I haven’t written for a while but things have been very busy with my band and work lately. Of the last twelve weekends Silver has only had two off and if I had a choice we wouldn’t have been off those two. I really enjoy playing with Silver, they are a very talented band and I love the harmony they have.

A publishing company sent me a song to consider singing. I’m still debating weather the song is for me or not but it gave me a whole new perspective on my first CD. I have been struggling with how to get my first CD recorded and was thinking that I had to find local musicians to learn my songs, find a good recording studio, and end up with something that I wasn’t completely happy with. After hearing the demo CD from the publishing company I have a whole new perspective on things. It was such a professional demo and I asked the owner of the publishing company how he did it and the answer made me realize this will not be as hard as I thought. The trick is finding the “right” producer and record company. Once I find that all I have to do is bring my current recordings in and the producer will call in “professional” recording musicians and lay it out for me to sound just as good as stuff released on the radio. He said they could knock a whole ten song CD out in two weeks. So, right now I am shopping around for the right producer and studio. So far I have my eye on a studio in L.A. but I am going to keep shopping around. If things go right my first CD should be available by next year.

I’ve been playing around the area with Silver and things are going fairly well. We are starting to get a following but things are going slow. A lot of the clubs we are playing at are struggling this summer so we don’t get a lot of people in the clubs. But, I know if we stick it out things will pick up for us.

April 8th 2003

I just got finished writing the song “Where The Wind Blows”. I was at Kevin’s practicing and he started chording from F to C. I liked the way that chord progression sounded so I had him keep playing and I put words over the top of it and found a chorus. It turned into a really pretty song but the problem is that it’s not country at all. It’s more of a cross between 80’s rock and today’s alternative rock. The other strange thing is that singing this style comes a lot more naturally to me. A lot of times when I am recording the country songs I wrote I have to do several takes to make it sound right, with this song I can pretty much hit it on the first take. I don’t know if this is just a phase or if I am starting to settle into my own style of music. I guess time will tell. I am going to record the song with Kevin and should have something out to download in a couple weeks.

We played at Phenix City, AL last weekend and it went well. People who hear us always seem to really like us but they don’t seem to go crazy over what they hear like I hoped. I have a really good ear for music and I think the four part harmonies that we do is awesome and something that is hard to match by any band anywhere. We may need a good sound man to make sure what the crowd hears is the same as what we are hearing on stage. We play again at Phenix City this weekend so we will see how the crowd is then.

March 8th 2003

We got into Knuckleheads in Columbus GA and we are working on a place called Muldoons in Columbus. From what I hear Muldoons is usually packed and is the place to play locally. We are also going to be booked at The Landing on Lake Martin once they start booking bands this summer and I've heard that's a good place to play as well. It still looks like in a few months we will be booked solid and that's what I want. I'm also working on writing a couple new songs that I think will be good. My day job has gotten really busy lately and it has really taken away from what I can do with my music because I've been having to put in extra hours to get my work done. I'm hoping that it will slow down in mid April so I can get back to concentrating on my music.

Feb. 24th 2003

We played at the VFW in Warm Springs, GA and they liked us enough to book us back on March 22. We have a bunch of possible gigs in the works and I think in a few months we will be booked solid. I had a pretty bad sinus infection when we played in Warm Springs and the rest of the group had the same thing so we didn’t sound our best but we managed to get by. It wasn’t that noticeable to most people but when I listen to the recording from that night I can tell that I wasn’t able to hit my notes cleanly. I’ll put some of the live recordings from Warm Springs out on the web site for downloading. Other than us all having colds the recording turned out great! I’m sure we will be able to pull a few songs off of there for our demo.

Feb. 19th 2003

Things are starting to take shape with my music. Instead of being all over the place and trying a bunch of different things that aren't working I feel like I have focus now. My main goal right now is getting into a recording studio. Silver has learned "If You Only Knew" and it sounds unbelievable with them. We are playing that song at our gigs and it is going over very well. We are now working on learning "A Long Night". Once we learn ten of my songs that I am happy with we will get into a studio and start working on my CD. Right now I am leaning towards the studio in West Point. I've heard a lot about it but I need to check it out for myself. I'm also looking at a professional photographer to do a photo shoot in late March/early April.

Silver has a pretty regular practice schedule and I have so much fun just practicing with them. I'm also doing the every other Monday night songwriting thing with Jackie Lee so it is nice to be on a schedule. The acoustic stuff with Kevin has dropped off a bit. I'm not sure if I'm going to try to pick that up again or if I am just going to focus on working with Silver. It just feels so nice to have structure and focus in my life and I am starting to get over the feeling of being pulled in a hundred different directions. I am still just as busy as ever, it is just more structured and goal oriented so I feel I am getting somewhere.

