Who am I?
Classically trained pianist from five years old. Jazz, classic rock, blues, pop, or anything else you could want.
My Story
I was born June 9, 1999 in a small rural West Tennessee town called Union City. Union City is not known for much, but I plan to change that one day. Since I was five years old, I have had a fascination with piano. Growing up, I had no real musical influence, aside from my mother who would sometimes play hymns for a local nursing home. Perhaps it was this that sparked the musical flame within me, but even I can’t be certain of this. Maybe it was fate. Regardless, I asked my parents to enroll me in piano lessons when I was five, and continued lessons from that point for nearly 17 years until my graduation from the University of Tennessee at Martin in May of 2021.
When I first began lessons, it was with a wonderful lady named Mrs. Vera. She gave me a strong classical foundation in piano that set me up for success later in my life. Years went by with Mrs. Vera. From the time I was five until I was twelve, I was in her studio. And then, Mrs. Vera broke the news that she would be moving states and could no longer teach me. Obviously, I was devastated and concerned about my future in piano lessons. I went without lessons for about a year
This studio was run by Dr. Elaine Harriss, the university piano professor. After a nerve-racking but successful audition, I was admitted into the studio and once again trained under a professional. From that point, Dr. Harriss was my trainer and mentor in my piano studies.
In the Fall of 2017 I started my studies at the University of Tennessee at Martin for a B.A. in Music (focus in piano). It was here that I gained my fascination with jazz piano and pursued my own private study into deeper jazz theory. Being a pianist at a very small university, I was fought over. Despite being such a small school, there were an excessive number of small ensembles that required a pianist. Though I was compensated with a music scholarship for my time in many, many, many ensembles, it proved to be a challenge. This, on top of all the jury accompanying my first couple semesters, really stretched me thin.
But, the challenge of being in three or more places at once turned out to be rewarding, and I quickly gained quality experience in all genres of music. Later on as my ensemble requirements lessened, I focused more on my private jazz studies and dove deeper into transcriptions of my jazz icons, such as McCoy Tyner, Oscar Peterson, Dave Brubeck, and Herbie Hancock. To finish out my time at the University of Tennessee, I researched, scripted, and performed a senior project covering the history of jazz in the United States, starting from early ragtime piano and ending with modern jazz pluralism. You can watch this project here.
Fast forward to January 2022. I have moved to Nashville, Tennessee to officially make piano my full time job. I am the resident pianist at the Hilton Downtown Nashville where I perform three nights a week, and I also have had the opportunity to craft piano tracks for customers all over the world. No, seriously – check out my Fiverr account for yourself.
In recent news, I’ve been invited to audition live for one of my favorite bands, Postmodern Jukebox. This could potentially change my life for the better, and open opportunities that I never dreamed possible.
Discography
