Fiddle, vocals

Originally from Meshoppen (Native American word meaning place of trading Wampum) in the Endless Mountains of Northeastern Pa. After stints of Living in the East Village,NYC, Berkeley/San Francisco,Ca. and Florida In 1977 I settled in Groton, Ma where I live with my wife Lyssa and the eternal presence my daughter Wreath and my son Darby. Sadly both are gone from body but happily in spirit here and in our lives every day

Forever a lover of music, I began playing guitar when I was 19. Then while attending a Jefferson Airplane Concert at the Fillmore West was bitten by the music bug. At that moment the die was cast and music became central to who I am. While in Berkeley I picked up my first fiddle.

After Berkeley during a short stint of living in Pa. I met and played with local Legend and ex-world champion fiddler Jahile Kirkhoff – my first fiddle Guru. Then when I moved to Mass. I took fiddle lessons from Andy Wolfe, Laurie Peckins, Alan Block and Matt Glazier and Tracy Schwartz. While attending U.Mass Boston I met my second Fiddle Guru – Howard Armstrong, a.k.a. Louie Bluie. The Guru part involves the concept that just as gurus pass on their wisdom, understanding and presence through direct contact with disciples. These people are repositories of fiddling technique, wisdom and feeling. This is all passed along through direct contact – in educational nomenclature it is something that can only be experienced as an experiential relationship which is in turn shared with others.

As a lover of all kinds of music I initially tried to play them all in one band (Axolotl). This proved too much to ask of a listening audience and gradually several bands have evolved each having its own distinctive focus. For me the Contra Banditos function as my roots band. The band that is my outlet for most of my songwriting impulses is Snow Crow and a celebration of our connection with nature (which I term Earth-Sol Music). Snow Crow also includes Banditos members Bev Rodrigues and Ross Lama and sometimes (we miss you) Brad Smith. You can check out my love of Chicago Blues, Reggae, Salsa, World Music, Bluegrass, Psychedelic, and Electronic Music at http://www.snowcrowandbands.com and another band I’m in East of Shirley.