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An adoptee who grew up in a family of eleven in Florida, this singer/songwriter was a U.S. Black Hawk helicopter pilot in Iraq and has gone on to a career in country music in Nashville highlighted by playing at the recent CMA Fest and opening for the likes of George Jones, Blake Shelton, Craig Morgan, Montgomery Gentry, and Trace Adkins.

Notable Guest Quotes

“I would say that the best way to get an investor is to establish a relationship with people, not based off of the money they have but true relationships with people to where they are going to believe in you and want to be a part of the dream that you're chasing.”

“I believe that every artist when they get started has to build their fan base where they are.  You can't reach out to the nation right away.”

“Hone your live show skills to be able to make sure you have a product that they want to see.”

“Your opinion of yourself should be biased.  I mean, if you don't believe in yourself and think that you’re the next best thing… if you don't believe that in yourself, then you’re going to fail anyways.  But it is an extremely difficult sell to somebody that doesn't know you unless you've established a relationship with them or you have proven yourself other ways.”

“The music business has changed so significantly now that you have to come in with some kind of funding to make yourself a little bit more appealing to the record labels.  But all that aside, yes, you do have to have a talent.  You do have to have a product to give to these people.”
 
“You really have to put that time, effort, and passion into knowledge of business and put them together to be able to make things happen for you.”

“The biggest thing that I think separates a lot of artist or musicians or whatever is the drive to be able to do that and I think that I got that from the military.  I think that having the discipline, I can't tell you how many people along the way that I've run into who had so much potential to be successful were incredibly talented, and the discipline and drive to be able to go to the next level just wasn't there, and you’re looking at them thinking if, ‘I could have that talent it would be amazing.’”

Songs on this episode

"Crank It"
"New Set of Tires"