Growing up in San Diego, I graduated from Morse High School in 1976. I went to all the junior colleges in San Diego while trying to figure out what I wanted to do in life. I dropped out after a few years and started playing music for a living. This went on for quite a few years and while it was artistically gratifying, at the time, it wasn't so financially lucrative. So, I ended up back at Grossmont College to study my favorite subject: music. It was here that my long standing friendship with Claudio Martin began. I was fortunate to start studying classical guitar with Fred Benedetti. A year later, I transferred to SDSU as a music major with an emphasis in education. My guitar teacher at State was Celin Romero of the famous Romero family. I finished my studies in 1990 and started teaching at Francis Parker Middle & Upper School. I've been at Parker for 33 years now. Parker is a wonderful school and there was no other place that I'd want to be working.
In 1990, Claudio and I started the band InVOICES which featured one of San Diego's best female vocalists, Vicki Maggiorie.Vicki eventually moved back to New York around 1994 and Claudio and I continued with the band in various lineups for another year and a half. Eventually, due to remodeling, our 5 year run at the Ocean Terrace Lounge at the Hotel Del Coronado came to an end and unfortunately so did the band. It was about this time that my other band was starting to make some noise on the club scene and the departure of Paul Babiak opened the door for Claudio Martin to rejoin his old college and friend in another musical adventure. I've been a member of HOT MONKEY LOVE, HERA'S OLIVE and SWEET BLUE ONION and GONZOLOGY. I feel blessed to have worked with some of San Diego's finest musicians. My current passion is country music, performing as BUSTED SPURS, with Keven Ford on vocals & guitar, Mark Boyce on vocals and keyboards, Jim Witt on bass and Zachary Miller on drums. We play everything for old school to 90s and current country, with a mix of Americana, Blues and Country Rock! Keven and I also perform as the BUSTED SPURS DUO. I also am blessed to work with Nate Nathan & the MacDaddy-o's. They are a corporate band based in the Phoenix area with some of the areas best player, This 13-piece band does charity, corporate events and fundraisers as well as occasional public shows.
I'm retired from teaching and I am solely focused on music performances. I’m currently at the Babcock & Story at the Hotel Del Coronado every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, unless I'm hired out for a private event. My main focus is acoustic music, singer/songwriters from the 60's on up, island style with my ukulele, classic rock, contemporary stuff, country and just whatever suits my taste at the moment. I'm available for all your private and corporate events as a soloist, duo, trio or full band. I'm available for your wedding as a soloist for your ceremony, cocktail hour and dinner hour. The Busted Spurs are also available for your events.
