John Denver Jackson Browne David Wilcox(the American not the Canadian) Jim Croce James Taylor CSN Neil Young Dan Fogelberg John Prine Hans Olson Bill Hranek Elton John Randy Newman Cat Stevens Kenny Loggins Bob Dylan George Winston The Clancy brothers The Blues Brothers Glen Campbell John Hartford Steve Goodman Leadbelly Eric Clapton My parents My friends and a raft of others.
The songs here right now are:
'Don't start with me' - this is based on an overheard conversation at Joe's bar and grill in Renton Washington (which is now called Katie J's). Its from the CD 'Private Storm'
'Muffin top girl' - this was inspired by several patrons of the pickled onion (another bar in Renton). I used my friend Katie's name ONLY because it rhymed. Also from 'Private Storm'
'Late for my own funeral' - if you are late for everything - this song's for you. From the CD 'Half Full & Just Getting Warm'
'Crossroads' - was inspired by a line in a friends journal and a red guitar I just got. From the CD 'Private Storm'
'Addicted' - Was inspired by my friend Roxie's morning routine. From the CD 'I can't see the forest'
'This Reunion' - Was written for & about my high school reunion. Also from 'I can't see the forest'
The videos are: An old song - inspired by a guy named Ted, playing old Beatles tunes one night at the mall. From the CD 'Somewhere near Alameda' Bottle Rocket - inspired by a Jeff Foxworthy joke in The Blue Collar Comedy Tour. Unreleased End of the Dirt Road - Co-written with my friend Roxie, about her second son graduating high school. From the CD 'One man show in a one dog town'
Hope you like em.
Here's "An old song" Live from my living room
So far the band is just me.
I was born and raised in Phoenix Arizona, except for a couple of years spent in New Mexico during the 60's. I dont remember much of that because I was in preschool at the time.
I first learned to play the guitar as a junior in high school (1976) when I picked up my mothers 1958 Harmony Archtop guitar (I think it cost $15 at Sears back then). I learned the required John Denver songbook, some Jim Croce tunes and the 2 songs every guy had to know if he was to be taken seriously as a musician - Stairway to Heaven and House of the Rizing sun.
After high school there were a few open mic nights and some jam sessions with local acoustic artists, but life started calling and music became a hobby instead of a profession.
I moved to Washington state in December of 1996 and again in May of 2001. Second times the charm I guess. I continued to play off and on for my own enjoyment. Mostly off I'd say, because in 18 years I only changed the guitar strings once.
But, in 2003 I decided to learn to play for real so I bought a new guitar. I started writing in 2004 and since then have finished around 130 songs.
I currently perform at Katie J's open mic every Saturday evening and at the crossroads mall open mic, the first Thursday of every month.
I write and record using a Martin Cowboy II, An Ibanez AEF18TVS and a Gretsch Jumbo cutaway. I use low end software whenever I can. The songs are recorded into a Tascam digital 8-track recorder and then mixed into my computer using an open source program called Audacity. I create MP3s and burn CDs with Cakewalk pyro. All the graphics on the CD covers and my web site are created using MS Paint and the photo editor that came with Office 97.
Some of my CD's are available on Itunes and at CDbaby
Great page, thanks for the add! I especially liked 'Bottle Rocket' & 'End of the Dirt Road' hit a special chord. As a Dad with grown and growin' - wow, that was perfect!
We should get together sometime - schedules being what they are - keep in touch. See ya around the next bend...
I thought your YouTube Muffin Top Girl had a bit of an opening guitar line that reminded me of that other opening guitar line that Bruuuuce later said was a John Lee Hooker line...but perhaps I hallucinated the whole thing.
Stealth mode sounds perfect,,, I need one of those invisibilty cloaks from Harry Potter...it would have to come with galoshes today tho! can you believe this rain...?? if you are out and about...be careful!
Hi!!! How goes life on the other hill? I am off tomorrow. Yippee...but I have a bunch of stuff to do...my Union's children's holiday party is Sunday in Seattle. I am just loving the cd's... You are amazing! I had a hard time deciding which song to put on my profile...I am just gonna have to switch them up after a bit!
