BIO   

Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri,  I got my first guitar while in high school, and taught myself how to play it,  so I could play folk music with my banjo-playing buddy.  We added a washtub bass, and the "New River Ramblers" were born,  playing folk music at school gigs.   Folk music gave way to R&R, and in college I played electric bass in a R&R band.  

While in the Air Force I was stationed at  Whiteman AFB in rural Missouri,  where I played electric guitar with a country band, and also attended my first bluegrass festival where I heard Bill Monroe.       

After the military I decided to buy a dobro and give it a shot.   I was inspired to learn dobro by seeing the  late Uncle Josh Graves with the Flatt & Scruggs band on TV.    Mike Auldridge had just come out with his first dobro album - so Mike and his album became my teacher.  No instructional material in those days.  I've mainly played dobro since then;  it's a great instrument.

After learning the fundamentals of music theory,  I sat at the piano and taught myself enough to get thru some basic country or  blues jam sessions.   I always loved blues music.

Moving to Dallas in 1975,  I soon hooked up with the "Salt Creek Express" , playing dobro, recording on their first album, and playing area bluegrass festivals.  By the early 80s I was a playing piano at the Schooners blues jams and became a regular at Charli Alexander's Sunday Jam.   Along the way my buddy and I hooked up with a great vocalist, Debie Babcock, and we had an acoustic blues trio playing under the name "Crying Shame".   Most recently,  I joined some other great local musicians and vocalists in a group called "Swing Roulette" playing old blues, jazz, and western swing.   I've also done some studio work and taught dobro workshops sponsored by the Garland Square Pickers and at Gerald Jones' Acoustic Music Camp.

I recently retired, and now teach private students from home.  But one of my greatest pleasures is the volunteer job I have at the Veteran's Administration Hospital in Dallas  - teaching a recreational therapy guitar/music class every week. 

You will never learn everything about whatever instrument you play - this is the beauty of music.

I am still learning  dobro and guitar licks after all these years.   And you will always find new musical styles that will catch your attention.   My latest interests are gypsy guitar and Hawaiian steel guitar. 

Hoping music will bring you as much enjoyment as it has to me . . . . . .