THE CATALYST
the BreAKS:
I decided to move off to cleveland, Tennessee for college. Lee was a music school, but since I was a film major, it would be the best of both worlds. I could learn all the things I'd seen done on a film set my whole life and I could tap into all the musical theory and talent I could ask for. I could graduate from the same place the that started Creed, Rascal Flatts, and Little Big Town. The place gave me hope. My only goal was to put together a crew good enough to play “free Bird.”
Playing House of Blues in College
The Penroad:
for three years, in between all the rest of the craziness, I played utility (banjo, guitar, & Mandolin) and sang on the road for two-time grammy winner guy penrod. there hasn't been a greater teacher. He's a man of integrity and major tenor pipes.
First show on the road with Guy Penrod
COFFEE SHOPS → Arenas:
I guess like any other college cover band, “The Breaks,” played every frat party, fundraiser, and coffee shop we could find. I always operated under the idea that if you only ever played coffee shop music, all you'll ever play are coffee shops. So naturally, we'd play def leppard in a lobby that could barely hold thrity people sipping on apple cider. The place that really gave us our start was a little coffee shop in town setup up by the Salvation Army called “Inman Street Coffee House.” The manager, Joel Rogers, would let us enter into every open mic or little festival they'd put on. It's hard to believe that we've gone from that little small town coffee shop to crowds of over 30,000. It's all the good lord. We just show up.
Playing a show at Inman St. Ca. 2018
ATlantic city:
UNbeknownst to be, the lead actor from the Wimpy Kid movies, zach gordon started writing music over covid. A year later I was able to convince him to take a trip down to Tennessee to see if we could put some tracks together. Our first show together was packed-to-the-gills in the Salvation Amry mission of the Inman street Coffee House. It was the fist time he'd ever played with a full band. I love Zach with all my heart and never in a million years would I have ever thought that we would be doing music together. I intend to for the rest of my life. Come see us sometime.
