I was born in Whittier California in 1960. My early childhood was spent there until the age of 11, when we moved to Mansfield, Ohio, where my dad had grown up. My mother claimed to be catholic and my father, protestant, but any real biblical teaching didn't happen--I understand now that they didn't understand then. We were a "church on Christmas and Easter bunch." We five, mom and dad, me, my little brother and my big sister had a pretty typical middle class suburban life. My parents fought occasionally but I remember, mainly, a normal, nurturing and loving home. Funny how God uses unbelievers, aint it?

My mom and I were always very close. One day when I was 14, looking for some amusement, we stopped by the local music store where mom decided we should learn to play the guitar. I had played the (hack) trumpet in the fifth grade at Valley View elementary school in Whittier. I returned to the trumpet in seventh grade in Ohio, later. As I recall, in both cases, it seemed like a good way to get out of choir. My first songs on the guitar were from a beginner book that went along with the album Hot August Night by Neil Diamond. Morning Side, Song Sung Blue, ya know. I played in my first band about 4 years later, in high school. We played a few parties and the highlight, a concert in our high school auditorium. I'z gonna be a rock star!

It seems that I was unknowingly preparing for music ministry from the age of about 9 when my motive was to get out of choir. From the age of 18 to 35 I played in various local bands in Mansfield where we had some small, local success. I really began to understand God's plan at the age of 46, eight years after coming to Christ. As most lost people delude themselves, I too "had it all figured out." Problem was, of course, my plan was rather different from His. We finally attended a church around the corner from our house, where after a few Sundays, an opening came up in the worship band. I sat in for a few weeks.

Twenty or so years ago I was making home recordings on a borrowed cassette four track machine. A few of my bands also made demos in professional studios. Nowadays, The Lord has provided me with an in house studio where I co-produced Scott Brutsche's album, Inward Out and produced my new album Twenty Years of Melodrama. I'm passionate about making good recordings and can be seen frequently reading the recording journals and generally geeking out. I'm currently doing the whole process, tracking, mixing and mastering, but would like to hire someone someday to do the technical stuff and just produce. Incidentally, the title, Twenty Years of Melodrama came from a moment when I was not slow to judge a co-worker of mine about his poor behavior at work whence The Holy Spirit put the finger back in my face. The title sort of describes the 20 lost years between when I graduated high school at age 18 and when I finally began to get it...when I accepted Christ at age 38.


Although I considered the push of Twenty Years to be mainly evangelistic, upon hearing the finished product I think it may be equally apologetic. The real object is to examine my failings, my utter inability to do anything well or good. I want to better understand my dependence on the Lord and to better understand humility and obedience. I would also like to help others begin to understand the awesome gift of His Son.