I began piano lessons (my parents insisted on them) in 5th grade, until a friend of the family and musical instrument dealer, Charlie Molina, brought some drumsticks by the family house.

From 6th grade on, I was hooked and juggled an art and music career path from junior high through my first year at the University of Kansas.

I studied with Ginger Zyskowski while attending Hutchinson High School and took lessons with a drummer named Bill Glenn at the Hutchinson Community College during my senior year. I also attended the Clark Terry Jazz Camp in the summer of 1986 which began my hunger for jazz.

What began as a graphic design degree at KU, turned into a percussion performance degree, where I learned to play for the song and pull good tone out of every instrument I play, studying with George Boberg. While I was there, I played in all three of the jazz bands, played in a couple of jazz combos, spent two years in the KU Marching Jayhawks, played in various college ensembles (wind and orchestra), and drummed for the KU Men's and Women's Basketball Bands (including a trip to the Final Four in 1991 with the Men's band).

While I was at college, I started lessons with KC drummer extraordinaire, Todd Strait. I have learned a lot from him, continuing lessons from 1989 to the summer of 2002. I have continued to take lessons with some of Kansas City's best drummers, including: Rockstar Kent Burnham and Latin Drumming Guru, Doug Auwarter. I recently continued my learning path by attending the drum camps of Mike Johnston and Benny Greb.

My drumming influences include: Terry Bozzio (Frank Zappa, Missing Persons), Stewart Copeland (The Police), Bill Stewart (various artists), Omar Hakim (various artists), Jeff Porcaro (Toto), Steve Smith (Journey, various artists), Stanton Moore (Galactic), Todd Sucherman (Styx, various artists), Phil Collins (Genesis, various artists), Neil Peart (Rush), Jojo Mayer (Nerve, various artists), Benny Greb (various artists), Go-Go Ray (various artists), and Mike Johnston (MikesLessons.com).