My very first professional gig was on a Canadian tour, specifically the western provinces of Canada with Sue Hiatt, a well-known local country singer from Greensboro, North Carolina.

        At 19, the kick off to my drumming career was an opportunity that came my way through a friend who knew a friend who waited on Sue at the local music store. Apparently she was stressing over the

fact that her drummer had just quit and she urgently needed a great drummer willing to join her 7 week tour more than 3000 miles from home. And I wouldn’t say the drunk guy in the bar was the highlight of the tour but I have to admit that when he stood there pointing his finger at me, insisting in a really loud slurring voice that I was the best drummer in the whole world, it might not have been the most solid confirmation of my drumming abilities, but it was confirmation that everyone in the bar definitely heard and was paying a lot of attention too. Eventually he sat back down and, as I remember it, was quiet for the rest of the night.

     Sue Hiatt was pleased that I was a quick study and that the tour went well. Working with Sue was an excellent opportunity to learn traditional country drumming, a skill that opened many doors as time went on.

     My next big confirmation came from Billboard Magazine. They weren’t as noisy as the drunk but it certainly was far more notable recognition. At the time, I was the drummer for Harold Hill and the Frontier Band. We had just put out an album and cut a single. The single was titled Dreaming Separate Dreams, and was written by Harold. Shortly after the single was released, Billboard Magazine listed it as a Recommended Pick.

     This exciting moment came 10 years after the Canadian tour that ignited my enthusiasm and love for country. In the years that followed, I’ve had the honor and opportunity of opening for well-known acts such as: Ray Charles, Mickey Gilley, Gary Morris, Mel McDaniel, Lee Greenwood, Statler Brothers and other notables, more recently Z Z Top at the DPAC.

     Over the years I’ve played many different genres such as: Classic Rock, Motown, Reggae, Jazz, Beach, Contemporary Christian, and Western Swing.

     These days I'm enjoying playing drums with The Johnston Brothers Band, and looking forward to learning and growing forward in whatever direction this new adventure takes us.