Carl, We Love You
Carl, We Love You — Ralph DePalma
Key West is a “Guitar Town”. We have more guitar players than we have bartenders but we only have one Caffeine Carl Wagoner. Over the years, I have posted hundreds of photos of Caffeine Carl Wagoner. We spoke many times about music, guitars, other guitarists, his buddy Bill Blue, his new life without alcohol, and everything else you could imagine. Carl was gifted and just plain fun to be with. He loved life and sharing his gift.
Carl Wagoner was born and raised in Key West. His father played ukulele in a barber shop quartet. There was a Hammond organ in the Wagoner home, and by the time he was five, Carl had learned to play quite well. Radio station WKWF offered a best song music contest. Six-year-old Carl entered the contest, played “Blue Spanish Eyes”, and won.
Carl taught himself to play by listening to the music. He took piano lessons in school but never learned to read music. When in class, he faked it by turning the pages along with the other students and almost always received A’s in music classes. He graduated from Key West High School in 1985.
In 1980, Carl’s mother gave him his first guitar and amplifier, purchased from a Sears catalog, for Christmas. She said “I don’t know why I’m getting this for you. You’ll probably never play it.” Carl switched from the piano to the guitar and never looked back. His mother quickly changed her opinion and was Carl’s biggest fan until she passed in 2015. Carl wrote a song to his mother, “Moma Don’t Like It” when I play my guitar all night long.
The late Steve Mello played in a band called Dog House Zydeco which included Carl. Steve played the drums and a xylophone, and just about every other instrument he could get his hands on. Steve was the first to use the nickname “Caffeine Carl” because of the way Carl enunciated his words quickly with a slight stutter – like he had too much caffeine.
Both Bill Blue and Clayton Lopez laid claim to teaching Carl to play the guitar. Carl says it was Joel Nelson who taught him his first chords at the radio station WIIS, located on Eaton Street. Joel was a DJ/radio host at the time and during station breaks, he showed Carl and his friend David Freeman their first chords on David’s acoustical guitar. Carl credits Joel with being his biggest first influence.
Bill Blue would joke that Carl’s mother use to have him baby sit Carl, and while doing so, he taught Carl how to play guitar –Not true. Caffeine Carl joked that Bill was his uncle – another fabrication born out of love. In reality, they were closer than most blood relatives, and during the decades of playing great music together, they formed an unbreakable bond.
One of Carl’s earliest gigs was with a band called Bad Oscar at the Hemingway House during the 1984 Hemingway Days Festivals (he was still in high school). They were the opening act for Bill Blue and the Nervous Guys. He watched as these burly long-haired guys came on stage and was overwhelmed by their music.
He was amazed at Bill Blue’s raw guitar skills. He said Bill Blue played music with a serious conviction. That stuck with Carl the rest of his life. Carl played guitar like a mad man but it was the conviction of every note that helped make Caffeine Carl’s guitar music so unique. I remember walking down lower Duval Street hearing the cacophony of mostly guitar music coming from Irish Kevin’s, Sloppy Joe’s, and then heard this special sound emanating from Rick’s it was Caffeine Carl Wagoner. His conviction was easily noticeable.
Former Key West musician/vocalist Melody Cooper once said about Carl, “People always know the real thing. When Carl plays (music) he can do that six nights a week, and you feel the joy and energy in him. It’s the real thing.”
Carl finally got to perform with Bill Blue in the early 90’s at the Bull & Whistle, and became a regular with Bill’s band. Carl and Bill’s guitar solos became epoch in Key West. 
They performed together often for the next 25 years. Carl knew Bills music well and could jump in any time and rip off a masterful solo. When Carl and Bill would share a solo on center stage, it was very special. The great Michael McCloud once said “When Bill
and Carl start trading (guitar) licks on stage, it’s a celestial event. Like when two galaxies collide.” Michael was right.
Gig after gig, I photographed Bill and Carl, not only ‘ripping up’ the stage but genuinely playing music to each other. It wouldn’t have mattered if there was an audience present at all. These two guitar masters would play their hearts out for the pure joy of playing music together. They shared music like they were cut from the same cloth.
Chris Case, another stellar guitarist, and Carl formed a band called Double Bucci (like the Cuban coffee). They performed at Boston Billy’s Blues Club where, in 1997, Carl met the love of his life, Erin. Ironically, Billy’s became the Smokin’ Tuna where Carl headlined four nights a week and Erin would manage.
A Double Bucci performance was recorded live one night, and the place went crazy. Carl and Chris had dueling guitar solos on the stage and then on the bar. The more the audience encouraged them, the wilder the music. Carl and Chris thought they had wasted $2500 recording this live melee. Later at the studio they were surprised how well the recording turned out. If you get a chance, try to find a copy of “Double Bucci Live at Boston Billy’s.”
Carl has been entertaining Key West for most of his 59 years. Carl would have been celebrating his 60th birthday tomorrow. Like Bill Blue, Carl played with conviction and a whole lot of passion, the audience would hang on every note. 
Melody Cooper was absolutely correct, Caffeine Carl Wagoner was the real thing. Rest in peace my friend.
Carl performed Bill’s song, “Hunker Down”, at a Key West Blues Festival, and someone posted a video of the performance on Facebook. Bill saw it and sent Carl a message, “Thanks for doing my song…made me feel better…love you buddy.” Nothing could have made Carl feel better.
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