Silver is playing at the VFW in Warm Springs this Sat. and are thinking about testing out a sound man/booking agent for that gig. With the harmonies that Silver is doing we really need a soundman to make sure the levels are right. Silver is a very talented band and I think once we get comfortable with each other we will be tough to beat in this area. The Loft called me the other night and wanted me to get back in the songwriters competition that they are having. I'll look into that as well as getting something together that I can get back into The Loft to open for different acts. I'd like to get something going with a couple members of Silver if they are willing.

Feb. 3rd 2003

Silver is still practicing and working on getting our music together. We are playing this weekend at the Double C in Lafayette so I am excited about that. We are not as ready as we want to be but the bar really needs a quality band in there for this weekend so we will help them out and get some exposure from it. We will do a good job for them but in another 2-3 months we will be a lot better. Our original plan was to wait a couple months before booking but this gig kind of fell in our laps so we'll take this one and see how close we are to being ready.

I talked with Silver the other day in practice and they are really excited about learning my original songs and helping me get into a studio to record. We are hoping to get into the studio in a few months to start working on my CD. They are really enthusiastic about helping me out with my career and it is making me a lot more energetic knowing that I have them in my corner helping me out. They really know what they are doing and I really need their help. There is a Nashville quality studio in West Point, GA that I will check out and hopefully can use for my recording needs.

Silver's drummer, Phil Shaver, gave me some songs he wrote that he wants me to record for him. I'm sure he would like me to use some of them on my CD if they work out for me. It would be nice to have about twenty songs to choose from when I am going into the studio.

Jackie Lee and I are almost finished writing "Since You've Been Gone". I really like the song and just need to touch up some lyrics and it will be done.

Jan. 24th 2003

Things are going well with Silver. During practice we put two microphones in the room and recorded some songs for a demo. The recordings turned out better than I had hoped and will be more than suitable for a demo. We are working on getting a promo pack completed and once we do I don't think it is going to be long before we are booked up. It feels nice to be playing with real musicians who know how the music needs to be played and who can hear when something doesn't sound right. The other night in practice we learned "You May Be Right" by Billy Joel. The lead guitarist hadn't heard the song before and he listened to the lead twice and was able to play it just as it sounds on the CD. It is very fun and exciting.

We have several clubs that are interested in having us play there once we get them the demo so we need to get the demo together soon. Some of our potential gigs are the CC Rodeo in Lafitte, Shakers in Lafitte; the VFW in West Point, and Maldoons in Columbus. We are getting into a lot of Classic rock because that's what goes over the best at the clubs. My first love will always be country music and that is defiantly the direction I am going with my career but for the band it is not realistic to do a whole night of country.

Kevin and I played out at Fins (Atmospheres) in Valley and were very rusty. We didn't do very well but they booked us back there for two more bookings. We were supposed to play there this Saturday but the heating system went out at the club so we will be back there next Saturday. I am working on putting a demo together for Kevin and I so we can start to play out at some places in Auburn. It is important for me to get us into some places that will book us during the week so it doesn't conflict with my gigs with Silver.

Jan. 16th 2003

Things are going very well with Silver. We played at the Elks in Opelika last week and we really went over well there. Phil (our drummer) is going to sit down with the Elks and see what dates they want to book us there. He is also going to sit down with Shakers in Lafitte and the CC Rodeo because they have both shown interest in booking us. They are such a great band and have great attitudes so it is a lot of fun to play with them. My only complaint would be that we don't do as much newer country as I would like but I know it is unrealistic to find a lot of gigs doing all country.

Kevin and I are done playing at Ben's for a while. Their business has slowed down for the winter and they are not able to stay competitive with what they pay. We have enjoyed playing there and hopefully we will get back in there when their business picks back up. We do however have a gig down the road this coming weekend at Fins. We are looking forward to that.

I think I have a way to get some quality live recordings and I will try it this weekend when Kevin and I are at Fins. If it turns out good I will use that as a demo to send to clubs to try to get bookings. My main goal is Champs because I believe the style of music Kevin and I do would go over well there. My long-term goal is for Silver to be busy on the weekends while Kevin and I are playing during the week. Once I get quality recordings with Silver and Kevin I will put them out on my site for download.

Dec. 23rd 2002

A lot has happened since I last updated my journal and I just haven't had time to update it. The biggest news is that I joined a local band called "Silver". I was connected with them though a friend at work and their lead guitarist and bass player came out to Ben's to hear me play. I practiced with them and was very impressed by them. I have never played with this quality of musicians before and it is very exciting to be a part of. I am amazed by their ability to listen to a new song and learn it within a few minutes. They not only master their instruments but all three of them sing harmony. We played out at the Elks in Opelika and they were so impressed by us that they immediately booked us for January. We are starting from scratch as far as bookings go but I feel with the sound we have that it should take us no time to fill up our schedule.

I still plan on doing the acoustic thing on nights that Silver is not playing. I'm going to work on getting a promo pack together for the acoustic act and start trying to book places in Auburn during weekdays. Kevin and I are getting to the point now where we can play songs we've never practiced before together. He has been practicing a lot at home lately and it is showing when we play.

