Born and raised in Spokane Washington, my musical youth was shaped by the music of my parents. Roy Orbison, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Elvis, the Beatles, and Neil Diamond played through our Magnavox cabinet stereo system every day and night. Riding in the truck with my dad, outlaw country music on the AM radio played constantly. I spent my summers in Salmon Idaho with my grandparents who had hundreds of all the country, bluegrass and trucker music hits of the era (which I hated at the time). 

I was given my first guitar at age 5. A Sears Stella 6 string acoustic with action so high you could use it to cut cheese. It didn't matter, I was fascinated by every tone and note that the wooden steel string instrument produced and I spent hours trying to recreate the music that I heard around me. 

I played saxophone and bass in school bands, and was rewarded with my first electric guitar for doing well in a saxophone solo and ensemble contest at 13. The 1980 Jelly Bean yellow Fender Stratocaster became attached to me 24x7. At that time I was heavily into bands like Rush, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin while gaining an appreciation for the punk and new wave music that was flooding pop culture. 

I have played in a number of bands across the PNW for years, and truly enjoy all genres. I spent 8 years in Sweden where my musical outlet was being the American oddity performing Colter Wall and Johnny Cash tunes at estate parties. In the COVID years I began collaborating online with some global musicians and we developed our band "Burning Orchids". Gone were the days of needing to rent studio and engineer time when we could DIY in the comfort of our home. 

5 releases, and several collaborations with musicians on Kompoz... I longed for the thrill of playing live again. I set out to perform solo gigs around the PNW and am currently playing bass  for Ten Saw and the Blue Skies Blues Band, and guitar in Salamander Junction and Runs with Scissors on Whidbey Island and the Seattle area. No genre is out of bounds... I love it all.