I started making music when I was five and my Irish grandfather figured it was time I learned to play the concertina. Mom busied me with the piano after my father died ... probably to distract and keep me occupied … but that disciplined approach to music blew all to hell when the Beatles opened the floodgates and North America was inundated by great pop tunes coming from every direction. I picked up a guitar. My grade five music teacher, Lloyd Arntzen, had me play alongside him with each music class and soon convinced me to play his upright bass in a band he put together. After playing guitar and keys in a couple of high-school rock bands, what I was learning in school no longer seemed applicable when held beside music. Halfway through grade ten I packed it in. When a psychedelic rock-band in Vancouver asked me to move into their band house and play Hammond Organ I left home. I was sixteen and that was High Flying Bird band. We did a few cool gigs opening up for Steve Miller, Jethro Tull, Fleetwood Mac, Seals & Crofts, John Lee Hooker and even touring with Willie Dixon … even had Willie over for dinner. Four years of good times and life education. A move to Toronto, marriage and three children altered things more than a tad. Even though music took a back seat more often than not I was able to have some pretty intense musical adventures: arranged, produced and played keys/bass/guitar in Terry Christensens 9 piece band, TAWNA alongside the now sadly departed and forever phenomenal Laura Smith; a brief encounter with The Starscape Singers where I wore a tuxedo, sang counter-tenor, and performed a couple of choral concerts in Carnegie Hall, NY; a couple of years in a duo with the also now sadly departed Doug Pettigrew, my soul-brother who taught me what entertaining meant; and finally, in a duo with Sharon Smith, my dear ex, as we melted hearts for a good number or years. Divorce and a severe injury to my left hand slowed things down a bit; there was a time when I could not hold a piece of paper let alone play the guitar. But things got better: I reconnected with my childhood sweetheart, Julia, got into building boats, building my own little home studio, and eventually getting into a few bands - awesome bands - here on Bowen Island: BLACK MOLLY (a killer cover band ); THE SIXTIES (the name says it all with over 200 years of musical experience between us) and WYLDE HEATHER a folk trio with 2 lovely loco/local ladies that, combined, makes for one of the most awesome vocal blends you will ever hear. As for writing, well, it will never go away. Hope some of these resonate within you.