I grew up in N. Olmsted, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland where, at age 6, I started playing piano, studying theory at the Cleveland Institute of Music. My mother took me by train across town for a half hour lesson, once a week! Around age 10, we moved to the Lima, Ohio area, where I studied for the next 8 years under instructer Don Hurless. Don is still playing in and around the Lima area. I was hired to play at the county fair for a local music store, Porter's, to attract business. Around age 16, I advanced a little to playing resturants. When I was around 17, I started playing at the Dixie Roller Rink in Lima, Ohio and I continued there for 4 years. Little did I know that the word Dixie would have more significance later on!
I graduated in 1973 from Bluffton High School in Bluffton, Ohio. where I formed my first rock band, Uplift, with high school buddy Jerry Szabo, Brent Catlin and Tom Armstrong. Dan Mowery (rip),later joined on guitar. We were kicked out of our biggest gig, a high school prom, for not playing anything "slow or danceable!"
In 1974, I started playing with alumni from a band called Damnation of Adam Blessing, in Cleveland Ohio. (A late 60's early seventys band on United Artists) with 4 albums to thier credit, recently re-issued on the Akarma label. After about a month of rehearsals, it dissolved.
In 1975 , I joined up with Bob Hammond, a Detroit country singer,playing mainly in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, until we landed a house gig at the Hollywood Lounge in southwest Detroit. Soon after,in 1976, I was asked to join Kelly Hall & Southbound, who were playing a nicer club, Grant's Lounge,(now Mallies Sports Bar) in a downriver suburb. We were playing 6 nights a week, so I moved to Detroit. In 1978, I was married to Pamela, the mother of all my children. My father, a truck driver and mechanic, passed away the same year, at age 63. In 1980, I met Donny Van Zant, after a 38 special concert, and kept in touch with him. A few months later, he informed me of Danny Joe Brown leaving Molly Hatchet for a solo career. I tracked Danny down for an audition, and the rest is history! In 1981, I headed for Jacksonville to rehearse with the late great Danny Joe Brown and his band, which was then called "The Danny Joe Brown Band". After months of rehearsing, we recorded an album in Nassau, Bahamas, with famed producer Glynn Johns (Zeppelin,the Who, Clapton). After a year of touring, Danny returned to Molly Hatchet.
In 1982 the remaining members of the DJB band, along with vocalist Billy Rodgers, recorded some demo's under the name Vigil Annie, and we only did 1 gig with the Allman Bros. in Stuart, Fl. before disbanding.
In 1982-83 I rejoined Southbound, for about ayear. In 1983 I was asked to play on "No Guts No Glory" with Molly Hatchet.
A year went by and the offer came to join Molly Hatchet FULL TIME...I joined Molly Hatchet as the 1st Keyboardist in 1984, replacing guitarist Steve Holland. In 1985, Bobby Ingram joined the fold, replacing Dave Hlubek. This lineup continued until summer of 1990, when Molly Hatchet disbanded after the Toledo Speedway Jam. I then joined Coalition, back in Taylor, Mi. Playing another house gig at the All Around Lounge. We also competed on the TV show "You can be a Star" in Nashville.
During this time, Danny Joe Brown & Bobby Ingram revived the band with a variety of players, until locking into the Devils Canyon lineup, at which time Danny had a stroke, handing the riegns over to Phil MacCormack.
In 1994, a divorce led me to work a normal job for a while!
In 1996, I re-joined the new-improved Molly Hatchet,lead by long-time guitarist Bobby Ingram, recording all albums and doing select, random shows/tours since 1996 .
I'm now happily remarried to my lovely wife, Marie, in 2003, and still reside in the Detroit area with 3 stepkids, Zach, Paulina and Sam, our dogs Sawyer, Lucy & Desi, and our cat Tiger. My kids, Brandy, Matt, and Brittany, and stepson Anthony all are grown, and have blessed me with some beautiful grandchildren and all still live in this area.
Aside from Molly Hatchet, when I'm at home I also play with a classic country band called Arizona Son, frequently backing Devin Scillion from TV channel 4, and I also have a duo with my good friend Don Burton on guitar/bass, called Double Vision, doing classic rock and classic obscure stuff not too many other bands do. And now a new project, the Paul Warren Blues Band, featuring Paul Warren, guitarist for Rod Stewart, who's played also with Richard Marx, Tina Turner, and Joe Cocker, and also played on a lot of legendary Motown recordings, with the Temptations, the Undisputed Truth, Rare Earth, and many others. A SMOKIN project!
FAVORITE MUSIC: Southern Rock, Blues, Psychedelia, Space Rock, Ambient, Metal, American Dog, the Mooney Suzuki, Kings of the Sun, Monster Magnet, Porcupine Tree, Genitorturers, Gino Vannelli, Damnation of Adam Blessing, Frijid Pink, Alice In Chains, Opeth, Dr.John, Soundgarden, the Church, White Witch, Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, Boston, ELP, Alabama, Rob Zombie, Black Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult, the Cult, Seger, Willie Nelson, Walter Trout, Micheal Katon, , Bloodrock, Blood Sweat & Tears, Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass, Henry Mancini, Phaser, Cactus, Santana, Ten Years After, Michael Quatro, Paul Rodgers, Little Big Town, Faith No More, Starz, Pat Travers, Gomez, Mika, Kelly Sweet, Robin Trower, Lizard (Germany),Dread Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin, Sisters of Mercy, Kansas, Enigma,Michael Danna, Captain Beyond, TGZ, Gregg Allman, Radio Moscow, Tomahawk, Mike Patton, Joe Bonnamassa, Dire Straights, the Dandy Warhols, Pink Floyd, Blood of the Sun, the James Gang, Three Dog Night, Supertramp, Grand Funk Railroad, Natchez, Black Stone Cherry, the Kentucky Headhunters, Mindy Smith, and much more that you probably never heard of!
