ABBA

He is a bass guitarist, upright string bass player and songwriter born in Dayton, Ohio, and growing up in Madison, Wisconsin. He started his interest in music from a young age and after starting out learning the guitar when he was twelve, he decided to devote his time to the bass guitar the following year. He went on to take further education in music at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

A hired performer with many groups and artists in his local area, he knew that if he wanted to spread his wings he would have to move elsewhere. Taking the plunge, he relocated to Nashville where he has worked regularly since as a session musician as well as appearing in many shows there.

Getting his name known he has become one of the most sought after bassists in Nashville and has worked with artists and groups that include Bryan Adams, Alabama, John Anderson, Joan Baez, The Bellamy Brothers, Clint Black, Bonnie Bramlett, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Carlene Carter, Buzz Cason, Peter Cetera, The Chieftains, Billy Ray Cyrus, Merle Haggard, Dan Hill, Janis Ian, George Jones, Wynonna Judd, Sammy Kershaw, Brenda Lee, Loretta Lynn, Richard Marx, The Mavericks, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Mac McAnally, Ronnie Milsap, Aaron Neville, Mark O’Connor, LeAnn Rimes, Marty Robbins, Kenny Rogers, Earl Scruggs, Bob Seger, Dusty Springfield, George Strait, Pam Tillis, Randy Travis, Travis Tritt, Conway Twitty, Tammy Wynette, Trisha Yearwood, and many more.

Since being spotted by Mark Knopfler in the mid-1990s, he has regularly recorded and toured with him ever since, performing on both the bass guitar and the upright string bass. Around the same time he was also a member of the group The Bluebloods with his co-members being John Gardner, Mike Henderson and John Jarvis. Together they recorded the albums First Blood and Thicker Than Water, which both contain his co-written songs.

Other albums he has appeared in over the years, which stack up to far too many to mention, include Take the Weather With You by Jimmy Buffett, Sultans of Swing: The Very Best Of… by Dire Straits, Love is Always Seventeen by David Gates, Brand New Dance by Emmylou Harris, Golden Heart by Mark Knopfler, I’ve Got That Old Feeling by Alison Krauss, Healing Hands of Time by Willie Nelson, The Rest of the Dream by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Face the Promise by Bob Seger, Shania Twain by Shania Twain, Hog Wild by Hank Williams Jr. and the soundtracks of Black Dog, Home Alone 2, Hoot, The Horse Whisperer, Metroland, Traveller and Wag the Dog.

Aside from appearing on the soundtracks of movies, he has also been seen in the 1989 Heart of Dixie and on an episode of the TV series American Music Shop.

He still remains working a very busy freelance bassist and to date has been heard on probably several thousands of recordings.

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