About

I got my start as a working musician playing solo gigs on guitar at a coffee shop in Chestertown, MD fittingly called "Play it Again Sam".  Luckily, it wasn't called "Play a Different Song, Sam", because at the time I only knew one song.  After putting in my obligatory time as a lead guitar player in a few amazing but mercifully undocumented jam bands in college, I was one of the founding members and became the banjo player of Chester River Runoff in 2004, which for a decade was one of Maryland's busiest working bluegrass bands, playing gigs as far away as Tennessee and Maine, and working a heavy schedule of small-town bars, festivals, etc, frequently playing three or four shows a day on summer weekends.  Also in that time I took a break to do 3 tours in South America with the Quito-based Texas Express.  The Runoff's schedule slowed down as the band reached the decade mark and are currently inactive, so I've been lucky enough to become a member of or start a few other bands - The High & Wides, which I started with Marc Dykeman of the Runoff, includes CRR fiddle player Nate Grower and does really cool original string band music and prewar country; Grand Ole' Ditch, based out of Western MD and playing some fine music in the jamgrass realm; Only Lonesome, which excels in the bar-room style of bluegrass that came out of DC and Baltimore back in the day; and Saltwater Stringband, which does many originals, but as an Ocean City-based group also knows how to hold down a party with whatever is called for.  I also play sometimes with Uncle Baltimore, Songs From The Road Band, The Highland Hill Boys, the Dismal Gizzards, Pickin' Coalition, The Whiskey Rebellion, Alex Peters, and more, and have been a sideman, collaborator, or guest musician with folks such as Square Peg Rounders, The Hot Seats, Corn Potato String Band, Caleb Stine, Michael Shay, Cris Jacobs, Joe Overton, Abbie Gardiner (Red Molly), Penn's Wood, Man About A Horse, Jordan Tice, David Bromberg, Geoff Union, Cory Seznec, Danny Burns, Phoebe Hunt, Jordan August, Tom Bailey and the Aristocrats, Melody Berger (Gangstagrass), David Via and more.  That may seem like a lot, but I really like to play music or I wouldn't do it, so if you need some banjo, give me a ring.