Silver gave me a keyboard and I am starting to learn how to play that. It's not as straight forward as the harmonica but it is a lot easier to learn than the guitar was. Hopefully I can learn enough to start playing a song or two with Silver on the keyboard. I'm working on one of my favorite songs to sing by Journey, "Faithfully".

I need to get back to my writing. It has been a while since I have written anything because my schedule is so hectic. I decided the only way I will do it is if I schedule time for it, so every other Monday is going to be song-writing night with Jackie Lee. I'm going to schedule something similar with Phil Shaver, the drummer from Silver.

I do not think I will get my break this coming year in the music business but I think it will be a big year for setting myself up to do so. I think this coming year will be a big year for me in a few ways. First off, I believe Silver will push me to become a better musician and performer. I plan on getting a lot better on guitar and learning a few other instruments and by performing all the time, my performance should get a lot better. Second, I think that this band is going to be very good and it will be good in giving me exposure around the region and maybe build some interest. Third, Silver has expressed interest in helping me get into a recording studio and getting my own studio quality CD recorded. I'm going to have to set some goals for myself for the coming year with plans on how I am going to make them happen.

Nov. 19th 2002

Things are going really well with the acoustic act. We are booked at Ben's Old Place every Friday and Saturday night for the rest of the year. This last weekend went really well. We did a really good job and on Saturday night the place was packed. They took pictures of Kevin and I and are going to make a poster to put up to advertise us at Ben's. It will be an accomplishment for me if we can help turn his business around.

I am working on getting a demo tape made of the acoustic stuff that Kevin and I are doing to try to get into some other places during the week. We are defiantly ready to play anyplace now and I would like to be busy on the weekends and at least two nights during the week.

I think I finished recording "This Crazy Dream" last night. I need to listen to it a few times to make sure it is ready and then I will post it on my site for download.

I am still working at getting the band together. I still believe that the drummer I found is the right drummer for the band but the other positions aren't solid. The lead guitarist I have been looking at would be perfect but he has back problems and is not ready to play yet. I've been looking at the drummer's son as a bass player but he is not a true bass player. He may work out until I either find someone else or he advances enough to solidify the spot in the band.

Nov. 11th 2002

I talked to the new owner at Ben's Old Place this weekend. He has been getting a lot of good comments about us and we are starting to bring in business for him. He talked about not hiring any more bands and just having us come in every Friday and Saturday. It will be really good for us to be playing every weekend to get our act down and make some extra money. I realize that being a house band at Ben's Old Place in Beulah is not going to get me anywhere but it is a good place to base out of while I am putting the full band together.

I learned a lot while playing this weekend. One of the main things I learned is that no matter how good someone is I can't just let them come up a play with us. I let a pronominal harmonica player up to play with us and it went really well. The problem was that once everyone saw him up there everybody wanted to get up and sing and it got really out of control. There is no stage at Ben's either so every week people just come up and stand right next to us and try to sing. Not only is it distracting but they also start knocking over very expensive equipment. This weekend I am going to bring my subwoofers and monitors and create a little wall between us and the crowd to try to prevent people from coming back into the performing area. I also need to arrange our set list a little better. Kevin sometimes gets nervous when we play and looses his confidence and turns his guitar down so it can barely be heard. I need to set up the set list so we have some songs he is comfortable with to build his confidence and get him going right away. I'll regroup with some of the things I've learned, make a plan to improve things, and put them into effect this weekend and see how it goes. It's not all about singing, it's the performing stuff that I really need to work on.

Nov. 7th 2002

Kevin and I are getting ready to play back at Ben's tomorrow. We did fine last time but we barely made it with the number of songs that we do. I am trying to add a few more songs to the list before tomorrow. I can tell that Kevin and I are getting used to playing together because it doesn't take us as long to learn songs and we are starting to be able to anticipate what the other person is going to do.

The Loft called me back and would like to book us to open for another band on Dec. 6th. I am going to do it but will have to find out who the other band is that we are opening for. I love to meet and listen to other bands. Last time I was at The Loft I had a great time talking with Memory Dean.

Nov. 4th 2002

From what I saw of it I really love Nashville. I stayed in the Brentwood area and it is beautiful. I would really love to move there within the next year. It would also be so much easier to promote my music there. I was just walking to my meeting with the promotion company in my cowboy hat and boots and some guys stopped me to ask if I was a musician. They listened to my songs, gave me some quick advice, and were on their way to a meeting with Marty Stuart.

My meeting with the promotion company went well. It seems like it is a good deal if you have a lot of money laying around, but I don't have that kind of money to spend on something that is not going to guarantee me anything. My money is going to be better spent getting a studio quality CD made on my own and getting a band together to get some regional recognition. Once I get the band together and get a following I can sell my CD's and build a promo pack that will hopefully be attractive to the major labels.

