strings • solo to ensemble

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I always try to be a servant to the song. Depending on what's needed, my string arrangement style can lean toward the sounds found on old Al Green recording, toward more modern sounds, or more like a classic lush arrangement. Strings can be heard in every style of music and I enjoy supplying that unique sound to any song in any genre.

Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

A: Stylistically, I'm all over the map, but I've been arranging and playing on a lot of rock and roll and Americana styles. Although, I'm equally versed in country styles and classical music. I also really enjoy writing for screen.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have a 900 square foot studio attached to the back of my house where I do all of my recording. My room is nicely tuned and is a good mixture between live and fully treated. I have a fine selection of mics that are complimentary to strings (AEA,Peluso, AKG) and some top shelf mic pre amps (Grace, Shadow Hills, Focusrite).

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

A: I love Dan Auerbach's 2016 album called "Waiting on a Song". It was the first time I started working with Dan and since then I've played on nearly all of Easy Eye Sound's releases. Working with Dan really opened up my mind to the possibilities of what can be done with strings in a rock and roll-ish setting.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: A theme song for an upcoming TV show.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: I work digitally for ease of editing and self producing.

Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

A: You're going to be happy with what I provide.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: My favorite part about being a session musician is making other people's music sound better. I also enjoy the immediate creativity.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What is it that YOU want to hear? Do you have specific ideas, or do you want me to just "do my thing?"

Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A: Check out my Spotify playlist--it gives you a wide range of what it is that I can offer.

Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

A: I could get by with one violin, one mic and a computer, but I certainly love my studio and wouldn't want to get sand in my fiddle.

Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

A: I have been working in Nashville in various musical capacities since 1997. After earning a bachelors of music of University of Michigan, I moved to Nashville to be around the best musicians in the world. I have worked in the live fields playing fiddle and touring with many top acts (John Hartford, Reba, Patty Loveless) then I became the house fiddler and mandolin player for the Grand Ole Opry. in 2015 I quit my job at the Opry to focus more on being a session musician which is my passion.

Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

A: I would love to work with Adele. She has a classic sound while still being innovative. I would also love to work with Childish Gambino because..obviously.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: When stacking strings, to avoid phase issues, I incorporate different instruments, mutes and playing styles to sound more like a section and less like one person playing everything.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skill is listening to a track and finding the spots where I need to play that makes the track sound better. Be it a beautiful intro, a lift to the Chorus or background pads, I always strive to bring out the best in a song.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: Strings bring a very special magic to a song. They do a very unique and special thing and really help a track sound full. I can make your track sound "expensive" without hiring an arranger and a room full of string players.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: In string arranging, my first step is to work with the artist to first see if there are any ideas or lines that are already baked in the track that I can double or accent, then I take a fresh pass to see what ideas pop out. Once a general line is developed, I work with the other instruments in the string family to make a full arrangement. How large the arrangement gets is often dictated by the track itself, or by the artist or producer.

Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

A: In the string arrangement world, my main influences are Dan Auerbach, Willie Mitchell, and David Campbell. In the folk and Americana field, my main influence and mentor is/was John Hartford.

Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

A: I mostly do string overdubs at my home studio in Nashville, TN. Anything from solo violin (or fiddle) to a full string section.