Bio and Original Music

Expatriated from lower Alabama (L.A.), I've played purebred Americana mongrel music from one coast to another. I've considerable experience playing guitar, blues harp and mandolin on stage. Most of my current work is with Texas singer-songwriter, Joey McGee.

Now located in the Texas Hill County, I live on the Backbone with the love of my life, the artist Nancy Elliott. Together we are inspired by the natural beauty here and enjoy the close proximity to several classic dance halls and music venues. We hope to resume our two-step lessons once the pandemic subsides.

Original Songs

Most of my play has been on stage, and I've been in the studio a handful of times. The first three recordings here were taken from a videotape of the gig. The next three were recorded in the studio and the last three are from the Sandspurs live CD.

To hear the song, hover your mouse over the corresponding picture and click it. The mp3 should open up for you.

Country Soul

Written in ’86 when we lived in Seattle, fairly broke and hunkered down. We rented a duplex overlooking Lake Washington, right under the city limit sign on Rainier Avenue headin’ south. Had a beautiful view. Nancy and I would sing to pass the time (on the J-45 I bought from Bob in Missouri). The influence of the bluegrass “left-home-and-came-back-and-everybody-was-gone” genre is here. Recorded this live with Dr. Hope during a Christmas Party in the Fan district. Would arrange it now similarly with an acoustic guitar, mandolin, fiddle and harmonica with one harmony vocal.

Summerville

I wrote this in ’81 when we lived in Auburn. I played around with this chord progression, and didn’t realize until decades later that a similar one has appeared in other songs. But my version had a flowing and soothing vibe and when I played it alone vivid memories of my childhood visiting extended family in Summerville, Georgia, in the late fall would flood over me. The “theme” that I play on lead also came to me during these reveries. Recorded this with Dr. Hope at a Halloween party somewhere in the Fan, 1992. Tripp intuitively moved it along on rhythm guitar.

Mockingbirds, Crickets and Trains

Originally written in ’90 and performed with Slash Grass at a chicken pickin’ event. Dan gives it a great flair on piano and Dalton’s tenor makes it ring. Compared to Seattle, we loved the small town/rural vibe of Hanover County, but it was apparent that suburban Richmond was fast encroaching. Blew the first lyric, however: I was supposed to sing “...the peaceful roll of the waves of the shore was drowned out by cars and planes.”

Seven Years of Bad Luck

An early one, written in ’78, that was a keeper. Put it together on my non-reverse Gibson Firebird. Had another verse but as Neil would say, I never really liked it anyway so I dropped it. Played originally with Dr. Hope, I heard dueling guitars in the leads all along (in my head, I had Neil Young on his Les Paul and Roy Buchanan on his tele both workin’ a “call and response” and Gregg Allman on vocals….). George Griffin takes the first lead and I reply in the lead break here. Our producer, Steve Zito, understood how I wanted it to end (with feedback) and he nailed that last lead.

City of Thieves

Written in ’91 and performed with Dr. Hope, At the time I was ruminating how often the people who ask and receive mercy and forgiveness are the same ones who often buy their own justice, and the rest do without any of the above. In this version with the G-Men, I do the first lead, and Bobby Colvert adds slide and then duels with me at the end. Dan “Harpdog” Marson plays the harp, by my invitation. One more thing: the line “…you owe to me as a brother in Christ to forget all about my past” was uttered angrily at me by an old acquaintance during a public argument. I swear I had to stop and write it down. Poetically it reveals so much

Microwave Man

Written in ’95 for Vestavia Hills. Was amazed to see how so many comfortable people there were taken with a certain radio talk-show bully who seemed to personally know what they really valued and he said it out loud. I came up with the rhythm lick while mixing concrete on a summer job (called it my “Handsome Beau Gator" lick) but had no lyrics. Those came damn near 20 years later. When we’d play it people would think Skynyrd and then got confused. But sarcasm and satire do not go over well in music anymore (if they ever did), and they certainly do not do any favors for a bar band in Alabama. I’m on rhythm and harp.

Blues for Monica

Written and orchestrated in my head on a night drive from Nashville to B’ham (the cell phone ring, included). I knew the long history of phone play in the blues (e.g., “I Can’t Hold Out”) and the Presidential sexcapades were up for discussion in the 90s. I love the greasy slime of slow blues in Cm, and I was due to sing thru a harp mic. The Spurz were great to work this up with me. Fred goes off on the solo at the end; I do the intro and first lead.

It's In Me (And It's Gotta Come Out)/Mountain Blues

I riffed on the John Lee Hooker phrase, and wrote this in ’92. I had so many images from real-life scenarios and overheard conversations that came together in this song. But I knew it was simply too much back-beat for blues, and I kept looking for a way to blend it into the Spurz repertoire. Then I heard Jamie Hartford cover Bill Big Broonzy’s “Mountain Blues” and I saw how my song could segue into and out of it. I know me and Fred go on a bit too long with the leads, but jeez it was fun to play. Purebred Americana mongrel music, y’all.

I Misunderstood

Wrote this one in my head that same night driving back from Nashvegas. I had the guitar lick stored away, and had scattered, incomplete lyrics in search of a riff. They came together when I realized the harp should be the lead instrument (I’m playin’ it). Fred nailed the rhythm. The song is fairly straight forward without much interpretation: A guy screws up, knows it and has the same old dumb-ass excuses. And he believes ‘em.

Just updatin’ the blues catalogue, y’all.