Kevin and I have been playing at Ben's Old Place and have been getting really good feedback. It isn't going to take us long to get a following and I'm sure that we are going to bring in some business to that place. If we can prove that we can dramatically help their business we should be able to convert that to dollars. It is also a good place for us to tune our act and get more confidence in what we're doing.

I met a drummer while playing at Ben's Old Place that I've been talking with. He is a good solid drummer but more importantly he has a good ear for music and has the attitude that I am looking for. He also has a lot of equipment and is an experienced soundman. I believe he and I are going to start trying to round up and audition lead and bass guitar players to put a full band together.

Oct. 24th 2002

I posted my website out on an independent country artists site and got a call back from a new artist promotion agency in Nashville. They are looking for new artists with potential to try to promote them to the major record companies. I am planning a trip to Nashville to talk with them this Tuesday and I will try to hit an open mic night or two while I am there. I also received an email from another independent record company from out of Nashville so I will see what they can offer me.

Kevin and I are preparing hard for The Loft in Columbus this weekend. If it goes well, and they hire us back regularly, it will be a really good opportunity for me to promote my original music.

Oct. 21th 2002

Kevin and I played at Bens Old Place in Beulah on Friday and it went very well. I just received a new 2600 power amp and took it out of the box right before we played and couldn't figure out how to hook it up. In desperation I ran our 3000-watt mains and our monitor with our 400-watt monitor power amp. I'm not an electronic wiz but I'm guessing that we got lucky that it held up for us. The gig went very well though and they want to book us every Friday. We decided to start Friday, Nov. 1st because we want to spend this whole week getting ready for The Loft. I won't put it on my calendar until the gig is confirmed.

I talked to the owner of the Cock-n-Bull and he wants Kevin and I to start hosting an open jam night there on Thursdays and would like us to start there this Halloween. I still need to confirm this gig as well.

I am making contacts now with the other musicians as well and am going to keep my eye open for the right musicians to put together a full band. I should just need a bass player and a drummer and we'd be ready to go. They have to be pretty decent, but more importantly they have to be a good fit with Kevin and I. I need someone who can take direction as well as give feedback and who just loves to play. Kevin and I practice almost every night for around four hours a night and we really enjoy our practice time. I don't care how good you are, that kind of practice together really shows when you perform. I am looking for band members who just love to play and would enjoy and have the time practice with us. Until I find them I am happy with just sticking with Kevin and I.

Oct. 18th 2002

Kevin and I went to a couple places last night to try to drum up places to play. We went to The Cock Of The Walk in Opelika and I think we will try to play there sometime within the month. It is a restaurant that does really good business and they occasionally have acoustic acts in there. The pay is good and they get a really good crowd. We also went to Champs in Auburn. That would be the ideal place for us to play but we will need another hour of music before we will be able to play there. I am also going to check out Botchers in Auburn to see if we can get in there sometime. Once we have another hour of music the goal will be to book as many places as possible and be busy with acoustic gigs two to three times a week. Once we start playing regularly around the area we will keep our eyes and ears open for a bass player and drummer that would be a good fit for a full band.

Oct. 16th 2002

Kevin and I opened for Confederate Railroad and it was the most fun I think I've ever had singing. The crowd really got into it and we got to use the Confederate Railroads equipment and the sound was unbelievable. The bad news is that the Oak Grove Steakhouse burned down that same night and the talent finals were canceled.

I played open mic night at The Loft (www.theloftlive.com) in Columbus, GA and am booked to open for a band called Memory Dean (www.memorydean.com) on Oct. 26th. I am excited about that because that is a place where serious musicians go and I should get good exposure there. Toby Keith, Leroy Parnell, and many other famous musicians have played there. I will be doing an hour of mostly original music there with my guitarist Kevin Smith.

This Sat. Oct. 19th Kevin and I will be playing at Ben's Old Place in Opelika from 4:00 - 6:00 for a cook out. If that goes well it may lead to some gigs for us.

I have finished the song "If You Only Knew" and am happy with the way it turned out. It is not my favorite song but it fits my voice better than any other song I have done so far. The range and pitch of the song is perfect for my voice and I like the way I can hold the notes out on the song and use my vibrato. This is the type of song I want to be singing. I am also working on recording "This Crazy Dream" and it is going to be one of my better songs. It is really upbeat and fun to play and listen to. I recently bought a harmonica and found that I knew how to play it right away so I used it in this song. For some reason the harmonica just makes sense to me and I can tell where the next note is going to be. I wish I could say the same about the guitar!

Sept. 25th 2002

I have not had a chance to write much recently because my home computer has been down. I just ordered a new one so starting next week I should be back with regular updates to my journal. I have also been very busy practicing with my guitarist Kevin Smith to get four hours of acoustic music together. We have been practicing four hours a night five days a week and plan to be ready to play in around three weeks. Practicing, along with the other things I have going on musically is like having another full time job so I haven't had time for much else.

