My Story

I am originally from Chicago, IL. I am the youngest of seven children. Much to my mother's discontent,  I grew up picking rose petals out of the garden at five, pulling fire alarms at junior high registration, and skipping most of high school in the practice rooms teaching myself piano and guitar. On one saturday in grade school, i remember going to pick out an instrument to learn how to play for the school band. My mind was made up to play the saxophone but my mother thought i would "blow my ears out" and be too loud for the neighbors. Ultimately, i simply chose the snare drum. After all, i did bang on pots and pans in the kitchen with wooden spoons while my mother made dinner. Somehow I think my mother wished she'd let me pick the saxophone.

Flash forward to high school. I was a long haired progressive rock and roller drummer. My first band was called Zephyr. We loved to play Rush, Ozzy, Zepplin, etc... This band changed into Lex when we hooked up with a guitar virtuoso named Billy Corgan, who would later form Smashing Pumpkins. Then I got into christian music and formed Savior. We loved Michael W.Smith, Rez Band, U2 and Stryper. Finally, I was in a band called 12th Hour before I moved to Nashville.

I started writing songs in high school.  I wanted to express what I was feeling inside. Sometimes it would be spiritual song reflecting my faith, or a song about a girl that I liked or didn't like after we broke up, or a song about my views on life. I'll never forget singing my first song I wrote on stage for a high school talent show and hearing the applause of the audience. I was hooked!!

After high school I knew I wanted to do music full time and since Nashville was the one place where music was made, I decieded to move to Nashville. I went to Belmont University for four years and then got a gig on the road as a drummer. A dream come true!! Making a living as a musician. I traveled on the road for almost a decade and have played for different artists like Bob Carlilse, Michael English, Charlie Peacock, Mindy McCready, Trent Wilmon, Tim Rushlow (Little Texas singer), Derryl Perry, and many others.

I currently write for Shakes Spear Music . I have cuts on Big Machine duo Maddie & Tae, 2012 American Idol winner Phillip Phillips, RCA RECORDS pop artist Betty Who, 3x Grammy Winner Keb Mo, Shenandoah, Ronnie Dunn, Bucky Covington, George Canyon, Canadian Duo Autumn Hill, Jo Hikk, Mama's Blue Dress, Mark Cooke, and The Roys.  Also, it's been a great experience to co write with the best writers in the world. I have learned from Tia Sillers, Craig Wiseman, Victoria Shaw, Brian White, Kris Bergsnes, Steve Seskin, Doug Johnson, Rivers Rutherford and the list goes on.

I hope to write music that moves people to dance, "bob that head", cry some tears, laugh a little, and point them to heaven. If I can do that, then I have fulfilled my life's calling - to create art that evokes an emotion. Thanks for listening!!