Bio

I've been at this music thing a while now. I picked up the guitar back in high school and practiced every day until my fingers were black. The 80's were a glorious time to be a guitar player! I won some contests, played in some bands, and eventually found myself doing session work for local studios; mostly jingles and radio spots. Because on any given day I might be asked to play country, rock, or polka, I quickly learned to "speak the language" of many different musical genres.

I also learned that recording was awesome. Before I knew it I had graduated from the Horizon Audio Engineering program, spent a ton of money on recording equipment (a habit that continues to this day), and was recording songs of my own. They all sucked, but I was having a ton of fun and learning a lot. Gradually my songs sucked less and less, and I started to notice something that filled my heavy-metal heart with fear: I had a knack for writing country tunes. It was as if all my parent's old Merle Haggard, Marty Robbins, and John Denver LP's had somehow imprinted their content onto my musical DNA. Who knew that could happen?

I started splitting my attention between guitar-oriented rock and country. I bought a few books, taught myself how to write marketable tunes, and started sending out demo tapes (how quaint!) to anyone that would listen. It took a while, but eventually I gained some traction. I began getting a few cuts, and winning a few contests. With each small success I became more hooked, and I've been chasing that elusive melody in my head ever since.

These days songwriting is my main focus. I still write rock and country mostly, but I'll write just about anything if the mood hits me. My songs have been recorded by many artists and used in film. I've been honored with several songwriting awards, including the Honor Award in the Great American Song Contest twice. I've also taught songwriting at a college level and conducted many workshops on songwriting, music history, and music psychology.

My love affair with the guitar also continues. I teach, repair, record, and perform regularly in the Seattle area.