie was the best, with a great big heart.  I worked with Charlie for many years at Korg and the stories are endless.  He was a great friend and I learned so much from him.  The great team of Charlie and Pete (Acree) were like a dynamic duo – the best of the best – they could sell you ice in the winter and you would love every minute of it.  To imagine them together again makes my heart full.  Two true gentlemen.  Charlie loved his friends, and his family was everything to him.  I spoke to Charlie about a year and a half ago, and we reminisced about the good old days and how much fun we all had.  A conversation that was so special then, and even more special as I remember it now.   XO 

Charlie was a bigger than life personality.  I have a hard time thinking of him as a mere mortal like the rest of us.  Charlie has been like a father to me my whole life. He would always cheer me on and inspire me to greatness.  He was always moving and shaking and making things happen himself, and he inspired me to never stop... always keep creating and always give it 1000%.  I don’t know that my dad ever had a more true friend than Charlie. He took care of him and led him in the right directions with a selfless love. My dad respected Charlie more than anyone. And he became an inspiration in my life and a true source of unconditional love. He will leave this world a better place than when he came to it. I’ll miss him terribly. I love him so much. 

I only today found out about my friend Charlie Lytle's passing. Charlie was one of the most generous and loving human beings I've ever known. We became friends back in the 80's when he was working with KORG and I became a clinician for the company. We spent many hours together traveling to music stores,  getting to know each other. When I hit some hard times during that period, I started making cassette tapes that contained data of my own custom sounds for one of the keyboards KORG made. Charlie sold these things like crazy in all the stores he serviced, helping to make me to get through that rough time. It was amazing to watch him go into a store, tell the manager about my tapes, and then just say..."So, how many are you going to take?"...and inevitably it would result in several hundred bucks in my pocket that I desperately needed. And he did this with a smile on his face every time. All those store managers loved and respected Charlie, as everyone that knew him did.
Years later, Charlie worked with another music company that handled several brands, including the Young Chang piano company. He called me one day and said "Chuck...I have something for you that will be delivered to your house in a few days." After fianlly prying out information from him about what this was all about, he finally told me: "I was at a trade show for Young Chang and saw this amazing grand piano made out of Bubinga wood and knew you had to have it." WHAT??!! How much will this cost me? "No, you don't understand...it's yours already." I've never known how he pulled that off, and he would never tell me.  I suspect he had to pay for it..but he had such a talent for making a deal, it could have been he convinced Young Chang to make some kind of a special situation to get it to me. That piano has resided in my house ever since then, and every time I sit behind it, I think of Charlie.
To Brenda and the kids...I send my sincere love and condolences. RIP, my good friend.
Chuck Leavell

I first met Charlie in the early 70s . He and Brenda had just got married and he had opened his first music store in Orlando. I soon went to work in that shop. That was the beginning of a long lasting relationship. I went on to work on many projects with Charlie.  Together we created PowerHouse Sound Systems and built the Orlando Recording Studio. I played on tracks for him when he wanted to be a country singer. ( yes, he could sing,) We went to the Nashville NAMM show and backstage with the Rolling Stones, ,hanging out with his good friend, Chuck Leavell.                                                  I remember when Chaz and Kaylie were born. Charlie loved his kids so much. He would often talk sbout how proud he was of them.
His love for Brenda was neverending. He would always say that he was the luckiest man ever to have her as his wife and I always agreed with him. Brenda has always been a beautiful and wonderful person and her love for Charlie is endless. My heart and love goes out to Brenda and the kids.                                                                
    Over the years, Charlie and I may have bumped heads a few times but we never lost our brotherly love for each other. A friendship that lasted some 48 years. He was a big man with a bigger heart. Rest in peace my brother. You will be missed.                     

I first met Charlie when he was playing in the band with my brother John. I believe we became best of friends when he had his music store and I was starting in the electronic business. 
We shared many a good times together over the years and will surely miss his company. 


My 53 year relationship and friendship with Charlie began as a member of The Roadrunners Band.  This group recorded two records, played with notable groups like The Young Rascals, The Mommas and Papas, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, and many others. These were magical times and I will be forever thankful for them and the people with whom they were shared.

