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My earliest memory of music is sitting on my grandfather's knee while he sang to me...some old song about deer...or something. I remember trying to sing along, but couldn't keep up; must've been 2 or 3. ...and my mom and grandma playing Heart and Soul together on the piano. When I was 13 or so my grandparent's took a trip to Hawaii and brought home a ukulele, which sat around and collected dust. I convinced them that I could play it if they let me take it home and practice. Grandma agreed, as long as I learned how to play a song by her favorite guitarist, Chet Atkins. (a promise I was able to fulfill a year or two later. I learned Chet's version of Malaguena off of one of grandma's records, by ear). This was also about the time when I started getting into rock music. AC/DC was my favorite and Angus Young is absolutely the reason I started playing guitar. I would spend hours trying to figure out songs and jam along with the ukulele to Back in Black and swear that it sounded just like the song (as long as the record was playing of course). I've been possessed by music, especially guitar, ever since. I took lessons for awhile but was mostly self taught until I decided to get some formal training on classical guitar – which is really my favorite kind of guitar music, but playing electric has more possibilities and less boundaries (and easier to make money). I spent two years studying classical under Ginger Hildebrand of Peabody, who is a great teacher and a great friend. Studying with her did wonders for my technique, learning to read music, learning the neck – all of which helped my electric abilities. After placing first in the Music Monthly Mid-Atlantic guitar competition, I packed up and headed to Hollywood to attend M.I. (Musician's Institute). I graduated with honors and a 4.0 g.p.a. G.I.T was an amazing experience. My teachers really blew me away. Not just with the way they played, but the way they thought. They are truly world class musicians and people. I learned so much from them. Especially, that knowing the technical side of music means nothing musically. And that music is an intangible, a liquid that cannot be contained within a set of rules. But...understanding music theory can help find the music inside that is trying to get out. To me, that meant learning music theory, as it applied to the guitar – and learning it cold, so that thought didn't interfere with the music - always a work in progress. Striking the balance between chaos and order is always the challenge for me. At GIT, they focused a lot on jazz guitar because of the improvisational aspects and the fact that jazz really tests your brain. They turned me on to some of the greatest players and musicians around. When I returned home from school, I started playing with Laughing Colors. From 1992-2006, we released 10 albums, sold over 50,000 CDs, and played over 2,000 shows. That was my life for nearly 15 years and the part of which I am the most proud. Teaching guitar is something else in which I take a great amount of pride. Partly as a source of income, yes, but mostly because it is very rewarding to teach, especially the guitar, which in my opinion is the most versatile musical instrument there is, emotionally and sonically. There can never be too many guitar players in this world and whatever I can do to encourage others, I will. I love having students who are possessed by the guitar and by music, the way I've always been.
