Private Biography

I started my music career at 17 years old. After years of playing football and baseball, I decided I wanted to extend myself and embrace others performing. I was married at 18 with a newborn son, Paul James. It became evident that it was time to "make some money" to support my new family. I decided to attend Cerritos college after graduating from Downey High School in Downey, California. I immediately joined the Cerritos College Stage band, and started studying with the best teachers I could find including Denny Dennis, Fred Gruber, and Joe Porcaro. I also studied vibes and took classes at The Dick Grove School of Music. At that time I joined a 7 piece group called Magic Grass. We were quickly signed on Decca records. 

Eventually I decided to start my own group, "The Next Step". The group recorded its own originals as well as many of its members with well known recording groups. I also did private teaching at Downey Music and La Habra Music.

Wanting to try something new, I joined the Eddie Cash Show. We did a tour circuit that included Tahoe, Reno and Las Vegas Nevada as well as tours across the Midwest and up the West Coast to Canada.  

Eventually the road got old and I came back to Los Angeles to start up another group again calling it "The Next Step". We played primarily in the Los Angeles, Orange County areas. During this period I started playing more and more in the studios doing jingles, TV Cues (Hawaii 5.0/Knotts Landing), and with various recording artists including Aretha Franklin and Lalo Shifrin. About this time synthesizers started to enter the scene. The new electronics included drum machines, sequencers and software designed to the MIDI specification. I decided I would join the computer revolution rather than fight it. I decided to perform part-time and eventually started a business distributing high-end computer based imaging hardware and software. The products were sold to Fortune 1000 companies all over the U.S. including NASA. 

In 1991 I moved to Houston, TX to run a large project for Intergraph; a major computer manufacturer. I really missed performing and decided to get back into the music scene when my close friend and fellow musician of 20+ years, Mr. Michael Hinton moved to Houston in 1998 to run the Training programs for Compaq. I still continue my "day gig" and devote my spare time to playing and writing music.

One final thought....I advise everyone to find a passion and pursue it....the result is that wonderful feeling I sum up as happiness. It feels great to be back on the scene! Thanks for stopping by. 

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