Bio
Western States of Mind: Virginias, Dakotas, and Everything in Between
Why I Write and Perform
I’ve been playing guitar and trying to write since I was around twelve. When I was a kid, I I had these movies playing in my head and I needed a way to get them out, to see them in some physical form. My imagination was always wild, and I am grateful to say that I came from a family that never tried to limit or dissuade said mess in my mind. My mom, my godfather, and my dad always told me stories, and in turn, I came up with my own and would act them out. Again, it was a way for me to explore the films rattling around in my skull a bit more. I owe so much of my love of writing and composing songs to my parents. They listened, and that made all the difference. I wouldn’t be doing any of this if it hadn’t been for their incredible support.
When I’m not teaching, I play gigs around the Upstate of South Carolina and Western North Carolina and try to scribble down stories. Typically, it’s just me, a guitar, and songs about losers, getting lost, and aimless wandering. They say write what you know, and those three things have always been constants. My favorite artists were, and still are, Townes Van Zandt, Blaze Foley, and Emmylou Harris.