The Oak Grove talent contest has turned out to be an excellent marketing tool for me. I went to Rooster Country 106 in Columbus last week and helped record an advertisement for the talent contest finals on Oct. 4th. I just said my name, the name of the songs I am singing for the finals, and I put a promotional plug in the ad for my web site. The program director did not know if they would keep the advertisement for my web site in the commercial but he didn't initially see a problem with it.

The most exciting news is that as a result of qualifying for the finals I get to sing a couple songs to open for The Confederate Railroad this Saturday September 28th. I am going to have Kevin help me play "How Cool Is That" by Andy Griggs and then I will do "Give You Me" by myself. I am going to try to get a picture with the band because it will be a great promotional tool for me.

This coming Tuesday I am going back to Country 106 to do another advertisement, except this one will be longer than the last ad I did with them. They are even going to let me play a little bit of "Give You Me" on the air. I am really excited about doing that and will plug my web site again on the air.

After this contest is over, Kissing Country (I forget the call numbers) is starting another talent contest and it looks like there may be more promotional opportunities there. The first three weeks winners of that contest will get to open for Aaron Tippon so I will give that a shot.

I am still working on recording more of my original songs but I have been so busy lately I haven't had time. I am going to try to finish "If You Only Knew" by next weekend and get it out on my web site.

Sept. 2nd 2002

I played two songs for the songwriter's competition at The Loft in Columbus, GA and took second place. I only lost by two points and I learned a lot about the competition so I will try again this coming Wednesday and see how it goes. I really enjoy playing there. The atmosphere is great! People are there for one reason, to listen to music, and they really appreciate what they hear. I will have to start making regular appearances there.

I participated in the talent contest again at the Oak Grove Steakhouse on Saturday and won. Because I won I will open this Friday for the talent contest. Winning last week also qualifies me for the finals in three weeks. The owner of the establishment said that he is going to have all the winners on the radio before the finals to introduce themselves. There may also be an opportunity for me to open for the Confederate Railroad when they play at the Oak Grove this month. I will have to check into all of this and get more details.

I had a very unique experience while singing at the Oak Grove talent show that meant more to me than winning the contest. As I was singing my original song "Give You Me" I looked up and saw tears streaming down a young girls face in the audience. It was a very special moment for me that I will never forget. Knowing that my music was touching someone that deeply means more to me than I could ever put into words. Maybe I'll write a song about it. ;)

I was talking to a record company a few months back and I have decided not to take the contract. They seemed like a good independent company but at this stage in my career I'm not sure how much they could do for me. My plan is still to play acoustically around the area, get a band together, try to build a moderate fan base, and at that point I'll either look into signing with a record company or pay to cut my own CD.

Kevin and I are playing at Lil' Gillies tonight for a couple hours. There isn't going to be a lot of people there because it is Labor Day and there is an Auburn game tonight but we just want to try out what we have so far with our equipment in front of a live audience so we can gauge how close we are to being ready to book gigs.

Aug. 27th 2002

My friend Jackie Lee and I have been getting together on Monday's to write music. We just finished writing the song "There's The Door" and I am very pleased with the way it turned out. I will finish recording "If You Only Knew" and then I will work on "There's The Door".

I just received my first copyright certificate from the national copyright office. I filed for it almost a year ago and it took this long to be processed. I plan on framing it since it is my first one.

I am performing at The Loft tomorrow for a songwriter competition and figure it will be good exposure for me. The Loft is where all the serious musicians in the area perform so I am really looking forward to it.

Kevin and I have been practicing every night trying to get something together to play around the area. We have a ways to go but so far we seem to be clicking fairly well. We are going to play at Lil' Gillies in Opelika on Monday and see how close we are to getting things together. It will probably be another three weeks before we get a full four-hour set together.

I sang with the band Wild Wood last weekend and I decided that I do not want to sing with them on a permanent basis. They were very good musicians but I disagree with they way they are running their sound system and don't feel like their personalities mesh very well. I have some ideas for band members right now and think I am going to work on putting my own band together.

Aug. 23rd 2002

I performed in the Country Colgate Showdown and it went fairly well. I didn't place but I do not feel bad because the level of talent at the contest was unbelievable. All of the contestants have the potential to have a professional career someday. I did not do that well on my first song "Wrapped Around" by Brad Paisley but my second song "Amazed" by Lonestar couldn't have went better. I also sang my own song "Give You Me" and that went very well. Missing the first song was enough to knock me out of the placing with the level of talent that was there though.

Jackie Lee and I are collaborating on writing music and are currently writing the song "There's The Door". I think it is a very good song that will go over well when I play at the bars.