DISCOGRAPHY:
1977-1979
SINGLES
PAUL WEBB-Barroom Boogie Man/Hurtin' Memory (Webb hollow)
PAUL WEBB-Kentucky Love/Pray She'll Never Know (Webb Hollow)
ROGER FARRELL-Country Rock/Jennifer (Webb Hollow)
ERNIE CHRISTOPHER-Sing Myn Way Back Home/Start All Over Again (Webb Hollow)
KELLY HALL- All Done Pickin' Up After You/Times I Shared With You (TIME)
DIANE FISHER-Breaking All the Rules/Song For My Guitar (Walking Tree)
SKY ALEXANDER-the Fool/Honky-Tonk Woman (Shurtrax) -featuring John Anderson guitarist Vern Pilder
HARLAN COUNTY BAND-Snitches and Ripoffs/Show Me Song (Porn on the Cobb)
HARLAN COUNTY BAND-Kooder & Cocaine/Real Estate Song (Porn on the Cobb)
1977-1979 THE ALBUMS-LOCAL:
DETROITS BEST COUNTRY-various artists, featuring Dan Schafer, Shania Twain guitarist (seeds & stems)
DON LEWIS-New Straightsville Man (KALE)
COMMITMENTS- I Know the Answer (MASA)
DYNAMIC SOUL SUPERIORS- Follow Me (Savoy)
ELVIS SHELTON- (webb Hollow)
THE ALBUMS-INTERNATIONAL:
1981 DANNY JOE BROWN & THE DANNY JOE BROWN BAND (EPIC)
1983 MOLLY HATCHET- No Guts No Glory (Epic)
1984 MOLLY HATCHET-The Deed Is Done (Epic)
1985 MOLLY HATCHET-Double Trouble Live (Epic) double album
1989 MOLLY HATCHET-Lightning Strikes Twice (Capitol)
1991 MOLLY HATCHET-Greatest Hits (Epic/Sony)
1996 MOLLY HATCHET-Devils Canyon (CBH/SPV)
1998 MOLLY HATCHET-Silent Reign of Hero's-(CMC/SPV)
2000 MOLLY HATCHET-Kingdom of Twelve (SPV)
2003 MOLLY HATCHET-Locked & Loaded (SPV) double cd
2003 MOLLY HATCHET-25th Anniversary Re-Recorded (SPV)
2005 MOLLY HATCHET-Warriors of the Rainbow Bridge (SPV)
2007 MOLLY HATCHET-Flirtin With Disaster Live (Cleopatra-Deadline)
2008 MOLLY HATCHET-Southern Rock Masters (Cleopatra) NEW!
COMPILATIONS:
MOLLY HATCHET-Cut To the Bone- (Sony)
MOLLY HATCHET-On the Prowl-(Sony)
MOLLY HATCHET-the Essential-(Sony)
MOLLY HATCHET-Super Hits-(Sony)
An All-Star Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd- (Cleopatra-Deadline) NEW!
REBEL ROCK-(1991)(Stone in Your Heart)
2009- Abbey Rd- Beatles tribute- 2 tracks NEW!!!!
MOLLY HATCHET BOOTLEGS:
Southern Cross
Rock & Roll Fire
Astral Game (same as rnr fire)
DVD
MOLLY HATCHET Live in Hamburg, Germany (SPV)
MOLLY HATCHET Flirtin With Disaster Live in Ky. (Cleopatra)w/cd
MOVIE SOUNDTRACKS:
NORTH COUNTRY - (Shake The House Down)
BEER LEAGUE- (Son Of theSouth)
NOTE TO EVERYONE:
I am not adding any bands or musicians at this time until I get my player going again. If anyone has any suggestions on how to go about this, let me know!
This page is dedicated to my many friends and colleagues, all of which left an indelible mark of influence on my life and in my heart, that crossed over to a better place, and are smiling down on us from the great beyond:Mom & Dad, Danny Joe Brown, Duane Roland, Lynn Brown Roland, Jakson Spires, Dru Lumbar, Leon Wilkeson, Toy Caldwell,Stephanie Ingram, George McCorkle, Hughie Thomasson, Bob Hammond, Kelly Hall, Danny Mullins, Cub Koda, Dave Gilbert, Gus Gasper, J.J.Snipes, Louis Mason, Jimmy Kelly, Jimmy Boyer, Vern Parker, Toby Anderson, Phil Swain, Eddie Lee, Elvis Shelton. Gregory Scott and Dan Mowery, Billy Powell, Ean Evans...R.I.P. They've all made up the rich palette of color from which my life has been painted.
