I was drawn to music as early as can I remember. My mom played guitar so we always had music in the house. We had instruments from autoharp to ukulele. Mom’s favorite was an old 1965 Baldwin Jazz Top electric guitar and a vintage amplifier. At the age of 5 or 6 I would play it every it once in a while. I would pluck those strings for hours not even knowing a single chord. I just loved the sound and how it felt to play.

 

I started performing music in 5th grade band, playing the saxophone. That same year, a teacher brought in an electric guitar and played some Metallica – a band I had just discovered. On my birthday that year, my parents took me to buy my first guitar.

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My friend Jeremy always wanted to play the drums and loved Metallica. We didn’t have a drum set, so he played on drywall buckets until our little hearts were content. By the 6th grade I was ready to give up the saxophone and focus soley on guitar. One day I was playing on my parents’ front porch when a man stopped by and said “Hey, sounds good! What’s your favorite band?” I said “Metallica” and he said “I’ll be back.” Later he returned with his son Nathan who was a few years older than me. We played together and hit it off immediately, playing and challenging each other on a weekly basis. I tried singing at that point, but could’t imagine singing in front of an audience.

 

Then, Nathan’s dad took us to see Metallica at The Kentucky Motor Speedway. I remember hearing the bass drum soundcheck when we first walked up. It sounded like a giant beast stomping around. That show was incredibly moving. I’ll never forget watching and imagining myself on stage the entire time. I remember crying, getting chills and being extremely connected with the music. From that day forward, I knew this is what I wanted to do.
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My first real shows were behind the drums in a pop punk band. The bass player would end up playing in Malorium, my first serious project. We played a few shows here and there and started to record a CD but it didn’t materialize. During my junior and senior years in high school, I discovered influences like Shinedown, Soundgarden, Alter Bridge, Breaking Benjamin, Korn, Linkin Park, System of a Down and Audioslave. At the time I wanted to sing those styles. I would go up to my room and put my voice to the test trying to sing Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington.

 

After high school I met some friends that led to a new version of Malorium. We played everywhere we could and released our first EP. We opened for a group called Rootbound and I would later front that band. While with Rootbound, we played countless clubs, pubs and parties, and opened for well-known acts including Peter Frampton, Seven Mary Three and Jackyl. We had tremndous times together and I grew as a musician and a person. One night we shared the stage with locals Atlantis Becoming and little did I know that I would soon join them to form Lift the Medium.
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In 2012 I received some devastating news. I was diagnosed with a polyp on my right vocal chord. Initially I thought surgery was necessary, but with faith, hard work and determination I was able to rehabilitate my voice on my own. Five years later I’m proud to say that I’m sounding better than ever and have moved onto bigger and better things.
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In each musical project I’ve been in, I’ve pushed to do something completely different from the last, striving to improve as a musician and songwriter. I got into music for the love of music – not girls, fame or any of the shallow reasons you hear about. I have doubted myself at times in life, but at the end of the day I know exactly what my purpose is now – to uplift people though the music of Lift the Medium.