As i set out on a musical journey to write, create and record original music, my adventure has taken me from when lyrics and melodies ran rampant in my head without knowing how to get them out on paper, to the first time I wrote a song. Erasing half the lines while wearing down the head of the pencil eraser to the final draft in the wee hours of the morning, I felt like a musician, I felt like a song writer and yes, i did wake up at the crack of noon. Jb and Rage Kage would be proud!

While pigeon-holing is a consistently ridiculous method of describing music, my songs favor an alt country/americana sound. Some have said Folk Rock but quite frankly it just good honest music driven by lyrical themes of the heart. At least thats the way i see it!

In the "early days" (how funny to say) I attended my first songwriting workshop in Asheville, NC with Jack Williams who opened my eyes to the lyrical world and art of the solo performance in front of an intimate setting and crowd as a true singer/songwriter, to spending 40 days driving down the Pacific Coast Highway 101 studying music with the National Guitar Workshop in Seattle and Northern California, has culminated with collection of music, live performances and relationships with band mades that I am very proud of. All my life, I have wanted to be a musician, each and every day that dream comes true when I pick up my Gibson guitar, strum a tune, write a new lyric and sing a song. The puzzle fits when the three are in harmony and is what drives me to write the next song and find some personal harmony at the same time perhaps!

What started out as a chance encounter with Eric Johnson on the Blue Ridge Parkway in the fall of 2009, my musical dreams went from being confined to my so called studio "the cave that clyde rice built" to becoming a reality. After years of not seeing each other due to life's travels, we talked life, music and where time has gone kinda thing. I told Eric about my music journey and the sound I was hearing in my head, my desire to write and record and from there Eric made it happen. Eric being the humble human being he is, has taken my music to a whole new level and turned raw songs without arrangements to complete radio sounding quality tunes. WIthout Eric's knowledge of recording, mixing, overall musical genius and willingness to help another brother from another mother out, I would be nowhere close to where I am today. Lets not forget buying multiple drum kits, getting into "playing shape" and laying down every drum track on the album and then playing out live in front of old bandmates and friends that only know him as a guitar indie rocker with a love of stratocasters, his newest being a 63 reissue, and it's sweet!

As the recording process took shape, Eric soon realized we needed to add some flavor and introduced Josh Gibbs into the fold to add texture and melody to the as of yet unaccompanied songs. Josh Gibbs's brand of lap steel and electric lead guitar meshed amazingly well and made the sound come full circle, a true delight! The first time he came over to record and jam the songs for the first time, I knew I had hit the mother load. Josh's exuberance, zest for music and life has made me a better man not only in musical terms but as a friend who has a constant smile and positive outlook on life. I can sit and play music for hours with josh and then listen and laugh for hours as he tells his stories. Great stuff!

The last musician to enter the fold but certainly not least, Andy Gibbon. A close friend and business partner of Josh, Andy excels at the electric and stand up bass with deep roots in bluegrass and an extensive live performance history with numerous bands current and past. From the first note, I had an "aha" moment. I heard my songs in a whole new light as a full band playing the tunes live for the first time. The band played effortlessly as if we had been playing for years but in actuality it was for less then two hours. Don't let Andy's easy go happy good nature fool ya, he's a beast on the bass.

When schedules and family life permit, the four of us play live and refer to ourselves as "The River Kings". We have played in front of crowds in Charlotte and Asheville, NC, which by the way has fast become a major music hotbed and over all cultural hub of cool. "The River Kings" are booking dates as we speak and currently finishing a few of Josh's original tunes to be included on an album along with mine that is forthcoming.

When schedules do not permit "The River Kings" from performing together, I take the show on the road as a solo artist. A man with a car loaded full of guitars, amps, sound systems and most likely a floorboard full of empty coca colas cans. Thats Me! Willing to play and happy to be calling myself "a working musician".

Hope to see you along the road at a place or venue near you. Be sure to sign up for my mailing list and guest book. Gotta build that pipeline and I don't Spam! Nothing I hate more than is spam in my email and it is my promise to keep that promise, so I will treat your "inbox" with respect!

Available for solo acoustic shows for private parties.