I was taking a nap on Tuesday after work and my good friend Jackie called me. Jackie runs karaoke at the bars Tuesday - Sunday and he told me there were two guys out at the bar asking for a lead singer because they just lost theirs and needed to find one in a hurry. I met with them that night and sang a few songs for them on karaoke and they hired me. I practiced with them on Wednesday night and am playing with them at a bar called Ben's Old Place this Friday and Saturday. At this point I cannot commit to being in their band full time. I need to figure out what is best for my career before I make that decision. So, for now I am just hiring myself out as a singer for them and I will think about what is best for me.

What I am most excited about now is my friend Kevin Smith and I are getting a set list together and planning on playing acoustic gigs around the area. I believe the sound we have together is very good and am hoping to be ready to play in two weeks. He also knows some other people who are ready to start a band so I am considering that rout as well.

I am singing at the Oak Grove Steakhouse on Aug. 30th to try to qualify for the finals again. I found out that The Marshal Tucker Band is playing after the contest so I am going to try to meet them and slip my CD to them and possibly get a photo with them.

Unfortunately my manager is not with me anymore. We had a difference in opinion on our future together that couldn't be resolved. I do not think I am going to get another manager at this point. Right now I am just going to be playing acoustic gigs around the area and trying to either be in Worm Wood or starting my own band and do not think I need a manager for that. When I get to the point where I am looking for a record contract I will start looking for a manager again.

Aug. 13th 2002

I took second in the Oak Grove Steakhouse talent contest on Friday out of thirteen contestants. I learned a few things about the contest and the judging and am in it again on Aug. 30th and hope to place first. I am in the Colgate Country Showdown competition tomorrow at 8:00. I went for rehearsal yesterday and the competition is incredible. My good friend Jackie is in the contest and he is an amazing singer as well as another local artist that is moving to Nashville and about to sign with a record company. I am looking forward to the challenge. I am meeting with my guitarist on Thursday and if things go well we hope to be playing around the area by mid September. I haven't been doing much but going to work and working on my music lately. I can't remember the last time the television has been turned on. Anyone who thinks that a music career just happens to someone is living in a fantasy world. It is almost like having two full time jobs for me but the enjoyment I get out of it is well worth it.

Aug. 7th 2002

I sang in front of Goodies clothing store for a benefit for the Children's Miracle Network on Saturday, Aug. 3rd. There wasn't a large showing but the people who did come really liked the performance. We gave away over thirty CD's to people who specifically asked for them and got two more potential gigs for a block party and for the Opelika Chamber of Commerce. I brought the two main speakers, a monitor, my new 2600 power amp and the 20 channel Mackie board and the sound was better than I had ever hoped. I am really happy with the quality of the equipment that I purchased.

I am getting together with a potential guitarist from out of Columbus on Sunday. As soon as my guitarist and I get our act together Jason Van Hook is going to start booking shows for us around the area. Jason says it is not going to be a problem getting bookings and from what I have seen he is right. Our potentials right now are Botchers, The Highlands, and Champs in Auburn, Fins, and The Loft in Columbus. And there are a couple other places I am forgetting about. I am having to learn some southern rock and some more up beat country songs for these gigs 'cause that's the type of music that goes over at the clubs around this area. I do well at singing them but it is not the type of music I normally listen to and play so that is taking some time as well. I hope to be booking gigs by the end of Aug.

I am working on a new song called "If You Only Knew". It is almost complete but I am struggling with some lyrics right now. It will be a very powerful slow song when it is completed.

July 18th 2002

So much has happened since I last wrote in my journal that I haven't had time to keep it updated. Jason and I have a contract from an independent record company from Florence, AL that we are in the process of reviewing. We went to Florence to meet with the owner and producer of the record company and we were very impressed with them as well as them with us. We are also in the process of talking with another independent label from out of Arizona.

I bought all new PA equipment for a band and am searching for musicians. I plan to have the band together and playing within the next few months. We already have a bar that is looking for a house band that is interested as well as several other places. If the sound is right I don't think we'll have any problems finding gigs. Jason is doing an outstanding job at stirring up interest from places to play.

I printed off CD labels for my demo CD and now have a very professional looking demo CD to give to people. Jason and I have been giving them out like candy to try to get as much attention as we possibly can and it is working wonders. We have been getting very positive feedback from people and cannot keep up with the demand for the CD's. One very good thing that is happening is that we are getting positive feedback from not only country fans, but from people who do not like country. It is very positive that my music appeals to people of all genres. That was exactly what I was hopping for. I love ALL music! So, I am glad that my love for all music genres shows in the songs that I write.

One of my CD's ended up in the hands of the GM for the local radio stations daughter who contacted me and said she fell in love with my music and talked to her father about me. I am currently talking to one of the largest radio stations in the area about playing "Give You Me" on the radio. "Give You Me" has been getting a very positive response from everyone. However, I will be surprised if they don't play it on the radio because of the length of the song. If they do I will consider myself very fortunate! It is next to impossible to get radio airplay in the US because Cleardata Communications owns everything and will not play music unless an Indi pays them to do so. But the GM said he will listen to it and see. If they do play it, they will advertise my web site. This would be very good for my career.

