About Me
Performances with Various Artists and Some Personal Pictures.I try and live my life by treating people the way I would want to be treated. I can thank my mother for pounding that into me from the time I was born. Living my life by adhering to that philosophy (the "Golden Rule") has opened up doors for me that I never would have thought possible.I was born in Dayton, Kentucky and later moved to Fort Thomas, Kentucky at the age of 11. Music has always been a large part of my life. My principal instrument is trumpet and I still play today.I started performing in nightclubs playing R&B at 13 years old. My father taught me trumpet starting when I was eight. I took lessons from him for 2 years. After the two years I taught myself the rest of the way.I worked numerous jobs growing up: fast food restaurants, warehouse manager, and playing in bands.After graduating high school I went to Northern Kentucky University on a full music scholarship. I left before finishing the first year to go "on the road" with a showband called "Cops and Robbers."I became the musical arranger of the band and toured throughout the U.S. for 9 years. I left the band in 1983 and became Director of Entertainment of a nightclub/restaurant chain called "The Red Onion" in Los Angeles, California. I was responsible for running an entertainiment department for 8 nightclubs and in three years it expanded to 14 nightclubs. The clubs had disc jockies and live bands which I was responsible for hiring, training, and promoting. During the three years I was at "The Red Onion" I quit playing trumpet and did not touch it.In 1982 while in Los Angleles I got married to Shirley Gorman who I met playing in San Jose, Califormia. We are still together and now reside in Wilder, Kentucky.In 1986 we moved back to Northern Kentucky where I changed careers completely, becoming part owner and Vice President of Steam Economies Company. The company sells heat transfer equipment mainly used in steam systems within industries. I was responsible for all operations and contoller of finances.When we moved back to Kentucky, I started playing trumpet again in a variety of bands and musical styles from wedding bands to big bands.At the end of 1988, Shirley and I brought Melissa, our daughter, into our life.
She has turned out to be a nice young lady of whom I am very proud.In 1990 I joined a group called the PsychoAcoustic Orchestra which was a very progressive jazz group. We recoreded two CD's and the group contained dynamite players. This musical group exposed me to a whole new group of players and opened up many recording opportunities for different groups, theme parks, cruise ships, and commercials.I left Steam Economies Company in 1994 to become Director of Operations for a computer distributor called Computer Products Corporation. I was there from 1994 until 1998.In 1998 I left Computer Products Corporation to become co-owner of a computer consulting firm we named Software Consulting Hardware, Inc. specializing in application development for IBM AS/400's. I was responsible for operations, marketing, and financials.In 1998 I met Fred Wesley at a recording session at Bootsy Collins' studio. I have been touring on and off with Fred, mainly throughout Europe, since 1999. Through working with Fred I have met some of the greatest people and musicians I have ever known. I will be eternally grateful for the doors Fred helped to open. One of those doors was getting to know Ernie Fields, Jr. who has presented musical opportunities that I never dreamed would happen. Fred and Ernie are special, one will not meet any finer people. I love them both dearly.After seven years I decided to get out of the computer consulting business. That was at the end of August 2005. I decided to make a life change and do something else. I received a call a week before Thanksgiving from the owner of Steam Economies Company who said he would love to have me organize his company again. So I started back up with Steam Economies Company and Competency Training Partners (a spinoff training company) as Director of Operations. Steam Economies Company, Inc. was sold on May 31st, 2008 and I stayed on with Competency Training Partners until 12/31/08. I am in the process of making a decision on what career direction I will be taking. This may be back into entertainment full-time or staying in the business world. I will be taking until March 09 to make my decision.All during my work career music has been on-going. I have experienced more than I ever thought possible being a part-time player. I have had the opportunity to perform with some of the best players in the world. I have been very blessed.These are a few of the musical experiences I have had:Performed with the "American Idol" orchestra in spring 2005 & 2008 as well as played in the orchestra for CBS's "The Genius of Ray Charles" in October of 2004. Other artists and groups having performed with include: Fred Wesley's Jazz/Funk Explosion & The New JB's, Manhattan Transfer, Frankie Valli, The Temptations, Debby Boone, Lionel Hampton, Wayne Newton, Don Rickles, Bootsy Collins, Bobby Byrd, Clark Terry, Aretha Franklin, Pete Escovedo, Latin Legends, Little Anthony, Roland Vasquez, Maria Schneider, Jeff Coffin, Sherri Lewis, Rosemary Clooney, Jack Jones, Michael Feinstein, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra featuring Buddy Morrow, Clyde Brown, Jonathan Jeremiah, Pee Wee Ellis, Sherry Lewis, the Gordon Brisker Big Band, Cincinnati Jazz Orchestra, Dee Felice Swing Band, The Blue Wisp Big Band, The Four Tops, High Tension, Strange Brew, King Kong, Cops and Robbers, Carmen DeLeone New Studio Big Band, the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra, The Reflections, The Skyliners, The PsychoAcoustic Orchestra, the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music Jazz Ensemble, the Kentucky Symphony, the Middletown Symphony, Miami University Jazz Band and Steel Drum Band, Latin Exposure, Fiesta Del Soul, Northern Kentucky University Jazz Band as well as many other ensembles. Have also recorded for some of Nashville's top gospel groups, entertainment video games, national jingles, internationally in theme park shows for Paramount Studios, Disney, Universal Studios, Six Flags, Sea World, Warner Brothers, and on shows recorded on many major cruise ship lines.
