TAXI

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As a songwriter, I'm trying to write songs that have commercial appeal, without sounding too much like "formula" songs. My favorite songwriters have managed to be commercially successful while maintaining artistic integrity.

I started playing piano at the age of six, but was somewhat of a reluctant study, as I'm sure my piano teachers would be all to happy to tell you. Despite my reticence, I remember being captivated at an early age by piano jazz great Errol Garner's regular appearances on the Today show. Once I reached my teens, and my friends were forming bands, I played the only thing I knew how.. well sort of knew how. That's also when artists like Elton John, Nicky Hopkins, Leon Russell, Dr. John, Carly Simon, Bob James and Steely' Dan's Donald Fagen showed me how fun and fascinating the piano could be.

Later, I became captivated (perhaps obsessed) with the music of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys and was hooked on Western Swing. Ricky Skaggs and his piano playing father-in-law, Buck White, also became big influences as did the Godfather of country soul, Merle Haggard, and his pianist Mark Yeary. I think the songs I'm writing these days reflect my love of all of these different types of music.

Songwriters like Bob McDill, Allen Reynolds, Jim Croce, Tony Arata, Karla Bonoff and Sarah McLachlan also continue to influence my work.

Listed below are finished studio demos and some of my "rough draft" work tapes made prior to making a finished studio demo. They're included here because either I haven't made a studio demo of a particular song or because I sometimes receive comments that work tapes have a more intimate feel. So, against my better judgment, I've put a few of them up here, warts and all.