Ø A long time ago, I was born.
Then I got a guitar.
.
.
Ø 1973 – first public performance.
Promptly threw up afterwards (don’t worry, I don’t do that anymore)
Ø 1976 - began teaching guitar
Ø 1979-81 – played in various high
school rock, fusion, and bluegrass bands; studied classical and jazz guitar;
performed solo acoustic shows at county fairs & festivals
.
.
.
.
.
Ø 1981 – entered University of Iowa
as a Music Theory major.
Ø 1982 – realized that I hate
music theory. Left school to seek fame and fortune.
Ø 1983 – quickly got my first
professional band gig, touring the western U.S. with a country band. After 6
months, was picked up by a new wave – hard rock band, toured for another 7
months.
Ø 1984 – briefly retired from live
work, and moved permanently to the Chicago area.
Ø 1985 – began my first one-man band
act in Chicago’s western suburbs.
Ø 1986 – began the process of hiring
and leading my first band. After much
trial and ERROR........
.
.
.
.
.
Ø 1987 - Crack’d Actor began performing extensively on the Illinois rock
club circuit. Mostly original music, mostly penned by me.
Ø 1990 – Crack’d Actor launches a
second project, “In The Flesh”, a Pink Floyd tribute. Became top-drawing
act in the Chicago area for following 3 years. Appeared in the Chicago
Sun-Times, Guitar Center’s national magazine, in a feature article by Richard
Roeper, and several other local papers.
Ø 1993 – Crack’d Actor’s CD, “This
is Harold”, is released. Received local airplay and strong critical reviews.
Ø 1995 - Crack’d Actor (and In The Flesh) disbanded. Another brief
retirement.
Ø 1997 – wrote, arranged, produced
and played most of the instruments on “Little
Victories”, along with Kristin Lewis-Willaert and Pete Papageorge
(keyboardist & partner from Crack’d Actor / In The Flesh).
Ø 1999 – my longest-ever retirement.
Continued giving private guitar lessons at home.
Ø March, 2001 – began the one-man
band project in earnest, and the “BazillionSongs” show is born
.
..
Ø Jan, 2002 - Parker comes
into my life, and the world becomes a better place for everybody.
For
Parker’s bio, click
here
-
-
Ø
2002-2007 over 1000 shows performed as a solo act,
including two summers as a featured performer at Six Flags Great America.
-
-
Ø December 2007 - joined the steel drum band OD TAPO IMI, my first band project in 12 years. Started writing and arranging original music again.
Ø
Ø April 2010 - After two successful Summer tours with OTI, restarted the Pink Floyd tribute, this time as ECHOES (of Floyd). Began performing extensively through the Chicago area, while still performing with OTI and the solo act.
Ø April 2011 – performed solo in Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay, alongside Earth, Wind, and Fire & Foreigner
Ø
May 2011 - Became an endorser and Featured Artist for
Parker
Guitars
Ø
August 2011 – resigned from Od Tapo Imi, and began TROPIXPLOSION!, a new tropical/rock
hybrid band, featuring all- OTI alumni.
Ø
Echoes (of Floyd) becomes In the Flesh again, and both
Tropixplosion and In the Flesh are represented by Bass-Schuler Entertainment
Ø
Meg
Thomas (drummer; percussionist for Tropixplosion! and In the Flesh) and I
form a business partnership and incorporate. BazillionSongs, LLC becomes a full
service company, booking and marketing:
The
BazillionSongs solo show
TROPIXPLOSION!
In the
Flesh (Echoes of Pink Floyd)
Rock duos
and trios
Island
Steel Drum duos & trios