"It all started in a 5,000 watt radio station in Fresno, California..." :) (Looooou...) Okay, seriously...
After I heard Brian May's guitar on Queen's "We Will Rock You", I knew that I had to become a guitar player.
Being a relatively happy guy all my life, I lean more towards loud guitar-driven songs that have a major key home base. Without using the music theory description, I guess that means I have to use the term "pop". But "pop" isn't a bad thing! Some of my biggest musical influences are (by that description) "pop" bands. Just pop bands with great guitar players! Queen, Boston, Journey, etc.
Being a guitar player, I listen to just about anything that has guitar in it, and over the years I've been influenced by a lot of other artists and genres as well. Blues, Funk, R&B, Country, you name it. With that in mind, please sample through ALL 10 tracks at the left because there are a number of musical styles on this CD. Rock, Pop-rock, Blues, Funk, a couple of ballads, and even a country track.
To list all my influences would take up way to much hard drive space, but to give you an idea of the players who have shaped and inspired my musical styles, here's just a sampling: the absolutely amazing solo artists: Eric Johnson, Chet Atkins, Steve Morse, Frank Gambale, Randy Rhoads, George Benson, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Albert Lee, Joe Pass, Chick Corea, the Hellecasters, Al Di Meola, Nuno Bettencourt, (and as mentioned above) Brian May; studio gods: Tim Pierce, Larry Carlton, Michael Landau, Steve Lukather, Carl Verheyen (a HUGE influence and a great guy), Keith Howland (Chicago/solo), Tom Bukovac, and (of course) Tommy Tedesco; the touring band monsters: Lance Morrison & Peter Stroud (Don Henley); Greg Suran (Goo Goo Dolls); Dave Whiston, Matt Bissonette, George Bernhardt, & Rodger Carter (Rick Springfield); and like I said, countless others.....
I've been playing since I was a kid. I've been playing in bars since high school. I've been teaching guitar and recording for myself and other artists in the Chicago area since since graduating high school. I'm proud to have been a part (played with, recorded with) such great local artists as Dustin Parker, World Class Noise, Bert Cattoni, Billy Childers, and my long-time partners in crime Joe & Jay Rocha. With them, we're currently known as BUMP. Our debut CD recorded out in Hollywood in 2005 with guitar hero, Supertramp guitarist, and friend Carl Verheyen producing. The CD is available here at CD Baby! Just click the BUMP album cover with the BUMP road sign.
I'm currently (2009) working on my first "pro" solo CD with some of the friends I've made over the years who play on the pro circuit; Rodger Carter from Rick Springfield's band on drums and Lance Morrison from Don Henley's band on bass. I hope to have that album released by the end of the year, so check back here at CD Baby for it!
Please visit my website links for more information and stuff and thanks for checking out my music here at CDBaby!!
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