Charlie grew up on a small farm in Southern Minnesota, immersed in nature and the rural church. In this way, he came to love both natural aesthetics and hymnody—these elements color much of his unique compositional and programmatic choices. Leftridge writes and directs music for choral and chamber ensembles, often setting to music his original text. He received his Masters of Music from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and serves as the Executive Director of the Carnegie Art Center and Director of Music at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, both in Mankato, Minnesota.