I was born into a musical family in Southern California and learned piano from my dad when I was seven. I quickly infuriated my next teacher by neglecting her beginner Mozart studies to learn difficult ragtime pieces by ear. At ten, I added trumpet and learned to read music.
I took up electric guitar at fourteen after listening to Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page. I had a good ear, and I lifted tunes off my favorite albums every night. I ended up sneaking off high school early every day of my senior year to take music classes at the local college. As a teenager, I went to college in the morning, gave guitar lessons in the afternoon, and played bars at night.
I moved to Boston in 1990 to study at Berklee College of Music, and I graduated Magna Cum Laude in '93. After a brief stint of songwriting and recording in Nashville, I returned to California in '94.
In '98 I played lead guitar with Billie Myers on her tour through North America, Europe, and the UK. Billie Myers also played national TV broadcasts Good Morning America and Top of the Pops, plus several regional radio shows. The band also toured as the support act for Sarah McLachlan/ Lilith Fair, Sister Hazel, Wallflowers, and Savage Garden.
I also toured in '98-'99 throughout America as lead guitarist with the New York-based Johnny Hart Band. From '99 to 2002 I toured and collaborated as lead guitarist and music director with grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Anika Paris, performing on national broadcasts of Craig Kilborn and many major radio stations throughout America. I toured in 2003-2004 with singer/songwriter Nina Storey and recorded for her newest live album, 24 From the Board.