I’m a rock, blues, pop (and a little country) songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist. 

I was born in Birmingham, AL, a child of the 80’s.  I enlisted in the Air Force right after high school and served 23 years, retiring as a captain in 2012.  In the Air Force, I served overseas in the Philippines, Korea, Hawaii, and the Middle East. On the mainland U.S. I was stationed in Maryland, Texas, Virginia, New Mexico, and Washington D.C.  I relocated to the Raleigh area in 2013, and this is my permanent home with my wife Dianna and two sons.

Although I grew up listening to R&B and Motown, I never had an interest in learning to play an instrument until my 40s.  I bought my first guitar in 2012: a red Stratocaster named Rachel (and yes, I still have it) and taught myself to play.   

Despite playing guitar for several years, I didn't start writing songs until 2019, when I wrote my first song: The Back Roads, a little ditty about the backroads of North Carolina.  Little did I know that The Back Roads would be one of HUNDREDS of songs (and counting!) I would write.  It turns out I’ve been blessed with the gift of storytelling and songwriting.

Once my songwriting took off, I started playing Open Mic and gigs in the Raleigh-Durham and Fayetteville area.  And thanks to YouTube instructional videos, I learned the art and magic of home recording. It’s amazing what you can do with a spare bedroom, a digital audio interface, and a laptop! And what became a hobby became a craft, which became a side hustle, which became a career.

What’s my secret to success?

  • Do what you love and love what you do.  I truly believe that if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day. I absolutely love songwriting and playing guitar.  Every single day I’m motivated to write a new song or tweak a few song ideas and make them complete.  And what I've learned is that when it comes to songwriting, no matter how many songs I've written, there's always another song.  Inspiration to write a song is found anywhere and everywhere, and everything we do or have done in our lives.
  • Don’t ever sell yourself short. You’ll never know what you’re capable of until you try, and don’t think that you can’t do what your favorite artists are doing.  Remember, regardless of who they are, they all started the same way, and had humble beginnings. 
  • Don't be afraid to put in the work, regardless of your profession.  Be patient, because success won't happen overnight.  Take the small steps, stack up your victories, learn from your mistakes (don't be afraid to fail), and keep moving forward.