MY STORY
My love of music began at a young age in Corinth, Texas. It wasn't country music though that I first gravitated towards (You can thank my metalhead mother for that) but instead, it was rock n' roll! My mom had hundreds of cassette tapes from bands like Poison, Guns n' Roses, Motley Crue, ACDC, and the list goes on... My energetic youth was fueled by loud guitars, banging drums and screaming lyrics about girls, girls, girls.
​
I didn't pick up the guitar myself until I was about 11 years old. At the same time, I joined the school band starting on French horn and then picking up the trombone as well. During the school day I was immersed in concert band and jazz literature, and at night I was learning riffs from Metallica and other metal bands.
In high school, I received my first acoustic guitar and was at the age now where I would regularly go out with my Dad to hunt and fish. My father always had on country radio and in the past I would ask him to change to a rock station. However, thanks to my dad's stubborn will of not letting me touch the radio, I started to like what I was hearing. I began devoting all of my time outside of school to country music and began trying my hand at singing and writing my own songs.
​
About halfway through high school, I knew I wanted to pursue music into college and beyond. As well as continuing with the trombone in school, I began classical guitar lessons from a great Colorado Springs guitarist, Lucian(Luke) Rowland. Luke got me my first gig at an open mic in Old Colorado City and that's where I first started playing my originals for a public audience (Thank you Luke!). From there, the train started rolling and it wasn't slowing down. I signed up for my first country music competition, The Colgate Country Showdown, and was the southern Colorado winner and state finalist for two years in a row. Around this same time, I auditioned at Colorado State University on trombone for their music program and was accepted and awarded a scholarship. After only one semester though, I realized that my love of music lay with the guitar so I transferred to the University of Northern Colorado to study music education with an emphasis on classical guitar.
​
In college, I tried out for another country music competition, American Country Star, and was a national finalist. After the competition, I started having thoughts of joining the Army. My dad and most of our family friends had served in the Army and I always admired them for their service. College and music were going well, but I felt there was something bigger I needed to be a part of. On January 12th, 2011, I swore into the Army Reserves as an electrician and shipped off to basic shortly thereafter. When I returned, I resumed with music, my studies, and drill for the Army. Just shy of 2 years into my contract, I met a couple of soldier musicians in the music program who told me about the Army band and what they do in their Army Career. I auditioned and was accepted into the 101st Army Band in the Fall of 2012 and am still proudly serving with a group of remarkable soldiers/musicians.
​
In 2013, I graduated with a degree in music education from UNC and went right into teaching middle school band at a charter school. Shortly thereafter, I changed jobs and began teaching at Manitou Springs Middle/High School where I still currently teach the greatest students ever. All the while I was gigging out almost every weekend either as a solo act or with my friends in a band called 'Plain As Day.' We sure had some of the best nights I can remember playing really great country/rock music for some killer audiences. During this time is when I met my beautiful future wife Stephanie and her daughter Janette. Fast forward to present day and we have a son named Eli who was born in 2020!
Between my teaching career, army career, band/solo gigs, trying to write songs, and being there for my new family; I knew something had to go. I said goobye to the band and turned my focus towards writing music in different capacities. I have written country and rock songs for years, but I wanted to challenge myself to take my theory knowledge and knowledge of instrumental music to compose for my students, films, orchestras, as well as other things.
​
So I built this site as a warehouse for all of it. A showcase for my life, music, and what's to come. Please feel free to explore and let me know what you think.