Brian was born and raised in Hampton, Georgia, where he started taking piano lessons at the age of six. He picked up his older brother’s guitar at nine years old and taught himself to play it. Again following his brother, he played drums and percussion through high school, while gigging in rock bands on the guitar.
After playing around in local bands for a few years, he decided there was more to music than playing three chords, so he enrolled in Berklee College of Music in Boston. There he studied harmony, theory, and arranging for small ensembles as well as big bands. He studied the music of Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and Miles Davis while working towards a performance diploma in jazz guitar. After two years of Berklee, Brian left to pursue a career as a professional musician, gigging in country bands, show bands, R & B and rock bands. He eventually wound up in the sign business, where he works today as a service tech for a large national sign company. He still keeps up his playing and continues to listen to, and be inspired by, the previously mentioned artists as well as guitar greats Joe Pass and Tal Farlow.
Brian has recently been playing with the Peachtree Band of Jazz as well as a classic rock band based in Daytona Beach and is very appreciative of Dave Wingard for inviting him to come and play with this very talented group. He and his wife of 25 years, Kathy, enjoy traveling together in their spare time.
|
