My earliest memories 

are centered around music -

playing my plastic guitar, blasting

out rhythmic patterns on anything I

could find, digging through my parents

records and spinning them until the needle

broke. Thankfully, my parents noticed

something special happening and signed me

up for drum lessons at the age of five.

I remember thinking that my uncle was the star drummer of Buffalo NY. I was mesmerized by the sound he could get out of his huge drum kit. I remember witnessing the magic between the artist and audience for the first time while watching him play live to enthusiastic fans. Instantly, I was hooked on the feeling of peace and beauty that music can deliver to the soul, and felt dedicated to providing that -- the wild and freeing effect music can deliver -- to people.