Music has always been a huge part of my life. Growing up with a father known as one of the best stringed instrument repairmen in the country and an extraordinary bass player in his own right, an uncle who is a two-time national flat-picking champion, and a grandfather who provided the mentorship to learn the trade, I was destined to learn a chord or two on the guitar.

The memories of my childhood that mean the most to me are the Saturday nights I spent at the Oprys in Kansas City that Dad was playing at the time. I remember Byron Jones’s Farris Opry in Richmond, Dennis Dittamore’s Big Creek Opry in Pleasant Hill, and others like the Cass County Opry, the KC Opry, and the Union Mill Opry. Dad had a 1969 Chevy truck that took us to the show every Saturday night. We sang bluegrass music all the way to the show, and the sound of that old truck would sing me to sleep long before we got home.

I started taking guitar lessons when I was eight from Danny Clinesmith, one of the best musicians in Kansas City. I spent almost three years learning the basics from Danny before I started taking lessons from my uncle, Rick George. Rick taught me the foundations to playing the guitar and helped develop my love for Bluegrass music. I took lessons from Rick until I was 15 years old. Rick retired from teaching, and he left a lot of learning up to me.

When I was 13, Dad drove me to my first gig at Buddy Boswell’s Union Mill Opry. I played rhythm guitar and showcased a bluegrass tune every Saturday night. That is where I met one of my musical idols, Fred Uzzell. He was remarkable to work with and a wonderful teacher. He continues to be one of the best mentors I have ever had. Dad continued to take me to the Union Mill opry for about three years where I played rhythm guitar, bass, and lead guitar for the opry. I played several road shows with the Union Mill Opry where I gained the life experience
of living out of a bus.

After three years with the Union Mill Opry, I began playing the other shows in the area that I had watched my Dad play for years. During my senior year of high school, I was asked to play bass for a new opry show in Tonganoxie. I was 17 when I started at Glen’s Opry. Glen Smith gave me the opportunity to play with the area’s finest musicians. That helped me develop an ear for the music and techniques that I learned from watching players like Elijah Chaistain, Angie Larson, and Larry Ellis.

When Glen switched his opry from Fridays to Saturdays, he gave me the lead guitar position. I have always enjoyed the shows, but it became an addiction at that point. I gained a new desire to become a lead guitarist that would uphold the standards we were used to. Filling the shoes of Elijah Chaistain is not an easy task!

Annie and Terry bought the opry and asked if I would help organize the band and play lead guitar. It is an honor to be a part of this musical family and I am always amazed that, week after week, the show continues to get better.

Aside from the Opry, I have performed at various bluegrass festivals including Silver Dollar City in Branson and the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas. I have recorded for several artists in the KC area including Tony Juarez, Fred Uzzell, and Harmonica Ham Kirkland. I also recorded with Good Friends Entertainment and Bazillion Pictures creating a computer animated children’s show called Farkleberry Farm.