Country/Rock Session Guitarist

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

A: I love helping song writers develop their vision. I have a few close buddies that are writers and there's nothing like crafting parts to make something come to life.

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: I'm writing for a personal project as well as music directing at my church and filling in with sessions and shows. The goal is to make the move to mostly remote sessions.

Q: Is there anyone on SoundBetter you know and would recommend to your clients?

A: Anna Yarbrough. Phenomenal musician. She plays keys at my home church. One of the best in the biz hands down.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: BOTH. This could go so many ways. I love analog stuff as far as guitar goes but keeping up with tech is important too. There is absolutely nothing like being in a room near a tube amp that's cooking and feeling the energy it creates between you and the guitar. That's really hard to replicate. Software and DSP has come so far in recent years. For instance the Apollo Twin..... Holy cow what you can do with that guy... Amazing and its digital. I will always love old guitars and amps and I think that's just a guitar player thing that's somewhat ingrained within us but, I get some sick tones out of a Strymon Iridium at church in certain venues and the UA Dream. They sound great! It's all about what the gig calls for. As for my studio I'm able to run tube amps to their potential so I use em to my advantage.

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

A: Simple. You get me, my knowledge and craft to develop great guitar parts on your record.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: It's pretty simple. I love being inspired to create and manipulate sound through a guitar as my main tool. I love the relational aspect of being a musician. Find it extremely rewarding helping someone else craft come to life by adding guitar tracks to their project.

Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A: What's your time frame, can you play x style, etc. My response is that I work my hardest to provide top notch guitar tracks that fit the feel and vibe of your song. If that takes longer than I initially budgeted, so be it. I'd rather give my best and and protect my reputation and artist satisfaction.

Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

A: I think sometimes producing music in a studio, either at home or brick and mortar, there's a perceived notion that insane amounts of gear and processing makes a record. This is partially true but most timeless records stem from good organic sounds put together. Good in, Good out.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What's your vision for this tune? Who are your influences current and historic?

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

A: I think establishing a fit is pretty simple. If you're looking for guitar tracks to enhance your song or body of work, I can provide that! If there's something I don't feel I'm a good fit for I simply pass on the opportunity.

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

A: Just 5? Man I'd have to say, A Martin Dreadnought One of my Divided by 13 amps A telecaster, A Les Paul And a Fuzz Pedal

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

A: I've always been a musician, every job I ever took was to be able to play more music. Parents were both musicians semi pro. They quickly learned I had an ear as a toddler and it snowballed from there. Been in bands and projects since high school, involved in church worship teams as well as typical funeral and wedding gigs.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I would say my style is classic southern rock with a modern edge. I've Lived in the Southeastern United States my whole life and that sound is part of you if you grew up here.

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

A: I'd love to work with a lot of artists! It changes as tastes differ and time goes on. Hard to single out just one.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: One simple thing I think would be providing clean semi edited tracks that layer well within the session. Saves everybody time and just over all provides a better service to the artist.

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

A: Modern Country, Singer Song-Writer, Southern Rock and CCM

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Coming up with melodies and hooks as well as layering parts and tones.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I think I bring a solid background of understanding records and music styles from classic rock to the present. my whole goal is to create guitar parts that feel great on the tune to the extent if they were muted in the mix you turn your head and be like "wait what happened!?".

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: Typical work flow depends on the session. I typically like to listen to the song and get the structure and feel as I chart it out. Once I get a feel and have the artist's/producer's vision I'm up and running. I track guitars parts from what the song inspires instinctively and what ultimately is going to serve the song best. Fact is, guitars matter on records. I wouldn't send off anything deemed as ready if I wouldn't personally put it out or use it.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I have a pedalboard set up at all times with a wide variety of current great sounding pedals that enhance guitars going into a cooking amp. That's ran into one of my Divided by 13 amps or a smaller fender combo. I've got everything from Fender to Vox to Marshall tones. I put that through either an SM57 or a Senheiser E906. For Acoustics I have a few condensers I love. An opened up acoustic played with great touch and feel makes awesome tone! All of that runs into a UA Apollo twin into Logic Pro. As far as guitars go I have Fenders, Gibsons and unique stuff as well. Humbuckers to P90 pickups and Fender single coils.

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

A: This is a great question I don't have a direct answer for. I love all types of music and musicians. I love anything that makes you wanna turn up the dial in the car and drive.I love everything from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers to Aerosmith, Govt Mule, Chicago, The Police, Jack Johnson and John Mayer, to Tony Rice, Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Eric Church, Riley Green and that's just a few influences. I get down with anything that has feel and heart behind it. Songs are special, it's hard to put everything into one box. I believe that's part of why we see so much cross over today. Modern country is a lot of what classic rock n roll was.

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

A: I mostly record guitars and bass for song writers and other projects that need feel and vibe. Serving the song is my biggest priority to give it a refreshing classic feel. As a writer myself I totally get how intimate songs are, and bringing them to life with guitars is one of my greatest joys.