I have played guitar off and on since about 8th grade. I am primarily self taught and have had many fallow periods since. It wasn't until 2015 that I started playing in front of audiences other than small groups of family or friends. My guitar had been in its case for seven years when my brother-in-law, JR, invited me to an open mic where he was going to perform. Little did I know that he had a secret plan. From the open mic stage, he introduced me and, essentially, gave me no choice but to borrow his guitar and play a couple of songs.

It was an absolute disaster! I couldn't play the simplest thing. But it had an impact on me. After returning home, I opened my guitar case and began to play again. I haven't been able to stop since.

Playing at a number of area open mics was a great way to get used to being in front of people and working through the seemingly permanent jitters that had me fearful each time I performed. At one such open mic I was offered the opportunity to play a one-hour set at a local bar/restaurant. Ultimately, I played a number of those one-hour performances. That was the perfect transition from three-song sets at open mics to full three-hour gigs.

I have been fortunate to play at many different venues including country clubs, wineries, brewpubs, restaurants, trailer parks and a historic hotel in western New York state. For a couple of years, though I continued to do some solo performances, I was one member of the duo "Three Legged Hill." See Three Legged Hill on Youtube. This experience helped me to grow as a guitarist and performer.

Music has always been a major part of my life. The songs I heard on the radio as a very young boy still echo in my memory. Later, the Beatles became my religion, with many other groups and artists forming the soundscape of my life. As I became more familiar with acoustic guitar, I discovered artists like Doc Watson and Ry Cooder. They had a profound influence on my musical compass. Minneapolis-based artist Phil Heywood taught me some songs in the mid-eighties that cemented my commitment to fingerstyle guitar. I'd love to take those lessons all over again!

Having retired from my day job in late 2022, I'm now focused solely on the guitar, the songs, and performance. I hope to get the opportunity to share my passion with you as I have with many others!

Bio Facts

I'm primarily a midwestern boy. An Iowa farm is my first memory, and riding a full-sized horse alone around the big barn (and so out of sight of observers) on my fourth birthday seemed an exciting achievement! Later, a rather idyllic life in small towns now seems so distant and simple. High school started in Iowa and finished in Wisconsin. Nearly two decades in the Twin Cities made me a Minnesota native.

In 1989, I ended up in western New York. I worked for a decade as the Resident Manager of The College Lodge, and then got a job as a computer programmer and database developer and administrator at SUNY Fredonia. I was there 23 years. Lots of great memories for which I am grateful, but there is real joy in moving on ... to be able to focus on music!