New Album, New Stories

I am from small town, small town Blue Rock, Ohio. My neighbors include sheep, red tailed hawks and honest, down to earth farmers that don’t say a whole lot, but always have your back when you’re in a pinch. The grass is a few shades greener and the days seem to move a tick slower than the rest of the Northern Hemisphere.

In spite of all that, I have always been biting at the bit to get out, get free, and see how far my dreams carry me. Most of the time I feel a bit caged by my circumstances and a bit distracted by what I imagine the future could bring. Ninety Percent of Reality is about a blatant decision to make the most of the hand I have been dealt. It’s a reminder to get my head out of the clouds, get my nose out of the air, and get my hands to work.

I hope from the bottom of my heart that you enjoy listening to this album as much as I have enjoyed making it. I’m afraid that if I were to attempt to explain the meaning behind each of these songs it would sound like someone trying to explain the punch line of a bad joke. But here are a few stories behind the tunes of this album. I hope you enjoy.

University Girl – This is one of my favorite songs to play with my band. Robbie, the drummer, is a human metronome and he managed to nail the drum recording for this song in only two takes. Tyler, the bassist, has played with Robbie from childhood. He keeps the low end rocking and all of us rolling on the ground with his dry sense of humor. Sam Jones, the boy genius lead guitar player, never ceases to amaze me with his improvisational abilities. He always keeps me on my toes. He is so young, we have to end practice at 11:00 so he can get home before curfew. I consider myself extremely lucky to play with such skilled and humble musicians. Each one has challenged me to be the best musician I can be.

Little Sister – My little sister just left home as a big university freshman. I didn’t have money to buy her a gift, so I wrote her a song instead. The only thing that the song has managed to do so far is make her cry. I love you Anna.

Ugly Couple – I wrote this song once, but abandoned it because I hated the lyrics. When I closed my eyes all I could imagine was a disproportionate couple, holding hands while they walked together and grinning as they went along. It fit perfect with the swing of the tune. So I re-wrote the song and titled it Ugly Couple.

Set Me Free – This is my favorite track off the album. Some of my recordings have up to forty or fifty different tracks, but for this song I only used one vocal track, one drum track, one bass track, and one solo track. I wanted to keep it honest, open, and contrite.

Identity Theft – This song begins with a piano chord that is identical to the first piano chord in Duke Ellington’s Take the A Train. The song itself is nothing like the old Jazz standard but it was recorded on some pretty cruddy, old microphones and a seemingly similar type of piano. I think of Take the A Train every time I listen to this song.

Miss Benny – I was eating the leftovers from a welcome home party, held for a friend of mine. He had just returned from his military service in Iraq. As I ate, a thought came to my mind, “I wonder what my buddy’s mother was thinking while she was making all this food.” The song ensued. Thank you soldiers.

The Hole – I had a lot of fun recording the guitar-slapping sounds at the beginning of this song. It is reminiscent of the playing style of Ben Lacy, a guitar icon of mine.

Where Am I Going – I wrote this song while driving my Grandpa’s, 1980-something GMC down I-75.

Friends Like You – A good friend is someone who is willing to do Chinese fire drills with you.

First Kiss – My band practices in an old theatre, twenty miles south of Lexington, KY. Within the last month, two of my dearest friends informed me they, on occasion, would sneak through the back door while my band was playing. They would tiptoe the dark stairs and hide in one of the dressing rooms above the stage. It was in that dressing room, and to the tune of the song Love Runs Uphill, that they shared their first kiss. To anyone that is a fan of my album Dorm Room Recordings, you may notice a familiar melody in the guitars during the Bridge in this song. First Kiss is for those two friends.

I’ll Be Watching You – Memories for me are always still frames and never video. When I listen to this song I like to imagine old, familiar photographs being tossed onto a table, one by one.

Thank You Thank You Thank You

I have been amazed at the amount of people that have been willing to support me in my music. I have such an amazing, loving family that has always encouraged me to do what I love. They push me to do the right thing, and help me stay connected and real. I love you and thank you.

I have been amazed at some of the local business owners that not only allow me to play at their restaurants… (such as Donut Shops, Mall Food Courts, Mexican Restaurants, and Firehouse gathering rooms) but support my music and recommend it to others. Starting small means I have a lot of voices in my head saying I can’t, and I want to say thanks for the boost of confidence.

Finally, I am amazed by the kids coming out to see me play. A high school senior woke his toddler brother up at 7:30 A.M. on a Saturday morning to come see me play at a Donut Shop when he had just seen me play the night before. To all of you that would consider yourself a fan of my music, let me tell you, it means the world to me.

Raking Leaves

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12.

Man, the last four years of my life has blown by like a pile of leaves. I feel as if during high school I raked up all my credentials, my dreams, and beliefs only to have them blown away by a few dumb decisions. The only things that still stand are a few good friends I have made and a few laughs. But the majority of endeavors I have made have been short-lived fantasies. All for the most part vain and lackadaisical.

But here I am once again, with rake in hand, re-gathering what I swept so long ago, relearning to love. I have a few more scars on my face and in my heart, but once I was through jumping through that pile of leaves I discovered a purpose. I am a raker... I am a servant. Ok, for now, a pretty lousy servant, but what a patient heavenly father I serve, and what a large yard of leaves.