I hail from Lonoke, Arkansas, a small town off the interstate just east of Little Rock. I retired from the military in 2011.
I studied trumpet with Vincent Cichowicz at Northwestern University. There, in addition to performing in several university ensembles and a jazz-rock dance band, I also did freelance work in the Chicago area. That freelance work eventually took me to Minnesota where I joined the 451st Army Reserve Band, founded a brass quintet, taught private music lessons, and did performance coaching.
After my last military deployment, I began assembling some previously-written musical sketches into complete works. Doing so helped me manage the mental reintegration to civilian life; but, making the psychological adjustment from military to civilian life was a different story. I worked in project management for a while, becoming certified as a Professional Scrum Master and as a Professional Scrum Product Owner. However, I quickly discovered that promises of autonomy, leadership, and creative opportunities were merely marketing tag lines for job offers. Disillusioned, I quit actively pursuing outside opportunities and in late 2018, began writing music (I completed my first composition for wind ensemble that year: Solstice, a journey through the mind of a deployed soldier.). I had spent several years looking for fun, creative, meaningful work after retiring from the military only to discover it simply didn’t exist! At least, it didn’t for me. Nothing met my requirements and expectations like music. So, here I am!
I have written for concert band, orchestra, chamber ensembles, and have recently begun exploring composing music for media. My music sometimes purposefully eschews the conventions of western classical music. And, although my cultural background is fully American, I’m quite interested in exploring non-western (non-European) ethnic cultures – particularly my own. Hence my enthusiasm for one of my current, long-term projects: a work telling the story of America using only indigenous American music (music neither imported nor emanating from Europe).
I’m married to a non-musician, which has made life interesting and unpredictable. We have four adult kids who’re all on their own now. Elaine (“The Wife”) and I share our household with a cat three cats named for composers: “Mozart” (for Leopold Mozart), “Wiggins” (for Tom Wiggins, ‘Blind Tom’ as he was known), and “Nora” (for Nora Douglas Holt) who’re often jealous of the time I spend on music.
We recently moved to a small farming community in rural Minnesota. SHortly after the move, a stray cat adopted us and it wasn’t long until she moved in to join our original three cats. “Gabi” (for Gabriela Montero), it turns out, was pregnant. Her litter of three kittens was born mid-August 2025. They are: “Flo” (for Florence Price), “Maggie” (Margaret Bonds), and “J.B.” (Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges). They’re now seeking a new home.
Were it up to them, I’d be lazing around all day with them, chasing them and the occasional “ghost” they constantly seem to be be finding! Now that the kids are out of the house and generally self-supporting, I’m enjoying my time researching, exploring, and creating.
