Definately a work in progress, for me, the birth of music started at a rebirth of sorts, in February of 2000. I was honestly nothing more than a humble guitarist, with one acoustic, a yard sale electric, and absolutely no clue how to write a song or stay in key vocally. Still, there was a fire placed inside of me that persisted to tell me otherwise. I, like Jonah, also ran away from a loving and familiar voice, and like him, I too came around April 2003, when I sold off an apartment’s worth of material things, and moved (to subsidized housing, where youth took mission trips to fix our neighborhood) in order to appease this ever brighter and burning desire to sing a new song and play guitar with a new sacrificial depth.
I started on a CD in that year entitled, “Where I Belongâ€, which chronicled my selling out the world for a new found love in life and music. Though unsigned, I took the independent approach of performing the songs for familiar friends and strangers all across TN and around the US.During Where I Belong, I played anywhere from old rugged churches to trendy coffeehouses with all stops between.It was in April 2004 I took time out to help a friend, Nate Sallie, as his lead guitarist.
I traveled with his band as well as seeing my fair share of gas stations and hotel rooms. Upon completion of Nate’s debut efforts in November of 2005, I found myself at a pretty amazing crossroad: Play with another artist or complete another CD? My desire had led me back to my first love: writing.
That same month, my favorite place ever, Mt. View, asked me to take over music some Sundays, and I humbly obliged. My Monday through Saturdays consisted of writing for my second indie album project. That would only last for a few months before EMI expressed interest in the vision my heart set before me 6 years prior. From there, we both agreed that working on the music would be best placed with their amazing support.
The process has been far from calculated, but will remain far from over. Even now, I haven’t more than a dim idea of what could happen musically, but I will always be in love with road in between here and wherever it takes me, letting the fire light my path and the voice guide my way.
