Guitar, Tune Writing
I discovered the guitar when I was 14 in my hometown of Cleveland,Ohio and knew immediately that I wanted to become a musician. I performed as a duo with my sister, the highlight being a performance at the Eastern Kentucky Folk Festival. After odd jobs and art school, I moved to Portland and fell in love with a banjo player so I started to play the fiddle and then mandolin. I was lucky to go on a Northwest tour with Elizabeth Cotten and as a supporting musician for Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard. During this time I played in oldtime trios and a jazz band. I auditioned for a rock band in the Bay Area, got the gig and rocked across the country. After the band imploded, I focused on original acoustic music, toured like mad with my own bands playing clubs, concert halls and festivals in the US and Canada and recording 4 albums. I formed a duo with Libby McLaren, We toured New Zealand and had the opportunity to perform at their National Folk Festival. We’ve produced 5 CDs, cementing our own unique style with mostly original music. I teach privately and for groups, and go fly fishing mostly in the Northwest and Northern California.
