I have always been fascinated by music. I remember teaching myself how to play, "Born Free" on the piano when I was eight years old at my Aunt's house in Florida while on family vacation. All the other kids were outside playing but I sat inside at the piano with the sheet music and figured out the song.
When I was in third grade, the music teacher, Mrs. Miller, came to our class to recruit kids for the 4th grade school orchestra. She was really pushing the viola, telling us that "viola players are SPECIAL." The truth was, nobody wanted to play the viola because it is boring compared to the violin! Her strategy worked and I started playing the viola when I was nine. I am SO GLAD that I did! I played through High School and got myself a violin when I was 18.
I got my first guitar when I was 11. I started playing bass guitar shortly after that. I've messed around on the drums, banjo and mandolin as well. If it has strings, I can play it! I took piano and voice lessons in my early 20s.
I got hired to play lead guitar with a country band called, "Second Chance" when I was 18. I married the band leader's daughter and we had a 4, sometimes 5 piece band. We renamed the band to, "Genuine Leather & Lace." We traveled all over the USA and Canada, playing clubs 6 nights a week for 7 years. We got divorced in 1990.
I was lost after the divorce and had no idea what I was going to do. Someone told me that I should do a solo act but I didn't think I was good enough. Out of desperation, I gave it a try. It was extremely scary at first. But my confidence grew little by little and eventually, I got comfortable with being on stage alone. I learned first-hand that there really is a huge difference from being "just a musician" to being a "real entertainer" from my experience as a solo artist.
In 1993, I partnered with a talented young lady and we performed as a duo for 7 years. We were called, "Two The Point." We mostly performed in Wyoming. We built a tremendous show together through blood, sweat and tears. We purchased over $180,000.00 of music equipment over a 3 year period and we literally spent thousands of hours building our show. It was a great act. But it all came crashing down in 2000 due to reasons beyond my control. That was a very difficult time.
I moved to Wisconsin in 2001 and resumed performing as a solo artist. I am not a "One-Man-Band." One-Man-Band is an oxymoron; it makes no sense. A band is "a company of musicians." I am a "Solo Artist" or "Solo Act." Anyway, I enjoy entertaining people with my talents and it has opened a lot of doors for me over the years. I feel blessed.
I am part of the Body Team Focus fitness project, including the comedy/drama movie, "One Body At A Time." I performed many tasks in the movie including acting, directing, editing, and writing 25 songs for the movie soundtrack. A "Limited Edition Film Director's Copy" was released in 2009 but is sold out at the moment. A new release of the movie is scheduled for 2011 and will be available at Body Team Focus®.
In 2009, I was hired by the Green Bay Packers to emcee the Packer Preview on the Packers Radio Network in the Atrium for all the Packer's home games at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. I do a four hour show which includes playing several fiddle songs for the crowd, leading up to kickoff time. I was hired for the 2010 NFL Season (SUPER BOWL XLV CHAMPIONS) and also for the 2011 season.
I have acted in a couple local television commercials and performed voiceovers for a national television commercial as well.
I have kept busy with other projects such as my multimedia company, Mega Media Pro, LLC, which specializes in web development, audio and video production, commercial jingles, and television commercials. I also developed the Audio Timekeeper® workout CDs for the Body-for-LIFE® fitness program. I am writing a book called, Talent for Life® and I am looking forward to the release of that publication and a corresponding DVD in the very near future. The book will also be available on audio CD.
My newest endeavor is the Talent for LIFE website which features original music by talented Artists as judged by a panel of Talent Executives including yours truly. Fans are encouraged to join the site as well. Please check it out at www.talentforlife.com!