Charlie was a bigger that life persona with astonishing energy .  Beneath all of this was a fiercely loyal friend who would literally give you the shirt off his back.  

I loved him like a brother and he will be sorely missed.  Without equivocation, my life was made better because Charlie was part of it.

  

Charlie was the best brother-in-law I could have ever had!!  He loved my sister, Brenda, with all of his great big heart!!  And boy did he have a BIG HEART!!!   He was the kindest, most caring person in the world.   He cared so much for other people, and always wanted them to have the best in life and he saw to it that they got the best!   As the doctor at the hospice house told Brenda, he said Charlie got the biggest and best room here, and she thought that was so great in that Charlie always loved everything big and best, and he had a humble way about him.  Brenda and Charlie were so giving.   My parents loved him like like a son instead of a son-in-law!!   Charlie was one of the good guys and no one could ever replace him in our lives.   We have so many great memories with him.  He took us backstage to Rolling Stones concert in Jacksonville and VIP room at their Orlando concert, Moody Blues concert and hotel in Daytona.  He knew MANY famous musicians.  Charlie could sing!!!  Boy could he sing!!!  His daughter Kaylie sings as well.   Both sang at my wedding and reception.   Charlie is now singing in Heaven  I'm sure of it!!   He  loved his Eagle Buses, and loved taking musicians, movie stars, famous sports stars all over the place.   My husband Bob helped out with some of those bus trips.  They always had a blast!!  Everyone who knew Charlie loved him.  Charlie came to my son Collin's college graduation party in December (photo below).   Chaz and Kaylie we very blessed to have had such a wonderful father; and Charlie was blessed to have such great kids.   He has several adorable grand kids, too, that loved him dearly.   Charlie will be missed by us, but he is in Heaven doing BIG things I do believe!!  Charlie loved the Lord.   I'll miss cooking him fried chicken on his birthday in July.   He loved my dad's fried chicken and maybe Daddy's cooking for him in Heaven.  I am blessed to have known Charlie in this life and I know I will see him again in Heaven!!!!  

All of my family were so saddened to hear about Charlie! 💔 
We also have many great memories with your dad and all of you! Everything he did was bigger than life...the mansion, the Rolls, the concerts...his great gift of making everyone feel welcome to his home, his jolly laugh, that BIG smile, his love of bull dogs, his love of music, his love of baseball, his gift of gab, and last but not least, his love of your mom, you kids and those grands! Not enough space here to mention all the accolades but suffice to say, Charlie Lytle was a good man! A legacy doesn't get much better than that! 💙
Much love to you and the family Kaylie! David and I both send our  heartfelt condolences! 
❤ Aunt Becky
P.S. I can just see Charlie and ole Wesley Jay up there! The jokes a flyin' and the stories galore! 🥰

Words cannot express the bond that Charlie and I had. We had a blast traveling throughout his territory creating more sales. Laughter was a regular companion as we drove and drove. Charlie assisted my foray into the production of video manuals for Korg instruments and MotU composing software. Charlie was a giver. There will never be another Charlie Lytle. There’s a big hole in my life. I take comfort in knowing that Heaven is getting acquainted with him now. 

My uncle Charlie was the bravest man I’ve ever known. He faced all trials head on and was an inspiration to all who knew him. He is missed dearly but we know we he is rejoicing with our Lord in Heaven and we will see him again one day. Until then my sweet uncle, give my mom and dad a hug for me and know I love you all!

The Lytles were our neighbors for several years in Sanford while the kids were little,  and I used to babysit.  Charlie and Brenda were always so very nice....and we miss the Christmas cookie parties. A lovely family man. 

Enjoyed coaching with and against him in Sanford Youth Baseball and watching Chaz grow into a great person and player at SHS and American Legion. Also enjoyed doing  Jack Elton Elvis Tribute Shows with him when he let us use his Tour Bus. RIP buddy, we will miss you and you will never be forgotten. 😢👍🙏🥎

OBITUARY

Charles "Charlie" Arthur Lytle

July 27, 1949 – April 29, 2020

Baldwin-Fairchild Oaklawn Chapel & Oaklawn Cemetery

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