Since my earliest memories I wanted to be a musician. Closely related to that was a desire to be in radio broadcasting. I’ve been blessed to do both in my life, and I’m still having those opportunities. Along the way I’ve worked in foundries, hardware stores, delivered pop and sandwiches to factory lunchrooms, managed a bar, worked the counter in an electrical supply store, worked as a groundskeeper, small engine mechanic, life insurance and financial planning representative, and much more, while being married to the same woman for 37 years, now, and raising 4 children.

My first paying gig, as a musician, was when I was 15 years old, in 1970, at a church dance with my first band, called “Western Union.”

After that I spent a lot of my high school years playing private clubs with older musicians, playing country music.

In my senior year in high school I began to play in a band, we called Flint, with my best friend, Mike “Mickey Jo” Slone. We played together beginning in 1974, with Arvil Bird (who went on to play fiddle for Glen Campbell), and then as the D.J. Band, opening shows at D.J. Country – Buck Lake Ranch, in Angola, IN, for some of the biggest names in country music, including Mickey Gilley, Johnny Lee, The Wilburn Brothers, John Conlee, The Bellamy Brothers, Buck Owens, and many more. Mickey and I went on to form The Stone County Band, from 1981 until 1987. SCB was a very successful regional country-rock group, playing in the Tri-State Area of Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.

During the SCB years Mickey and I co-hosted the WBNO Country Showcase, a weekly show featuring interviews with, and the music of some of country music’s greatest artists, including Alabama, Charlie Daniels, Janie Fricke, and others. Mickey and I interviewed the artists at the concert venues, and produced the show on a weekly basis from 1981 until 1983.

In 1990 I worked for WAWK, AM 1140, in Kendallville, IN, as host of the morning show, “The Heartbeat of Noble County.” In 1993 I went to work for Sweetwater Studios in Fort Wayne, IN, part of Sweetwater Sound, one of the largest music retailers in the world. I was a project manager, account executive, produced jingles and album projects. I left Sweetwater in 1997 and  began BPG-1000 Hills Productions, writing and producing jingles, corporate video and virtual reality production, as well as some singer songwriter production.

In 2000 I left BPG-1000 Hills and became the general manager for WQKO and WCVM radio stations, with CSN International, at that time the nation’s largest Christian Radio network. I hosted the morning show, as well as a weekly talk show, managed all aspects of day to day operation of the station.

In 2007, as the radio gig was winding down, I was asked to return to Sweetwater Studios, where I stayed until 2015, writing and producing jingles and songs for audio book scores, producing singer-songwriter projects, providing project management, and acting as account executive. During this last stint at Sweetwater I was blessed to work with some of the greatest recording session talent in the nation, including Brent Mason, Phil Naish, Johnny Hiland, and many more.

In January 2015 I left Sweetwater and began free lancing as Broadcast My Brand, producing jingles for radio and TV stations, and doing songwriter consultation. I’m now available to play in small venues – coffee shops, churches, small groups, backyard bar-b-cues, and more as a solo singer/songwriter. I bring songs I’ve written about life, family and faith, and, hopefully a word of encouragement for folks, while hopefully receiving the same in return.

Here’s to looking for what the next page in the story might be…

 

Peace,

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