1. How old were you when you knew your life was going to be music? I was 8, I saw a TV time warner-type thing for Louis Armstrong cds or tapes or something and I was really knocked out.  I knew I wanted to do THAT right away, and that was the year you could pick your horn in school and I started on the trumpet. 

 

2. When did you start for real?  As soon as I put the horn to my chops I was for real. Later on I had a teacher who had played with Dizzy and some of those guys and he gave me one of the real gifts of music- which was that if you liked a certain musician, find out who they played with, and who they listened to, and where they were coming from and keep tracing things back, to understand the roots of what you’re doing. I started with the harmonica a little later when I was 15, and I was in the bars every night, sitting in and trying to figure it out.  I knew I’d have to go somewhere where I could learn from a master, so I wanted to make sure I learned as much as possible from playing out and listening to records as I could before I got there.

 

3. Were you single minded in this pursuit or did you train/educate for a "real" job?  Both.  I’ve always been serious about playing, I moved from VT to New Orleans when I was a teenager to learn from Johnny Sansone because I had his records.  I also ended up getting certified to teach, because in order to pursue music the way I want, and live the way I want, I need more income than I can make playing the harp.  I love teaching, and was Akins HS Teacher of the Year in 2010, so I also take that very seriously.  I think that having outside interests and responsibilities broadens my musicality, so it’s all one piece. 

 

4. School - Did it help, hinder, or immaterial?  School?  I love learning.  About anything, I really enjoy learning.  School opened up a lot learning for me as far as math, art, and history, and literature.   

 

5. Who supported your decisions?  My family has been very supportive, and all the guys I grew up playing with, and everyone I’ve meet along the way.  Johnny Sansone really helped me a lot, he was very patient, and started a band with me and another harp player (we all play guitar) where we could trade off, and helped give us more experience.  He would also always get me up to play with his band, and taught me a lot about everything, not just the playing part, but also how to treat the guys you play with, and club owners, and being honest when you’re on stage, and being entertaining by being yourself, and drawing people to you, rather than entertaining through acting, or giving people the clichés they know they like.

 

6. Do you have family?  And where are they?  My folks live up in Asheville, my sister is in New York City with her husband.  The rest of my family is up in Vermont.

 

7. What gigs stand out to you, looking back?  My sense of accomplishment is intrinsic- my sense of how well I’m doing is based on how well I feel I’m playing, regardless of the gig.  That being said, there were a couple times that I had hoped to do something since I was a kid- One was playing the King Biscuit Festival, where I used to drive down to Arkansas when I was young, and I got to play it a couple of times with Anson Funderburgh, that was a big deal- getting to play the fest with one of the guys I admire and used to see there.  The other was playing Jazz Fest in New Orleans with Johnny Sansone- he brought me out, it was big deal to stand there with a guy who is a hero and play in front of A LOT of people for the first time. That was pretty exciting.  I’ve been fortunate to play with a bunch of my heroes, and guys who defined the music, over the years- and that’s always special.

 

8. Who did you like performing with?  I like performing with players who respond in the moment and push, rather than just play parts or ideas of what things should be.  I’m fortunate that I get to play with a lot of guys in my age group here who have a similar approach.   It’s the one thing that really keeps me in Austin.

 

9. What do you see as your best work?  Whatever I’m doing right now, I’m always trying to move forward and push myself.

 

10. Has your outlook on fame changed since you've achieved it?  I haven’t achieved fame, it’s not really in the cards for a harmonica player.  That’s fine with me!

 

11. Has notoriety changed you?  I’m not sure I’m notorious, but I get in a lot less trouble than I used to!

 

12. Do you feel satisfied with yourself?  I’m not sure how to answer that one- I’m satisfied with who I am as a person, but I’m never satisfied with my playing, I’m always reaching for something I haven’t done yet.

 

13. How do you want to be remembered?  I haven’t really thought about that yet, I’m only 35, but- it’s nice to see my students all grown up at the grocery store and stuff. 

 

14. What are you currently working on?  I’m writing a bunch, and the Peacemakers are working on a record- it’s great to work with guys as leader of a band- and do my material as the Box Kickers, and then be able to work with the same guys in a democracy, where we all sing, and do something different. I really love working with those guys.

 

15. Is it as easy as it looks?  I’m not sure it looks easy- harmonica is a tricky one, because it’s all inside your mouth. 

 

16. Is it fun?  Yeah!

 

18. What would you say to wannabee performers?  Work at the craft, understand the history of what you’re doing and where things come from, create something new within the legacy, and don’t get distracted by the things that make people go “Wooo!”

 

19. Do you have pets, what kind?  Nope.

 

20. What's more important - Talent or hard work?  They’re both important.  One doesn’t go without the other. 

 

21 Xtra. What is your take on MP3 downloads?  I don’t think about them much.  I don’t download much music, I prefer to have a hard copy of and LP or CD in case the digital shit crashes.