I started off playing guitar and harp at around 11 but it didn't take long for the "bass-bug" to hit. My brother was a bassist so this was a no-brainer for me - there was always gear in the house for me to tinker around on and I had a live-in teacher! I think the first stuff I learned at that time was some Booker T and the MG’s then a bunch of Howlin’ Wolf, ZZ Top, Johnny Winter, Led Zeppelin, The Who and Chuck Berry. I still draw heavily on those early influences. When I was about 16, I got into my first real band - "The Limit" - doing rock covers. After High School, I started playing out live with Eagleson Sideroad, After Hours, The Boogiemen, Zuzu Maroux, The Suicide Kings and Zydeco Loco. In the next decade, I played an average of 10 - 20 nights a month and was having the time of my life! I haven't stopped playing regularly since then.
I’ve had the opportunity to share the stage with some fantastic musicians over the years – Otis Grand, Anders Osborne, John Mooney, Big Daddy G, Richard Bell, David Gogo, Andy J. Forest, Donnie Walsh, Kenny "Bluesboss" Wayne, Wild T, Sue Foley, Dan Akroyd, Gatemouth Brown, Bernard Allison, TJ Wheeler, Mark May, Jeff Healey, The Platters, Georgette Fry, Tony Flaim, Kid Ramos, Dawn Tyler Watson, Big Dave McLean, Kaz Kazanoff & The Texas Horns, Dutch Mason, Ann Rabson, Jimmy Boswkill and Dave Maxwell .... to name a few. Playing in so many of my own bands over the years and doing the festival circuit has also allowed me to open for acts like 54-50, Maceo Parker, Burton Cummings, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Andrew Cash, John Hiat, Little Feat, Buddy Guy, Frank Marino, Wide Mouth Mason, Smokin' Smokin' Joe Kubek, Duke Robillard, Downchild, Sam Roberts, The Northern Pikes, Blue Rodeo, Susan Tedeschi, The White Stripes, Anson Funderburgh, David "Honeyboy" Edwards, Bryan Lee, The 5 Man Electric Band, April Wine, Rita Chiarelli, Ember Swift, Michel Donato, Johnny Winter, Jimmy Vaughn, Coco Montoya and Colin James .... hmmmmm, the list goes on and on.
I played with The Tony D Band for over 10 years and now I'm doing some gigs with The Trevor Finlay Band after a 7 year absence. Kinda nice - like a homecoming, so to speak. Otherwise a free-agent and always looking for gigs and studio projects I can sink my teeth into ....... drop me a line!
