Artist Biography

My musical career such as it is, began back in 4th grade when I started playing drums. Got told by the teacher that I didn't really have the talent for drums and should take up the trumpet...advise which I ignored. I played drums all the way through high school and for few years after graduating in 1971 although not serious. I got my first guitar as a Christmas present back in 1969 and it became my main instrument. I went to college for music and have B.A. in Music and a Masters In Music, both in composition. Which I never did a whole lot with. But I kept playing for long time and then in the early 1990's, for a lot of reasons just got away from it. I made a few attempts to get back playing but there was too much Life 101 happening. Finally in the summer of 2006 I decided that it was time to get serious about it again.

Influences are just about anybody and everybody I guess. I try to listen and learn but not copy (at least too much). Starting to play back in the late 60's, of course there was Page, Hendrix, Clapton, The Allman Brothers, CSN&Y. I listened a lot to the first incarnation of the Mahavishnu Orchestra. I liked what Greg Lake of ELP did with his acoustic songs. Was a big Kansas fan for the first 4 albums. More recently I have been listening to a lot of the Native American artists like Robert Mirabal, John Two-Hawks, Bill Miller (whom I got to see perform back in Nov). Also enjoy Tommy Emmanuel, who besides being a fantastic player and performer, just has way too much fun playing. I enjoy a lot of Celtic and Irish music, Clannad is a long time favorite, other bands like Planxty and Moving Hearts.

On the classical side, I like chamber music, especially string quatets and piano trios. Stavinsky, Ravel, Debussy, Charles Ives and Oliver Messian (I remember listing to the Quartet For The End Of Time for the first time back in 1974 and just being totally in awe).

My first CD, Forgotten Walls was finished in November of 2007. The next one is already under way.

But taking all that in, I am looking for my own path, good, bad or lost in the woods.

Tony