About

Musical

A native of Royal Oak, Michigan, I have been on-stage playing music for 35 years - since I was eight. I formally studied clarinet, violin, piano, voice and composition from elementary through high school (although I switched from violin to double and electric bass at 11), taught myself guitar, accordion and lap steel, and over the years learned a repertoire and style that has crossed, blended and defied genres. At 12, I was asked to play bass in a high school jazz ensemble, earned outstanding ratings from the Ohio Solo & Ensemble Federation on clarinet and violin, and was a bassist with the Lima Youth Symphony; at 14, I replaced a graduating senior as bassist in my school jazz band; at 15, I sat in with a Community College adult orchestra and got my first paying gig in the pit band for the entire run of a Cal State Dominguez Hills musical. I was recognized for achievement in instrumental and vocal music by all of my instructors, and received my high school’s Louis Armstrong Jazz Award. After graduating, I met a group of older Chicago blues musicians and started playing clubs throughout Los Angeles, although still underage, where I met blues legends like Peewee Crayton, who called me a “bad m*f* bass player.” A few promising opportunities (a project with Peewee’s grandson Marshall and keyboardist Jeff Lorber, a band with the lead singer of Corpus Delicti, and a revamped lineup of psychedelic revival band The Things) failed to materialize, but I kept playing and writing as part of the goth, punk and garage band scene in LA. At 26, wanting a change of scenery (and coasts), I applied to, and was accepted by Berklee College of Music on a voice scholarship.

After two unfocused years hanging out in Boston, I shifted musical gears again by moving to the home of many of my influences - Memphis. Hundreds of acoustic shows and a stint as an ordained Elvis impersonator later, I looked westward again, to Seattle. Once used to being married, and the weather, I realized while grunge and punk had attracted me, my folk and country roots and focusing on guitar playing kept me busy. Relationship problems then forced another move; this time, back to rural Ohio, where my cousin happened to have a band. Soon, though, I got bored and looked to another great musical inspiration — New Orleans. There from 1999 until Hurricane Katrina, I established a family and immersed myself in writing and recording.

Since relocating to Natchitoches in 2005, I’ve regularly performed on guitar, bass, lead and backing vocals. I currently work with Hardrick Rivers in both the Rivers Revue and Rivers Blues Band. I also maintains a 32-track digital home studio, and continue to write and record on guitar, bass, dobro, mandolin, violin and piano.

I’m also a published poet.

Professional

I have 25 years of systems development, programmer, analyst, and IT and project management experience. Before joining COPLAN AND COMPANY as Director of Technology, I was previously employed as a network administrator and IT Director. I am currently in charge of research and development, web design, and development and implementation of COPLAN AND COMPANY’s IT acquisition software, FOUR. I have extensive development experience using Microsoft .NET and SQL Server to deliver web-based database-driven applications. I also have extensive experience building, modifying and testing both custom-built and Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) applications.

My specialties include project management, quality assurance, independent verification and validation (IV&V), technology and technical process best practices, development management and review, system planning, definition, acquisition and implementation.