July 5th 2002

I have learned so much this last few months. I have learned what IS NOT going to happen! I am not going to walk up to a record exec. for a major record company, hand him my demo tape, and have him say, "I've never heard of you but this is really good, here's one hundred thousand dollars to go make us a CD." The cold hard truth is no one is "discovered" in the music industry. The stories you read about musicians being discovered from out of nowhere are just the media giving you a Cinderella story. What you don't hear is that the musicians that were "discovered" were working hard, singing in bars for free for five years before their so-called discovery. It all makes so much sense now. If the major record companies are going to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars on an artist, they want a proven product. So that's what I need to do! I am focusing my energy on building a product that will be attractive to the record companies. It is going to be a long hard job but I am up to the challenge. I didn't walk up to my first job at MeritCare and say, "I have no computer experience and no degree but am good with computers." I worked very hard, going to school for five years to get a degree, to prove that I was worthy of the job. The music industry wants the same type of proof before they are willing to make a major investment, so that's what I will give them. I'm working on putting a band together right now and looking at signing with a small independent record company, both steps in the right direction. This may seem discouraging but it is actually very good news for me. Hard work, motivation, and determination are all things I excel at and am looking forward to the challenge.

June 27th 2002

I'm postponing finishing up the song "I'll Find A Way" indefinitely. It was a lot of fun writing the song but right now there is too much going on and I need to focus on things that will help out my country music career.

I am happy to welcome the first member of my team, my Personal Manager, Jason Van Hook. I have been keeping my eye open for someone to manage me for a while and Jason has the qualities that I am looking for. He has a history in sales and I believe he has the ability to sell me. But most importantly he has the drive and energy that I am looking for and he is truly excited about my music.

Last night I took my guitar and played my original songs at Lil' Gillies before Karaoke started. My plan is to practice performing my songs around here and then going up to Nashville and playing several open mic nights. Hopefully that way I can get some valuable feedback and make some contacts in Nashville.

This Sunday I have a meeting with a record company in Alabama. Jason and I are going to talk to them and see if the company would be a good fit for us. This is a very fun and exciting time for me and I am enjoying every minute of it.

June 13th 2002

I have been getting really good feedback from "That's All". This song is a great accomplishment for me because it's the first song I've written that is general, meaning it is not about a specific life experience of mine. These are the type of songs I think I need to keep writing.

Right now I am in the process of writing a rock song. It is not the style of music I normally write but my friend Kevin and I were playing guitar one night and in-between songs he was just playing some chords and this song just kind of came to me. It's called "I'll Find A Way" and I plan on having it out for download by June 29th. So, you'll have to let me know how my first attempt at writing rock goes.

Other exciting news is that I've been talking to a gentleman that owns a record company in northern Alabama. I sent him my CD and he seemed to think I have potential. Right now we are talking about a record contract but that is all I want to share at this point. I will share more when I know more. I am also meeting with the Record Producer from Cleveland that I've been talking to for the last several months to give him my demo CD.

June 7th 2002

I have a cut of "That's All" that I am happy with and will put it up for download tomorrow. The song turned out really good and I think it is one of my better songs. I received an email from the record company owner stating that he has listened to some of my music and thinks my singing and songwriting have a lot of potential. He will be contacting me once he has a chance to listen to my music more in depth and said if he can't help me he can refer me to someone who can. I also talked to a singer/songwriter/producer from Nashville on the phone yesterday. I am sending him my demo CD and he is willing to give me advice on what I can do to help my music career. He did say that the likelihood of me drawing any serious attention in the music business without moving to Nashville is not very high. I have known this for some time and need to start putting a plan together on how to get there.

June 4th 2002

My Father was online playing Internet hearts with a lady and he gave her the URL for my home page. The lady my Father was talking to is friends with a man that owns a record company. I sent him an email introducing myself and asked if he would listen to some of my music. He was very receptive and after visiting my web site he encouraged me to send him my demo CD. He said his company is an independent label, but already growing with a lot of contacts and airplay worldwide. If he likes what he hears he may be willing to promote me.

I finished recording the guitar for "That's All" and worked out some of the harmonies last night. I am on track to finish recording it by June 8th. I also have a newsletter that anyone can sign up for. Once you are signed up, I will send updates on new songs available for download and interesting news via email. I encourage everyone to send my web site address to anyone that they feel would be interested in hearing my music. The more people who know about what I'm trying to do, the more likely it will be that the right person will hear my music and be able to help with my career.

May 27th 2002

I am getting email from people I don't know who came across my site on the Internet and wrote to tell me they liked my music. It really means a lot to me when people I don't even know give me positive non-biased feedback. It seems like "Give You Me" is the song that is attracting the most attention. After reading the emails, I wanted to get my music out to more people so I uploaded my music to mp3.com and farmFreshMusic.com and am waiting for them to be approved so people can start downloading them. I am currently recording "That's All" and will try to upload it by June 8th.

