My journey in music started
at a very young age. My first guitar lesson
was at six years old -- thanks A.J.! By age seven I was part of a four
piece band, “The Cliff Dwellers”, with our leopard vests and Gilligan
hats. My amplifier was bigger than I was, and my mom, sister and brother
had to carry it for me. Through a youngster’s eyes, I thought we were
pretty good. I guess the fashionable wardrobe went with the times.
Through Middle School and
High School I seemed to be in about every band
in the area, and enjoyed the experience of each one along the way. As I
played and matured as a person, I always felt there was something missing,
something more for me in music then being a weekend warrior/musician.
I gradually, as some musicians
do, laid my music down. It was time to let
life happen to me. You know, get a real job, get married, have kids.
During that time, my father passed away. I was so far away from home,
both physically and mentally, it was almost impossible for me to grieve
and to move on. For whatever reason, I picked up my guitar and wrote a
song to help me deal with my loss.
This re-introduction to music
spoke volumes to my soul, about something I
was missing and needed in my life and needed to address. With that, I
began writing a little. As with so many people, my life took many twists
and turns here and there. The next thing I knew I had run my life,
especially my faith, off into a ditch. One day my wife and her minister
Ron, started pulling me out of that ditch. Plus he wanted a praise band
for worship and needed a guitar player. With my wife’s and Ron’s
gentle
nudges, I found my musical niche -- Christian music! I started writing
from emotional pools that I did not know existed.
I ended up helping form my
current group, Mixed Blessings. I started
experimenting with my writing through Mixed Blessings on the congregation.
The more they liked and responded to what I was doing, the more I wrote.
I was totally comfortable with the small local group, doing Sunday
mornings and not expecting anything more then that.
Then one day my life changed
forever. I was diagnosed with cancer! Just
the emotions of the diagnosis and with it the fear of the unknown and of
course death, got me writing more, and with more emotion then ever.
Writing helped me cope with the daily adventures with cancer, especially
through chemotherapy and radiation, and all of the physical challenges
that came with it. With the pragmatic and sometimes emotional examination
of my life and its mortality, I realized that if I died all of my music
would go with me.
I was not ready to go! I wanted
to leave a legacy. The thought of
leaving nothing behind really bothered me. I needed to leave as much of
me behind as I could and my music was the best way to do that. That way
my wife and two boys would have something. Plus, I knew I probably would
not get to know my grandkids. What a great way for them to meet me and
maybe get to know grandpa a little.
I sought out and recruited
my producer, Max Berry and a recording studio,
LA Audio and Lynn Allred to help me with this project. With their
patience, talent, guidance and friendship, the CD “The Battle Inside
Me”
was created. What a wonderful expression of me. I can’t think of a
better way to express who I am.
My health has allowed me to
continue to play with Mixed Blessings and of
course write, as much as I can. With a second CD to be started as soon as
possible. My journey through life, with music being a constant companion,
has been a blast and a blessing from God. So with the grace of God, good
health, and the understanding of my wonderful wife, it will continue to be
so for a long time to come.
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