Extensive Bio (Page 1 of 9)
I was born and raised in the small town of Corry in northwest Pennsylvania. I came to faith in Christ at age 9 while attending summer camp at Miracle Mountain Ranch. (It was, not coincidentally, about the last time I was ever on a horse, but that’s another story.)
My earliest musical experiences were singing in a children’s choir at church and beginning trumpet lessons in the 4th grade. I learned to read music and once transcribed the melody of Barry Manilow’s “I Write the Songs” to show my music teacher.
Although I played a little piano by ear, I started piano lessons at age 12 with my church’s organist and director of the children’s and handbell choirs. My very first arrangement was of “Chopsticks” for handbells. I also wrote and notated my first song around this time, “He’s Really There.” for voice and piano. The first line was “Are you tired of walking that long and winding road?” I’m not sure how much I knew about long and winding roads at 12, but it was a start.