Hey, glad you’ve stopped by, make yourself at home and have a look around. I have been a musician most of my entire life. With the exception of the first 9 years or so, during which I was learning to walk, learning to talk, and most importantly learning I wanted to be a guitar player. From the early Elvis movies I watched as a toddler on TV, to my first Jimi Hendrix album. I was hooked on music at a very tender age indeed.
I have been in a ton of bands, and played just about every kind of dive bar to nice classy establishment and everything in between. With a few pasture parties and a 7 year stint playing exclusively in a church praise and worship band thrown in for good measure. I’ve been writing songs since even before I learned how to play, and started my lifelong fascination with recording and music production as a teen using my record player and recording myself playing along on guitar with a cassette tape recorder. I made my very first real record at the age of 22 and was signed to Azra International records.
From first record to starting a record label
Although it was only for a short time. I did manage to have a composition I wrote and performed on with my band Tri-Ax, released for sale world wide on the Metalgon compilation album. I spent a lot of the following years polishing my song craft and playing live in many various bands and lineups. As well as a whole lot of solo gigs, just me and my guitar, which took me from here in Texas to destinations in New York state, South Dakota, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and California. Enough ancient history, fast forward to the NOW, which finds me in the production phase of my second album on my own label PIK-TONE! Records.
This is the follow up to 2021’s “Or’ange Sunshine and other songs”. Which is available on all major digital outlets including Spotify and iTunes. This new effort is a collection of all self penned songs. Ranging from blues and country rock, to Americana and good ol’ guitar driven Rock n Roll, with a couple singer/songwriter tunes to round it all out. You may have noticed, I tend to be DIY oriented in my creative endeavors. Oh hell, that’s pretty much me at every turn. But there is a main motivator in my focusing on self reliance. It is because I spent a great portion of my life trying to fit in and being rejected.
Motivations and gatekeepers
Whether it be in the music business or social situations, or even with friends and family. I was not accepted by the establishment version of any of these I’ve mentioned. Everything I’ve ever accomplished in my life was pretty much done alone, just me and God. After all the powers that be or so called “experts” had told me I couldn’t. That I would never be able to do anything I’ve done. No where was that more in force than the music business. Record companies, A&R firms, publishers, people who get your music placed in film and TV. They all have their little exclusive clubs. Where the gatekeepers are very very selective about who gets in and who doesn’t. It has nothing to do with talent, or how good you or your music are. It’s all about being in the club.
Guess what, I’m not in the club and furthermore they’re never going to let me in the club, period!! So instead of hanging my head and giving up, I will persevere. To do what I was put on this earth to do, writing, playing and making music. I decided to do all I could to make the best music I possibly can and take it to the people myself. I know everything in the “mainstream” world is stacked against me. To say it’s an uphill battle is a level from which I’m having to work my way up to.
moving forward
I believe in my Music, just like I believe in this country, and I believe this country has it’s best yet to come, and likewise I believe my music has a place in that. Or at least in reaching somebody in a way that touches their hearts and minds and maybe even their souls. If that means I have to work tirelessly, for what’s been pretty much non existent support, well so be it. At least I’m trying to use my talents and passion to bring something meaningful and honest into the world. I’ll keep at it as long as God allows me and keeps giving me music to write and play. I hope you will keep checking back as I continue building this site. Soon there will be music links and opportunities to buy CDs and downloads as well as other content and features.
Take care and God Bless