Influences

After high school, I hit the road with a series of rock bands... but my real "schooling" in music took place backing up several touring R&B acts. Rufus Thomas, The Coasters, The Drifters, Percy Sledge, Spyder Turner, Maurice Williams, Marcel Evans & Clifford Curry were the "professors" under whose tutelage, I learned the "art of entertaining".  And, if these talented entertainers were "professors" in my world, the main influence was undoubtedly supplied by Ray Charles & Albert King. In the course of my life, I have bought, listened to & studied almost every recording by these two artists... & I saw both of them numerous times in concert. Their music, their subtleties & strengths... & their ability to weave a story through their music have greatly influenced my music.