I grew up during the sixties (no, my parents weren’t at woodstock. they had square dancing class) in a suburb of rochester, ny. fighting with my brothers and trying to make milk come out my sister’s nose during family dinners. riding bikes, watching tv, listening to rock n roll am radio. my older brother bought a guitar and i played it more than he did. struck out with the chicks all through high school.
my first band played all chicago tunes. we sat in class transposing horn parts. went to college in small town Ohio. took music composition and classical guitar (which i still suck at…). played trombone in marching band, guitar in jazz band and tenor sax in concert band. but i was one of the “cool” band nerds. spent the end of the seventies disco dancing and striking out with chicks. leisure suit? i actually owned a leisure suit? and the platform shoes. scary. spent the eighties watching mtv and learning about children of alcoholics and p.m.s. (*see first cd).
i had a funky all original instrumental band called “optional stop” together. we played everywhere to no one. we let my girlfriend start singing with us, and we became a pop/funky instrumental band—not a big market for that. the band fell apart and i started writing songs for myself to sing. i was like a low budget gordon sumner. we played everywhere to no one. we eventually opened up for gary richrath (of reo speedwagon fame) at the penny arcade. don’t ask me about playing with the good rats. we put out my eighties pop/rock cd right as nirvana and alternative music were taking over the airwaves. sales were not, how you say, phenomenal.
i kicked around town for a few more years doing the “unplugged” shows, then moved to Cleveland. played rhythm guitar in a few original country bands. rehearsal space was right next to mr e’s bar. good times. everyone was talking about getting to nashville. so, when a couple i knew were headed down here to start a publishing/recording business, i decided to move with them. she got pregnant and stayed in Ohio and here i am.