Vocals / Guitar / Harmonica
My first live gig was in 1969 at Steele Jr. High School’s 9th grade dance. My band mates and I borrowed as many amplifiers as we could in an effort to look like Cream. Only 2 amps were plugged in, but man we looked good!
The early 70’s I don’t remember (I was there), but in 1976 I teamed up with Alan Goodman to produce and perform in a concert at the Howmet Theater in Whitehall, Michigan. In the show we covered songs by Jim Croce, Dan Fogelburg, and the Beatles. Around 1985 Bob Malenfont (a childhood friend) and I started another 2 piece acoustic act known as “Hatfield & McCoy” playing local venues like the V.I.P. and the Red Rooster. I also played a number of charity shows for the March of Dimes as a solo act.
In 1986 I met Jimi Ray. We were both selling vacuum cleaners. When I learned that he was a bass player I knew this would be a friendship made in music heaven. The two of us co-founded a blues band that we called the “Blues Persuasion”. During the following years Jimi Ray and I recorded many different styles of music including blues, rock, country, and folk. Jimi and I have been performing and recording for almost 20 years. Also during that time Dale Durda and I played the first Steak and Blues show at the Muskegon Recreation Club.
In the late 80’s I co-founded a rock cover band with Tom Shaub named “i.e.” Also from that time to the present I polished my chops jammin’ with Jeff Olsen and “Out of Control”, “Tight Fit”, and “R-Eazy”, while continuing to record. In '93 Jimi Ray and I co-founded another blues band that we dubbed "BootLeg".
In 2002 I played with “M.M.G.”, a blues and blues rock band. M.M.G. performed at many parties, a show at Heritage Landing, and the regional stage for The Muskegon Summer Celebration in 2003.
Also in 2003, Jimi Ray and I built our own private 24 and 64-track recording studio/video editing suite - Vinyl Wall Productions.
The Big House Blues Band is what I have been working towards my whole life. Not only have Jimi Ray and I finally found the right musicians, but I’m in a blues band with my son and my best friend.
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