Music is my balm, my elixir, my why.

Growing up, the songs I heard shaped my ears. They floated off front porches, thumped out from passing cars and frequently spun on my family’s portable record player. The first 45rpm I ever owned was Soulful Strut, the classic instrumental by Young-Holt Unlimited. I played it constantly and darn near wore the Motorola’s arm off! Then there was my mother playing Aretha’s Spanish Harlem, Donavon’s Mellow Yellow, anything by the Henri Mancini Orchestra and my father’s beloved Chet Atkins.

Myriad events chisel and shape our lives. A pivotal moment for me was my decision to enlist in the US Army. My friends thought I was nuts, yet the military helped me find and nurture my best self. Twenty-two years later, that best self danced into Tucson, AZ, where I live and play today.

Music is my balm, my elixir, my why. I compose on piano or ukulele. I can pop a beat or two on the cajon and, if absolutely necessary, can shout out a few stabs on the trombone. Acoustic, electric, my joy is grounded in collaborating with others; our world needs each one of us, and connecting is such a gift. When we share our own rhythms, we create one heck of a groove.

Thanks for sharing the joy of music with me!

With love,