My mother had the greatest
record collection! Music from
all corners of the globe. From
opera to flamenco, pop, country,
jazz. It was all there. Aural treasure
that I mined at an early age. I was
too young to really understand genres.
So my first exposure was uncorrupted
and innocent. I found value in all of it.
Some types of music hit me harder
than others. Some artists I liked more.
Some less.

The first music that knocked the wind
out of me was Hank Williams. At 6 or 7
years old I didn't intellectually understand
what the lyrics meant...I didn't have to. It
burrowed right into my soul. And it moved
me profoundly. And still does today.

Growing up I didn't connect with
popular music of the time. 70's rock
and roll wasn't doing it for me. I
searched for music that hit me in
the gut like those records in my
mother's collection did. And I found
it in blues, soul, early r&B and western
swing. The lyrics of Chuck Berry.
The hypnotic grooves and power of Wolf. The smooth delivery of Bobby Blue Bland and
Little Junior Parker. The blues shouting of Big Joe Turner. The raw energy of Hound Dog
Taylor. The innocence of Buddy Holly. The twang rock of Commander Cody and the bar
room western swing of Asleep At The Wheel.

I played in local bands and in 1985 moved to Boston to attend The Berklee College of Music.
I took up the tenor sax while at Berklee and within a year was playing with Shirley Lewis and
The Movers doing 300 gigs a year! When Shirley left the Movers I assumed the front person
chores on guitar/vocals and performed another 300 gigs a year touring all over New England.
I moved to San Diego in 1992 and in 1996 began seriously writing songs and touring with my
band 'The Tone Kings'. In 2003 I signed with Conqueroot Records, released "Tales From The
Backseat" and relocated to Austin, Texas where I continue to write, record and perform.