My first musical influence was my father, a fan and player of the bluegrass banjo.

I had tried my hand at banjo as a kid, along with the guitar and piano, with limited success on any.

My voice was turning out to be my best instrument, I sang in church and in school choirs. Being on stage at a young age helped make it possible for a shy kid to perform.

My uncle, an artist in Chicago, introduced me to many different things. Most importantly jazz music, and his favorite musician Miles Davis. I explored jazz music from early ragtime to big band, all the way up through modern. My favorite genres being bebop and cool jazz from the 50's & 60's

I spent a lot of time growing up going to, and working at different flea markets with my grandpa.

I started with an old steel clarinet and picked it up rather quickly, and soon after a beat up old cornet which playing also came very easy to me.

When it was time to start band in school, I was encouraged to pursue the trumpet (because that's what they needed at the time more than more woodwinds.)

I became heavily focused on band instruments. Still playing trumpet primarily in school band along with baritone, but with the flea market business I was also buying, repairing and selling band instruments. Learning to fix instruments meant learning to play them all as well.

My girlfriend through high school played the flute and piccolo. There's just something about the flute, something spiritual. I took to the flute like a fish in water. When I started my transient journeys, the flute was the ideal "traveler" instrument. Easy to take with me, and very meditative when playing beside a hidden waterfall in a mountain stream.

As I traveled and adventured, I played a variety of instruments in all imaginable varieties of ensembles.

Trumpet remained my primary instrument for formal work, symphony orchestra, and concert bands.

For jazz, I mixed it up frequently with saxophone, clarinet, trumpet, and flute. It all varied by the feel of the project.

In the early 2000's, I got introduced into a world of karaoke singing.

Even though singing was always part of my wheelhouse, I never really got into the karaoke fad, only trying it a couple times here and there.

It went from a frequent hobby to a busy side business for over 20 years.

Adding live instrumental solos to custom karaoke tracks really changed the game, gaining some valuable exposure and a plethora of new playing opportunities.