I'm a happily married christian musician who lives in Ellijay, Georgia USA. I raised 8 children with my wife Janie on our 200 acre family horse ranch. I have had my own bands and worked in Cincinnati, Ohio; Boston, MA; New York City, NY; Miami, Florida and now around Atlanta, Georgia. I have L.E,J. Recordings, which is a nice professional recording studio in my home where I produce bands, singer/songwriters and my own music. I have 3 albums out: Head for the Mountains with my group Elijah, a christian rock band; You are Everything I Need with The Elijah Project, which is Christian rock; Rock Me Gently with some country and pop songs. I have a new album that I'm just now finishing up called Stop Look and Listen and it will be christian rock as well.
Music is a vehicle for me to express what I feel is the most important information that people need to hear. I used to see it as a way to entertain, but now I realize that it is a platform from which I am able to reach out and give people hope and encouragement. I want to be a source of "good news " and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone who will listen. It's my passion and my mission in life.
My musical dream is to one day maybe hear one of my songs on the radio, either with me doing it or someone else. It really doesn't matter to me. I would like the message of my music to reach out and touch people and make a difference in their lives. I work very hard in my recording studio to try and create songs that have the potential to do just that.
I would open up the airwaves to more christian music and give people an alternative to what is available now as popular music. Music is the one thing that truly has the power to change people and consequently the world. There seems to be such a lack of support or interest in music that spreads the gospel of Jesus Christ across all genres of music. It is not viewed as the way to make lots of money, because other styles are in such demand, but I believe that with support and promotion christian music will be as successful as any kind of secular music is today.
I was a big Elvis fan when I was young and I wore out his albums, and I believe that the one song of his that stands out the most to me is "Blue Suede Shoes ". However "Heartbreak Hotel" runs a close second.
The bands and artists that influenced me the most when I was getting started in music are: Elvis; The Beatles; The Rolling Stones; Ricky Nelson; The Ventures; Cliff Richards and the Shadows; The Animals; Chuck Berry; Little Richard; Jerry Lee Lewis; The Yardbirds; and many more lesser known artists and bands.