Birthplace:

Cumberland, WI

Hometown:

Almena, WI

Instruments:

Woodwinds, Keyboard

Bands (recent to ancient):

The Fabulous Lovehandles,  Jaggedease,  Incognito, Close E’nuff, The Jazz Missionaries Quartet, The Reunion Band

Earliest Rock Song Memory:

Don McLean’s “American Pie” – Learned every lyric front and back of the 45

Favorite Thing To Do:

Drink chardonnay,  play with the Lovehandles and dance with the crowd

Favorite Music:

Jazz - Fusion (Yellowjackets, David Weckl, Metheny, Spiro Gyra, Michael Buble, Brecker Bros.)

Best Band Moment:

Invited to play Norm Abram’s wedding in Brookline, Mass.  Flew us out.  Put us up.   Played “My Favorite Things” “My Romance” and “When I Fall In Love” and payed us well.  All the celebs from This Old House were there.  Or, maybe it was when we got “flashed” by Mia at a jazz club in Mankato

Worst Band Moment:

Our keyboard player never showed up at the gig.  Had to play a 4 hour job with only bass, drums and saxophone.  Lots of playing!   On another occasion, a drunk couple tripped and knocked over my entire rack of horns.  Very pissed!  Minimal damage.

Favorite Concert:

Still has to be Queen’s Bohemiam Rhapsody Tour – or maybe Burton Cummings in his prime.

Touched By Fame:

Played a few short stints with The Temptations, Leslie Gore, and the 5^th Dimension back in the 80’s.  Glad I can read!!

Favorite Beverage

Greg Fischer got me started on Bud Light Lime.  Now Iim hooked.  It’s his fault!!

Musical Influences:

Great teachers:  Fred Hemke, Steve Jordheim and Deb Richtmeyer.  Early exposure: Wilton Felder (The Crusaders), James Rathermel (from the Jessie Collin Young band), Lenny Pickett and Marc Ruso (Tower of Power)

Hobbies:

Golf, ski, pay hoops, and ride bike on occasion

Favorite Vacation:

Have to be a week in Sedona, AZ with the family one year in early March.  Just mom and the kids and I – climbing red rocks, pink jeep tours, fine dining and new discoveries.  I miss those days . . .