LIFE AND TIMES OF DENNY CARLETON
Towards the end of a Cleveland summer day on the 28 th of June in 1949, David Wesley and Irene Alma Carleton proudly announced the birth of their new son, Dennis. The young family boasted six members, two of which were Denny's sisters and one was his brother.
His early years were focused on getting a solid Catholic education from schools like Holy Cross, Immaculate Conception and St. Joseph's High School (now VA St. Joe 's). Here is how Denny describes this part of his life from about ages 5 to 10 ...
"I was raised by two great parents. Growing up on Monterey Ave in the North Collinwood section of East 185th St. area, which is in Cleveland, Ohio, except for a few events, I had a rather uneventful childhood. According to my mom, my first word was Jesus. Why I don't know, but that's what she told me.
My dad was a working man, blue collar worker who worked hard, slept just enough to keep his energy and got up the next day to go back and work some more. My mother raised four small children, budgeting my fathers money and cutting coupons; she was so good at, it that I never realized that I was poor until I went to Cuyahoga Community College at age 18. While I was studying college Sociology: I said, 'lower middle class - that's me.'
I can recall my mother saying she wanted to watch a brand new entertainer who she liked a lot. His name was Elvis Presley.. I remember watching him - and liking it. It is very strange, but it seems that for my whole life I have been on the same path, and I am still anxiously waiting to see its destination and fulfillment. Some of my earliest influences were spirituality and music. To this day music and spirituality are what push me on.
One vivid memory is about my sisters and brothers, who were between 5 and 10 years older than me, coming into the living room and dancing the jitterbug to all the popular songs of the time. I fell in love with Jim Dandy To the Rescue by Laverne Baker, That's My Desire by Smokey Joe's Cafe, Clyde Mcphatter and many others. I often played DJ while the kids danced.
A near tragedy occurred at the age of 5 or 6. My sister was playing in my dad's car and I was on my bike wanting to get my sister's attention. I kept leaning on my bike wanting to talk to her. For some reason the car fell out of gear, went into neutral went backward knocking me off of my bike, then proceededing to run over my legs. That hurt! I hate when that happens. I lay screaming and I managed to look up. Seemingly in slow motion, the car smashed into the mailbox at the end of the driveway. My parents came running out panicked! My dad or mom grabbed me and rushed me to the hospital. My legs were totally black and blue - a real mess. The doctor looked concerned; he ran a test and said that it was a miracle. Not one bone was broken. I went home and had to walk for exercise. My mom would motivate me to walk by promising candy and treats if I would walk from Holy Cross to Monterey. There seems like there should be more to that story, but that's it. I have never had any problems from being run over by a car since. Thank God.
I began to attend kindergarten and quit half way through because some of the kids got to play on the monkey bars and I didn't. I was too young to know about asserting my rights, so I dropped out of school until the first grade, when I attended Holy Cross. Basically I was a happy kid with every baseball card known to man. I often tell younger people that my generation with baseball cards had no idea they would be worth a lot of money some day. We were sort of the Neanderthal man or Caveman when it came to collector-consciousness and evolution.
We put the cards in the spoke of our tires on our bikes, and flipped them against the wall. We traded valuable Mickey Mantles and Hank Aarons for Cleveland Indians with names like Willy Tasby or Willie Kirkland. At some point I grew tired of collecting because I thought I had outgrown it. I gave all my 1950 and 60 card to my nephew who also outgrew that phase and threw them away - we're talking Mickey Mantle cards here, boys and girls. We're talking big American dollars.
At the age of 7, my dad got laid off from his job for a lot of political reasons. This was a very stressful time for the family. My mom was nervous and my was dad down; I began to escape into a creative world that I have never left. I began to write short stories and little newspapers. I invented games and even reviewed art work. I wrote a letter to my mother that some day I would give her a priest. I'm not sure if that meant to get to a know priest and capture him and bring them to the house or become one. I think I thought that I would become a priest. When I saw the Beatles on Ed Sullivan I then got a guitar, took music lessons and all that changed .."
This is the very first indication of any musical desires and came at the age of 14 when Denny
saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show and was hooked. Soon after, he began learning the
guitar and he let his hair grow long. With the new crop came some new hassles, since long hair
was not accepted as normal back then. His very first band was called The Lost Souls [Pic], which was
followed by The Choir [more] (It's Cold Outside), then Moses. It was during this time he began
testing another skill, which was that of a songwriter.
New challenges, choices and changes accompanied the next phase of his life. His life would now begin to experience a different dimension as his spirituality continued to grow; he noticed something beginning to stir within him. He attended Cuyahoga Community College (CCC) and Lakeland Community College. During this time, he formally accepted Jesus Christ and became baptized in the Holy Spirit (although He had been busy working with Denny for quite some time, already). He lived in a Charismatic Community [Charismatic Catholic] for nine months and ministered both at CCC and Cleveland State University. As he grew in the Lord, his talents and skills were also being honed; he was developing as a Christian singer/songwriter, singing acoustic solo performances. Yet, as he grew in his faith and commitment, he was also pulled away from the Catholic Church for about seven years. Likewise, his mind was being challenged and he consumed many books on many subjects, finding himself living at a slower pace, trusting more in the Lord and not placing his entire life around his music; his new focus became Christ.
Now in his 30's he returned to Catholicism, becoming part of the St. Felicitas Healing Team, Communal Penance and the prayer meeting Worship Leader. He also began his own recording label, Green light and sold many tapes of his own music that received many favorable world-wide reviews from alternative music magazines. It was played on about 300 college and public radio stations. Again expanding his talents and career, Music Teacher was added to his resume for his position at the Fine Arts Association, in Willoughby, Ohio. Additionally, he taught at many area art schools, consulted for the Cuyahoga Community College music concert at Playhouse Square, and began organizing concerts.
The next decade brought its share of blessings and hardships. Denny married Theresa and for about ten years they played for various churches, nursing homes and functions all around Ohio, fostering a new appreciation for nature and the outdoors. Unfortunately the marriage did not last, followed by his parents becoming ill. His dad was ill with Alzheimer's making both he and his mom, caregivers. Yet, the Lord comforted him through this difficult period, teaching him to learn how to use his music as a healing tool by playing for his mom and dad.
Currently on his journey in the Spirit for Jesus, he is a radio host on the WORD 1220 [more] after beginning for WELW in that role and has interviewed many personalities. He continues to play solo as a Christian Singer/Songwriter for many churches, youth groups and coffee houses, teaches and organizes concerts. Further, he functions as a valuable networking resource for area churches. His musical abilities are well known to many, and but still remains Cleveland 's best kept secret.
Nonetheless, something more important has taken root in his life. He has begun to experience the Holy Spirit through his music and plays under His anointing; Denny is very much a part of the Christian healing experience and lives to serve. Much resembling the heart and artistry of Rich Mullins, because of his faithfulness, sincerity and compassion, people are now coming forward to assist in Denny's ministry.