As I was getting older, my songwriting changed, so I moved to California because I wanted to be surrounded by the opportunity in and around it and to meet the right people. |
I certainly never thought I would be a performer or a recording artist. I think of myself as more of a songwriter than a pianist. I'm really more of a composer who plays the piano. |
I was in the jingle business till about [age] 30 ... and in Ohio I did the cover songs in the smoky bars and wrote jingles for ad agencies and commercials for the Ohio Lottery and Cedar Point. I did that for 12 to 13 years since the age of 18. |
I would just jump into my rental car, and wherever I saw a radio tower, I would stop and give them my [demo] CD and ask them to play my songs. |
I've probably played (in Utah) more than anywhere. There's always been an affinity for piano and melody in Utah. People kind of got to know me there, and I've come back so many times. It's always been a great place to perform. |
Listening to the CD and coming to the theater are very different experiences. I've always had the feeling that piano could be kind of a snooze if you just place one song after another. I'm the only thing to look at onstage, so it's up to me to make it as entertaining as possible. |
The whole idea of my music now is honesty and really being who I am. It's not really something I decide, and it's not something that you learn. |