Undying
Passion for Music

I began my musical journey at 10 years of age, studying trumpet under an experienced mentor in the classical tradition. Curiosity soon blossomed into passion as I found myself able to express my emotions in a unprecedented way, through my instrument, feeling truly heard for the first time.
It was like real magic.

In school, Band was everything to me. I enrolled in every instrumental music course the school offered. It was when the otherwise dreadful school day made sense to me, the one subject I got out of bed for. Learning and performing music from the great classical composers, chamber music, contemporary film scores, musical theater, Big-Band, Jazz, and pop music at football and basketball games. Eventually that enthusiasm led to Solo & Ensemble medals, All-State Orchestra sit-ins, soloist awards, and more.
It was my everything.

Being in high school in the mid-nineties meant constant exposure to grunge, alternative rock, hip-hop, and nu-metal artists. In the car, hanging with friends, playing games: whatever was happening, we had music on.
It was an artistic movement that rang true with the voice of our generation. I wanted to be a part of what felt like a historic, cultural movement, so I picked up the guitar and started playing along to my favorite songs on the radio. Before I knew it, I was playing in bands! This was a whole new side of music I hadn’t experienced before.
It was music I could pour myself in to.

I played in some more bands in college, obsessing over the riffs from acts like Deftones, Rage Against the Machine, Tool, Incubus, Evanescence, Korn...
A little success soon fizzled out, and life started happening, as it does, for all my friends and bandmates. I started a job in IT to pay the bills, life ticked on by, and I didn’t play or write music for a few years.
*don’t let this happen to you, kids - lol!

Music was a part of me, and no matter what it was going to come out. So I picked the guitar back up and started working on my skills. After putting together some demos, I found some wonderful musical partners, and had a bit of luck with a band, Noctura, enjoying some radio play and even landing a spot on the Indianapolis leg of the X-Fest tour. Sadly, like the bands before it, everyone drifted apart as the excitement and highs of the moment faded away. Differing opinions on how to progress, musical style choices, and the realization that the next step in our career would require a painfully difficult life change. I needed more experience and some diverse influences.
It was time to GROW.

I moved to California and spent some time working on myself and my production skills. I listened to more music than I had in my entire life; an exploration to expand my horizons. Obsessing over artists like Phantogram, CHVRCHES, Banks, Purity Ring, Lana Del Rey, PVRIS, Crosses, MISSIO… and so I shifted gears to focus on a pop-electronic EP. Westvale was new territory for me and the vocalist/co-writer, so it was a challenge. I loved every minute of it: the exploration, fresh sounds, and production insights.
Life and the economic weight of living in California meant going back to work in IT to pay the bills, and it pulled me in for a good long while. Then COVID hit, and like many other people, my priorities and perspective shifted back to what matters. I started putting in the hard work on my instrument, this time with real purpose and intent. I found re-invigorated inspiration in modern progressive rock groups like Polyphia, Unprocessed, and Portraits. Old dog, meet new tricks - an amazing expansion of my ability and confidence.

The rest of my story is being written now. I’m a professional guitarist, adding atmosphere to restaurants and coffee shops, playing as a “hired gun” with live acts, recording tracks for original music, and helping others fall in love with their instrument through mentorship, just like I did.

I continue to constantly adapt: improving my technique and musical vocabulary, expand my palette by listening to an eclectic variety of music, and networking with other musicians and artists on exciting original projects.

Come join me on this wonderful journey!

photo by BurchRoots Studios