First piano lessons: 5th grade-Finger Power and Schaum books; you know the ones.
Second piano teacher: 9th grade-taught chord theory as well as method. Learned that all of those 80’s keyboard ballads that Journey did that made the girls swoon relied heavily upon the add2 chord. Wrote first chord progression/song using add2 chords galore. Did not get a girlfriend as a result, against all hopes and dreams. First major music disappointment but I still loved ye olde add2 chords.
All years in high school-in choir and Madrigal Singers on weekdays, in a 60 voice choir on every other Saturday and an 6-8 voice ensemble every Sunday during the school year, doing concerts all over east Michigan. Began my first forays into live sound engineering as the tour choir director would have me EQ the mains by ear; he said I had a good ear.(I since have had gainful employment with sound engineering in some fashion ever since). Also allowed to play keys in Jazz Band for pep rallies thanks to ability to ‘chord’ by reading guitar chord charts, even though I wasn’t in band. Won talent show in a band at school playing Duran Duran’s “Save a Prayer”, Wham’s “Careless Whisper”, and the Police’s “Message in a Bottle”. Still no girlfriend.
Was offered a probably 50’s era Epiphone hollow body jazz guitar (single pup, deep body, wooden saddle piece, etc) with a cardboard case and rusty strings, for free. No pointy headstock so it wasn’t cool. Said no thanks. Stupid move.
Got my first guitar in 1985 as a HS graduation present: Peavey Milestone with a little 10W Peavey Backstage Amp. Taught myself how to play U2’s “I Will Follow” as anyone with one finger can do. Hooked on guitar. Played that Peavey through college and beyond.

Won a 100W KMD amp in a music store drawing. Son has that guitar now. Sold that little Backstage amp
Ensoniq ESQ1 purchased in about 87 or so. Wrote lots of songs in the sequencer on that thing, cassette tape data storage and backup.
About that time sent a cassette of my songs to Billy Smiley, a family friend, who had recently created a Christian Rock band called White Heart. Nothing ever came from that, second disappointment. However won second place in college talent show playing as a one man band, Eric Clapton’s “Forever Man”. First guitar solo in front of more than one person. However, still no girlfriend as a result.
First acoustic guitar about 1990-Applause shallow bowl. Cooked it in my car on accident in about 1997 or so. Stupid.
Married in 92.
First kid in 94.others would follow every three years until serial number 4 and we shut the production line down as my wife had a herniated disc in her back during pregnancy of serial number 4.
Home recording started in 1996 using PGMusic’s Power Tracks Pro Audio and our first PC and. Soundblaster card.
(Been having a blast writing and recording music ever since-no more musical disappointments).
1998 maybe, PG forum participation for my first time; got great advice from the likes of Mac, Russell DeMussell, rharv, and others .
Hi speed internet in about 2001 or so. Started collaborating globally.
Got turned on to VST and VSTi about the same time and this precipitated my move away from PG Music products to Tracktion. More guitars, bass, keys, and satisfaction. Collaborate regularly with people across the country and planet in a yearly songwriting challenge in February. One of my collaborators this year went to Nashville as part of a songwriter showcase and got invited by none other than Billy Smiley to do some recording. I’ve writtenprobably 200-300 songs over the years and I enjoy listening to maybe 20-30 of them. Enough to keep myself entertained. Get to play in my church’s worship band every other week; either keys or electric guitar or bass. Very satisfied.

Thankful for U2, Roger Allen, Bruce Wynch, James Stubb, Roger Longrie, Hilda Nielsen, Dan Whiteman, FAWM.ORG, PG Music forums, guitars and The funky Hammond M3 I get to play at church. All of these have challenged and encouraged me over the years.

My Songs, photos, writing,etc.
My Sound Cloud