Dogs & Diamonds

I was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan. At the age of 2 my parents returned to their original home in Hartselle, Alabama. I spent most of my childhood there and developed a very strong interest in country music listening to the Grand Ole Opry and other country radio programs. At the age of 12 we again moved to Michigan. I have been here ever since. I started learning to play the year we moved back to Michigan and have played and sang country music since that time. In 1975 I enlisted in the US Air Force and spent 4 years in the service of my beloved country. I was stationed in Tampa, Florida for almost 2 years before being reassigned to Lakenheath AFB in England. While in England I met several guys that also loved to play country music and we formed a band. We played at the base Rod and Gun Club a lot to entertain the servicemen and women from the surrounding bases. We also played several local villages. It was a great joy to take American country music to the British public. They really loved it and just couldn't get enough. When I returned to the US in 1979, I was honorably discharged and returned to Portage where I joined a very popular local band known as Country Roads. I spent about 2 1/2 years with them before leaving the music business to return to driving trucks to support my small children. Now that they are pretty much grown, I am returning to the one thing I really love to do. I feel very fortunate to be able to be doing what I love and bringing joy to those I am privileged enough to entertain. I am slowly working my way into a full time musical career. This CD is the launching point of that new career. I still drive but not nearly as much as I used to. I am part of a group that puts on free shows at the Music Barn in Martin, Michigan on the 2nd Saturday of every month and at Faith Chapel in Kalamazoo, Michigan the 3rd Saturday of every month. There is no charge for these shows and we usually have anywhere from 250 to 350 people at them. I hope you enjoy listening to this project as much as I have enjoyed making it for you.