Music

I believe music is to the ears what paintings are to the eyes—inseparable art forms that enrich the soul. For me, they have always been deeply intertwined.

Like many kids, I started doodling and drawing at a young age. My journey as a musician, however, began later when I picked up the drums at the age of ten. Drumming quickly became a passion, and I never considered trying other instruments—at least not at first. One exception: my mother encouraged me to try out for the school band. However, the band director required everyone to start with flutophones. I despised it, and the feeling was mutual—the band director hated how I played it. He didn’t invite me to join the band, and my mother was heartbroken. Crying over the phone to her sister, my aunt Carolyn (and second mother), my mother was encouraged to reach out to the band director and let him know I wanted to play percussion. When he learned of my desire to play percussion, he gave me another chance, and I was in!

Years down the road, as a drummer, I began hearing melodies in my head. These sounds grew so vivid and insistent that I knew I had to learn guitar. The realization came during my college years when my sister and I played in a band together. My other sister had scheduled a guitar lesson but couldn’t attend, so I filled in for her first (and my only) lesson. That experience sparked a new chapter in my musical journey.

Much like my approach to visual art, I taught myself music. After learning guitar, I moved on to piano, both to deepen my understanding of music’s foundation and because I’d always wanted to play it. In my 30s, I began exploring a variety of other instruments, including the cello, saxophone, and Native American flutes.

I eventually created my own studio, Little Cabin of Dreams. It became a haven for my creativity and the place where I mixed and recorded parts of Willie Nelson’s Peace in the Valley album. Today, I’m building a new recording studio on my rural property, Backwoods on Bush’s Lane.

Over the years music and visual art have mentally merged for me. I hear music when I paint and I see pictures when I perform music.

On The Dope Again

I am no doubt a Willie Nelson fan and had this song in my head. I recorded it and played it for my dad. He insisted that I make a video for it. He helped me tremendously with the production. It took about a month to edit. Many evenings I would bring it to him for a viewing of the most recent edits. Sadly, he never saw the final version, but it always made him laugh each time he saw it and a proud smile to his face that I will never forget…

I started out as a drummer, I’m not sure what I’ll end up as…