Biography

Influenced and taught some basics by Mom. When I was a kid she would sing to me and tried teaching me to yodel. I remember one time we were just talking bout stuff and she showed me an outfit she kept in her closet. It was an outfit the whole 9 a hat with outfit, boots, and a Gibson acoustic guitar. I also remember a picture she had of herself in the complete outfit, she looked like a country entertainer. It was a dream she had and did not pursue, instead she raised her kids her pride and joy. I sang in a few rock bands and lived a party life. When I went home to recover it gave Mom and I time to reflect on what I was going to do in life. She brought out her guitar and showed me three chords G>C>D> and said this is what you should be doing. Then one day a friend stopped over and picked up the guitar and started playing along "in tune" with a song on the radio and that was it. Later that day I picked it up and I literally played it till my fingers could no more. The band I had been singing for broke up and we all went different directions. Now with no ties I went back to my hometown New Martinsville, West by God Virginia, and I finally started writing songs and playing the guitar. I quit so many times only to find my self picking it back up for another stretch. I had a very close friend I call my brother and we wrote a lot of great music together. Then one day he was killed in a car accident just after leaving my place, then my wife took my son and left for Texas,(tough time). I quit playing the guitar and writing for almost two years then picked it up and penned (Time Never Taught Me To Much About Saying Goodbye). Then I went back to Wisconsin and each time I did through certain times I would stop to see Leon Grisom known as the ( Silver Hair Gentleman ) the man who gave me my first break to the stage at sixteen. The last time I went to see him he had had a stroke but could still play a little. I played a couple of my songs for Leon who was promoted by my Mom and Dad and was given the opportunity to be recorded by Sam Phillips. On that visit he said I was ready now, for when I finished singing he was crying. To me the most honored complement one could ever receive. He wanted to go on a circuit and meet the hands up that helped him but my fear of his health and wife, I did not go and not much after that he died. Followed by this was the man I called my Dad, who was dieing of cancer. He did not know that I played the guitar let alone wrote anything and on my last visit to see him, a Sears guitar was produced and I played for him and he heard every word I sang, as I stood beside Mom who saw us threw. One of the last things Leon told me was "you cant write it if you ain't lived it". So if what I live is meant to be heard it will be heard. I was introduced by David Kraft to Justin Alderman who has been there thick and thin. One of the last projects Dave and Justin and I did together was for my brother Henry Zold and Habitat for Humanity. That project was called "Somthn Inside". I gave the video to Habitat as a way of saying "Thank You", for a home they built for my brother and his family. Then I moved to Florida and met a ton of good friends in and about the music field. The lead guitarist accompany is none other than Mitch Reese aka Byg Byrd. Mitch was nominated best local jazz guitarist in Chicago of 2005, it surely reflects in the places he added his touch thank you Byrd. I share these songs written from the lessons I have learned in the life. So if given another day to record it, more music will be on the way. We all got "Somthn Inside".
*ricAngus