I think I was 10 or eleven when I got my first guitar. I spent hours on that couch practicing. I couldn't get enough. If I didn't do my homework I would not get to go to my guitar lessons, so I always did my homework.
My first guitar teacher, Dave Osborn, was awesome! He inspired me to be better and he always seemed to catch me when I was playing the scales by ear rather than reading the music.
Over the years I had so many great teachers and mentors including the adult musicians at the local blues society jams who welcomed this kid to join them on stage and always made me feel at home there. It made all the difference.
Blues Camp
BLUES CAMP IS WHERE I MET MY DRUMMER MATT FYKE 9AKA POCKET FOR DAYS FYKE AND CHICK MAGNET FYKE). HE TRAINED UNDER KOFI BAKE, GINGER BAKERS SON, BUT I THINK MATT IS EVEN MORE AMAZING THANT THOSE GUYS. IN THE PIC BELOW WE ARE AT BLUES CAMP, PROBABLY 11 OR 12 YEARS OLD AND WE HAVE BEEN MAKING MUSIC TOGETHER EVER SINCE.
Blues Kids of America Camp - Blues Kids Foundation
AT CAMP MR. JONES INTRODUCED US ALL TO REAL BLUES MUSIC, GUYS LIKE HOWLIN WOLF, BB KING, MUDDY WATERS, STEVIE RAY VAUGHN, JIMI HENDRIX, AND MR JONES TAUGHT US HOW TO PLAY AS A BAND! I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR THIS GIF OF MUSIC WE ALL GOT AT CAMP!
I MET MIA (RANDON) DAVITT IN THE 9TH GRADE AT ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS AND JUST LIKE THAT ......WE WERE A BAND! L-R MIA DAVITT, MATT FYKE, CHASE WALKER
NOT LONG AFTER THAT WE STARTED PLAYING A TON OF SHOWS ALL OVER THE PLACE AND THE LOS ANGELES BLUES SOCIETY SENT US TO THE INTERNATIONAL BLUES CHALLENGE, YOUTH SHOWCASE IN MEMPHIS, TN
OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS WE PLAYED A BUNCH OF SHOWS!
WE STARTED TEARING IT UP! WE PLAYED SO MANY SHOWS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS. i DONT EVEN KNOW HOW MANY. SOMETIMES WE PLAYED 2-3 SHOWS A WEEK AND SINCE WE WERE STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL, WE ALL STILL HAD HOMEWORK TO GET DONE TOO. IT WAS BUSY!
AND MORE.....
AND MORE.....
WARPED TOUR
....and we got to open for Kenny Loggins. I remember him being so nice to us. Afterward we found out that Kenny and his band stood side stage watching our performance and cheering us on! So cool. We also made friends with his daughter and her friends and we all went out for breakfast after the show. Now that is rock and roll!
WE ALSO SPENT TIME AT POT O' GOLD STUDIO RECORDING TWO ALBUMS
I WAS HONORED TO BE INVITED TO BE PART OF "THE BROTEHRHOOD OF GUITAR" AND TO GET TO WORK WITH ROCK PHOTOGRAPHER ROBERT KNIGHT ON THE OVER OF OUR SECOND ALBUM "NOT QUITE LEGAL"
....and we did a bunch of interviews both on person, on the radio. this one with our friend and amazing rock photographer Steve Brazell at the iconic Fox Theater in Riverside California.
AND MORE SHOWS
AND MORE SHOWS
And we got a some awards and a bunch of nice recognition along the way. All that was cool but it wasn't the point. The music was and is still today the most important thing.
Honestly, my Grandma wanted me to put this in the scrapbook. So this page is for her. :)
THEN WE ALL WENT OFF TO FINISH COLLEGE
L-R
CHASE - BELMONT UNIV. NASHVILLE, TN
MATT - UC BERKLEY (CAL)
RANDON - UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
WHILE IN NASHVILLE I MET SO MANY KILLER ARTISTS AND GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO A U.S. TOUR WITH THESE GUYS. PETER KASTARIS (DRUMS), GREGORY GARNER (BASS) AND YATES MCKENDREE (KEYS). WE TOURED THE COUNTRY TOGETHER AND WE WERE ALL JUST TEENAGERS! HECK YATES WAS ONLY 15 AT THE TIME. BUT WE LEARNED ALOT, NO ONE DIED AND WE HAD A BLAST! YOU WILL ALSO SEE THESE GUYS ON THE LIVE AT THE WOODSHED ALBUM AND VIDEO SERIES ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL
The guitar in this video is one Yates and I reliced. I love the sound and how it turned out. I call it the Mule.
WHEN WE ALL GRADUATED COLLEGE AND GOT BACK TO SO CAL, WE STARTED PLAYING TOGETHER AGAIN AND IT WAS PURE MAGIC! CHECK IT OUT IN THIS VIDEO BELOW
I AM SO PROUD OF MY NEW ALBUM SOUNDS OF AN OLD SOUL. IT IS MY FIRST ENTIRELY SELF WRITTEN, PERFORMED, ARRANGED, RECORDED AND PRODUCED MYSELF. I LITERALLY WROTE AND ARRANGED EVERY SONG, PLAYED EVERY INSTRUMENT, RECORDED IT ALL AND MIXED IT. I AM INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THE RESULT AND I HOPE YOU LOVE IT.
The photos and videos for "Sounds of An Old Soul" were produced and directed by Jake Bernal. He is not only an incredibly talented photographer and videographer but since we have been close friends since 7th grade, that makes him one of my oldest and best friends.