Banjo

Clawhammer/frailing, Irish tenor, old-time, folk

I’ve been performing and recording with the banjo in the clawhammer/frailing style since 2012. It’s an instrument and style that I fell in love with after hearing the rollicking energy of old-time stringbands of Appalachia. I was enamored not only by its exuberance and high energy but also by its surprising subtlety and versatility. While it can make you want to tap your feet and dance, it can also be sweet and hypnotic and accompany an eclectic variety of musical styles.

Guitar

Acoustic, electric, folk, bluegrass, blues, rock and metal music

I got my first guitar when I was 13 years old and I’ve never looked back. I didn’t quite know what it’d ultimately lead to after learning those first few chords, but it forever changed my life to say the least. I learned to play alongside my brother on drums and we almost immediately started our own band. From there, music and the guitar have taken me on a journey and experiences that I’d no doubt have completely missed out on otherwise.. I continue to pick up new tricks and discover new joys on the instrument even after all these years.

Bass

Electric, upright, folk, bluegrass, blues, rock and metal music

They say that a bass player will never be out of work. It’s true, a good bass player is always in demand. While it’s by no means my primary focus, it’s for sure a joyful role to play and I’ve had the opportunity to fill that role professionally in a variety of bands across multiple genres. As upright and electric bass are two very different instruments, they both have their own joys and learning one can certainly help to inform the other.

Mandolin

Bluegrass, old-time, folk

I often tell people who are unfamiliar with the mandolin that it’s essentially as if a violin and a guitar got together and had a child. The instrument is tuned like a violin (G D A E, albeit with doubled strings) but it can be played with a pick more like a guitar. That’s why it’s a pretty natural transition for guitar players to pick up the instrument and start making music with it. The mandolin has managed to carve out an everlasting place for itself in bluegrass music, but much like clawhammer banjo, it can tastefully accompany a variety of other genres of music.