May 18th 2002

I touched up "From Here To There" and put it on my web site for download. I know the key change sounds like it comes out of nowhere but I can hear in my mind how it will sound with drumbs leading into the key change and I believe it will sound very powerful. The song needs a keyboard and drums but that will have to wait until I get into a recording studio with professional musicians behind me. I encourage everyone to send me email and let me know what you think of the song.

May 16th 2002

I finished recording "From Here To There" last night and just need to make a few adjustments before I put it on the website for download on Saturday. I am changing the lyrics in the chorus "I'll leave a trail of pieces of my heart" to "From here to there I'll leave pieces of my heart". I think this is needed to add consistency to the chorus. I put a sound clip from the chorus of "From Here To There" on my home page. I worked a little bit on a new song I am writing called "If You Only Knew". I have the melody and harmonies for the chorus and am working on a melody for the verses. Once written, I believe "If You Only Knew" will be a very powerful song that will show off my vocal ability.

May 15th 2002

I recorded the lead vocals for "From Here To There" last night and thought it was finished until I listened to it on a different system. It sounded good on my headphones hooked directly up to the 4-track recorder but I think the headphones are muffling the sound and hiding the imperfections in my voice. I played it back on my computer and it sounded horrible. I'll have to go out tonight and get better quality headphones to record with.

May 14th 2002

I laid out the backup vocals for "From Here To There" last night and tried working on the lead vocals but was not happy with the way my voice sounded last night. All that is left on the song is to put the lead vocals in and mix it down. It is a simple song with a guitar, lead vocals, and two backup vocals on the chorus. I'm still on track to finish the song by this weekend.

May 11th 2002

I finished laying down the guitar for "From Here To There" this weekend. I need to work on getting the vocals down and hope to still have the song completed by this weekend. I spoke to a friend that knows a lot about the music business this weekend and he gave me some good advice about my music. He said he likes my songs, they have a good melody and strong lyrics but they are too personal. In order for a song to be a hit everyone has to be able to relate to it. I have heard in the past that in order to be an effective songwriter you have to be able to write about things you have no experience on. I will try to keep this in mind when I am writing songs in the future.

May 6th 2002

I didn't get as far on "From Here To There" last night as I hoped. It's a slower song and I wanted to see if I could do more than just put a guitar in but the drum machine doesn't sound right in the slower songs. I think I need to invest in a keyboard so I can spice up the slower songs a little bit. One of my friends from Karaoke said she has a keyboard and she's put in some work on "Give You Me" so I should see it I like the way the keyboard sounds in the slower songs.

May 5th 2002

I am close to being ready to going all out to pursue my music career. The only thing really missing right now is professional photos. I believe I have a strong demo tape now with "Give You Me", "A Long Night", and "Imaginary Friend". From what I've read, most singers spend a few thousand dollars building a demo tape with two or three songs in a professional recording studio, but I think my home made recordings are strong enough to catch someone's attention. I just need to get the demo and the photos to the right person. My goal is to have a photo shoot booked by this weekend. I'll probably have to go to Columbus, GA for that.

Right now I'm testing out my demo songs on my friends and family and am getting a much better response than I anticipated. My family and friends have been great! They've been giving me advice on how to make my songs better and giving me positive feedback reassuring me that my songs have what it takes to make it. My family and friends is one thing but a record company exec. is another. They turn down new songs from talented artists all the time and won't even open mail from someone they don't know. But I have confidence that my music is good enough if I can get the right person to listen to it.

I don't really know if there is a market for "Imaginary Friend". It is a pretty song with strong lyrics but I just can't see the average listener turning their radio up every time they hear it. "Give You Me" is my baby. Actually, the problem with it is I love it too much. I know it needs to be cut down to at most five minutes but don't have the heart to cut anything out of it. I have a shorter version without the last chorus but it is still over six minutes long. Also, the chorus needs to have a hook in it that will bring the listeners back home every time they hear it. Right now the song just kind of flows from beginning to end, which is how I like it, but will make it hard to sell. "A Long Night" is the one that is studio ready the way it is I think. It doesn't do much to show off my vocals but is a strong song with a good beat that will keep listeners interested every time they hear it once it has a real band behind it. I want to re-record it though. I still hear things in my voice when I listen to it that I don't like. I'm off key a little in places and am not singing it with enough depth.

I'm not sure whether to make the songs I have stronger by fixing them or to spend my time recording my other songs and writing new ones. I have so many ideas for songs right now that I can't keep up with them all. It seems like the more time I spend with my music the easier it gets. In the past I've had a hard time writing but recently the music almost rights itself.

I'm going to dedicate tonight to getting started recording "From Here To There". Hopefully I'll at least get the guitar down and start laying down the lead vocals.