What project(s) are you currently working on?

We have been writing songs for the past year, and tracking songs all summer long for our next album (release date May 2020).

What inspired you to pursue a career in music and when did you know?

The Beatles inspired me to learn to play the guitar. Once I started playing, I was hooked almost immediately. When you’re young, you have a tendency to try a lot of things, lose interest quickly, and constantly move on. That never happened with me, once I started playing guitar at age 13, I never stopped.

If you weren’t pursuing a career in music, what would you be doing for a living? 

Being a chef, farming, cooking, traveling, learning about cultures.

What is your favorite downtime activity?

Cooking. In a way, it has similarities to playing music. When I’m cooking, just like when I’m in the studio, writing songs, or rehearsing, I leave the rest of the world at the door, and for a few hours I think about nothing else. And one has to take all the pieces of a recipe and a meal and make it all come together in one cohesive finish, similar to writing and recording a song in the studio, where you’re creating all the pieces to the musical puzzle, and it all has to come together to form a cohesive feel and point of view.

Who is your biggest celebrity crush?

Can I say my spouse, who is my music partner in crime? She is just a fascinating, interesting person, with strong beliefs, some of which I do not always agree with, but it’s always makes for good conversation. I’m not really into celebrities per se. It’s not a crush, but I do admire Muhammed Ali, the first rapper (float like a butterfly, sting like a bee). And perhaps the greatest anti-war protester in American history, Martin Luther King (“I have a dream”). That speech was timeless. I also admire my two sisters, who are such a great family and such wonderful people, I’m very lucky to have them.

Who is your favorite sports team(s)?

Being born and raised in San Francisco, I was very lucky to grow up with two baseball teams, two football teams, and I am a fan of all four of them. Although some people who live here choose sides between Oakland and San Francisco, I root for them all.

That being said, my favorite sports team is the Golden State Warriors. Basketball is a lot like jazz, it is improvisation and high level skill. There are certain parts that are practiced and worked out, combined with the constant variation of improvisation that never repeats itself, always new and different every game.

What is the last movie that you watched?

The last movie I really enjoyed was actually a six-part series on HBO, “Years and Years,” a fascinating look into the near future – the chaos of the approaching world and what could be spot-on speculation about where technology is going to today. Scary, intriguing, and whoever scored that show did an amazing job with the music. Every episode, there were moments that really created drama and tension.

What is the last album you listened to?

When I am writing and recording an album, I don’t listen to much else, and when I do find an album I like, I listen to it deeply and intently over and over. An album has to really have depth to stand up to repeated listens to keep me interested. The last album that did that for me was The River and the Thread by Roseanne Cash. I absolutely love that record – it is so moving, so well-written, with melodies galore, musical hooks everywhere, and thought-provoking lyrics, plus her husband John Leventhal is an amazing, melodic, versatile guitarist.

If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I do play the “if I was stranded on a desert island what 10 albums would I bring” game at times. It’s hard to narrow it down to one. The ones that come to mind are: Joao Gilberto – Live in Montreaux, Emmylou Harris – Wrecking Ball, Miles Davis – In a Silent Way, Jimi Hendrix Experience – Are You Experienced, The Beatles – Revolver, Bach – Brandenburg Concertos.

What is the greatest country song of all time?

Is that even possible to say? “Ring of Fire,” “Crazy,” “A Boy named Sue” (I love that song). There are so many.

What has been your favorite city/town that you’ve visited out on the road?

Santa Fe, New Mexico. That place is special. It was founded in 1610, over 150 years before the USA, and there is a vibe, an ancient feel, that is very spiritual there.

What is your favorite meal?

That is a tough call. Probably a beautiful combination plate of Mexican food, with carne adovada enchiladas, crispy beef tacos, and veggie tamale, with both homemade green and red sauce.

Who is your dream duet partner?

George Harrison. I would love to play a duet with him on guitars.

Who would you like to go on tour with?

Green Day. Growing up in San Francisco, I went to shows that mixed genres together on the same show – rock, jazz, blues all together. Everything is so compartmentalized musically these days – it has to “match.” But… no, it doesn’t, in my opinion. Throw a rock band and country singer on the same show. Why not?

What is your ultimate career goal(s)?

Willie Nelson is 87 and will play 100 shows this year. That’s my goal. What an awesome life to have at that age.