I have always been a songwriter. As a kid growing up on a farm in Texas, I would unconsciously hum random melodies that floated through my mind while I was playing or doing my chores. I remember many times my mom asking me what I was singing. “Nothing” was my usual reply.
Then at the age of 12, I learned to play the guitar and those unknown melodies started capturing my attention. I began actively listening for them and discovered I could snatch them out of the air and piece them together into songs before they could drift by and be forgotten. So it was that songwriting became the most natural way for me to express myself, and the guitar my lifelong companion.
In 1980, two of my songs, “Don’t Think I’ll Cry” and “Let’s Love the Bad Times Away”, caught the attention of a new country artist named Ricky Skaggs. He included them on his album, “Highways and Heartaches”. Soon after that, I moved to Nashville and spent the next 25 years “living the dream” as a professional songwriter, touring musician and recording artist.
During that time I was fortunate to have my songs recorded by many other artists including Dolly Parton, Dwight Yoakam, George Strait and Pam Tillis. As a performing songwriter, I recorded a solo album for Capitol Records and performed throughout the US and Europe in venues as varied as the famous London Palladium and Nashville’s legendary Bluebird Café. As a background vocalist, I sang on numerous albums by artists including Garth Brooks, Tanya Tucker, Emmylou Harris, Kathy Mattea, Glen Campbell, Don Williams, Lee Greenwood and Ricky Skaggs. And as side musician, I toured with several country artists including Ricky Skaggs and Patty Loveless.
Then in 2005, I decided to take short break from the rollercoaster of life in the music business. I walked into Guitar Center Nashville looking for what I thought would be a temporary change. But instead, I found a new, rewarding career I never anticipated. I discovered a deep sense of satisfaction from simply doing what we do every day at Guitar Center; help people make music.
So I chose to stick with GC. And I’m glad I did, because in June 2011 I became the Store Manager of the Guitar Center in Knoxville, TN. I hope you’ll drop by my store sometime. And please be sure to say hello when you do!
