"been a long time since I...."

Yes, you all wanted to say "rock and roll" but actually it’s "been a long time since I... " updated the "what’s new" on this website. So by the time you’re reading this my new "Steelin’ Home" CD should be out and hopefully you’ve gotten one or will get one soon. I am really pleased with it as I think it’s bluesy enough to appeal to the fans of the early V.I.H. Band but also just a bit more rockin’ too like the new version of the band. It wasn’t easy and it did take a while but I think it was worth it. As usual the guest musicians and singers really made their presence felt and I thank every one of them.

Now comes the hard part, the shameless self-promotion of said product. It’s funny how in the old days I just couldn’t get enough of hyping myself and seeing my name in print and hearing my songs on the radio. It was all about me, Me, ME!!!!! But the new me is a bit uncomfortable with the whole process. My music is no longer all about me and yet the old adage, "if a tree falls in the woods and there is no one there to hear it, did the tree fall?" was never more true than now. So I’ll be trudging off to various radio stations, newspapers, magazines etc. to let everyone know I have another new CD available and of course it will be on the band merch table too. Suffice to say that if I want to do future CDs, since this is my full-time occupation then yes I do, it’s all part of the package.

As for my steel guitar playing I continue to improve and learn more and more everyday. I’ve also been privileged to meet and talk to two of the leading proponents of the lap steel guitar and the "Sacred Steel" style of playing, Darick Campbell and Aubrey Ghent. I met Darick at a Campbell Brothers show in Philly back in October and not only is he a fantastic player but also a gracious and humble man. The same is true for Aubrey Ghent, I’ve corresponded with this steel guitar legend online and he has been more than encouraging to me. It’s an honor for me to know both of these Godly men.

On the V.I.H. Band front the new CD (can you believe it’s our 5th CD!?!?!) should be done very soon. As you’re reading this the CD is nearly off to the manufacturer to meet it’s New Year’s Eve release deadline. This is EASILY the best band CD yet. The members of the band really delivered as did Bret Alexander in the studio and I hope you’ll love the new project as much as we do. The band continues it’s busy schedule into 2007 and we are truly blessed to be this busy. Very few independent bands can boast a schedule as full as ours. The majority of bands that tour as much as we do have the big record companies, big booking agents, etc. behind them. We ARE blessed.

At home it’s the same old story, same old song and dance. Lots of guitar and bass lessons and a very active recording studio. Believe it or not there are more songs left over from "Steelin’ Home" so another solo CD could be in the offing. As always, thanks for stopping by and thanks for your support as well. Your continued support of my music makes this all possible for me and I do not take that for granted. God bless....

Well it’s time again to update here on the website and there’s lots to tell. My most recent solo CD, 'How I Spent My Summer Vacation," continues to do well. Sales have been good and radio play has been strong. It’s being played worldwide including Argentina and Brazil in South America and Germany, Italy and Denmark in Europe. Here in the States it gets regular play from local stations Classic Rock Q-94 in Altoona, WRVV 97.3 The River in Harrisburg and The Classic Rock Station The Phoenix 1450 here in Pottsville. The single, "Jam Back At The House," was played nationwide (over 110 radio stations in the U.S. and Canada) on the nationally syndicated radio program Blues Deluxe. The album features many of the songs currently in The Victory In Heaven Band set list.

With the release and promotion of the fourth V.I.H. CD, "V.I.H. IV... the mission continues," I will soon begin work on another CD of "Sacred Steel" music tentatively titled, "Life Under The Radar." This will be the follow-up to "How I Spent..." and will feature more instrumental steel guitar music. Not quite sure when this will come out or what direction it will take but pre-production will begin soon.

At the same time we are looking at recording a fifth V.I.H. CD, the first one with the steel guitar, and at this time there are no specifics for this one either. It could end up being another live CD however we would like to work with Bret Alexander of the Badlees again so this could well be a studio album with some recording being done at Saturation Acres, the Badlees home base.

In other steel guitar news I’ve begun using a wah pedal manufactured by Morley Pedals and designed by guitarist Steve Vai. I’ve been talking to the tech people at Morley and they seem very interested in the fact that I use their pedal with the steel guitar. So interested, in fact, that there is talk of a possible endorsement deal with them when I finally have something recorded with their pedal.

It’s a very busy schedule with 40 plus guitar and bass lessons a week, two and sometimes three shows with the band AND two church services every week but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I am blessed to be able to do music 24/7. Like a very wise, old bluesman once sang, "I love the life I live... and I live the life I love." Amen!

I’m updating on a more regular basis both at this site and at vihband.com which means either there’s alot of news to tell or I’ve got too much time on my hands. Hopefully it’s the former and not the latter. So when you see the V.I.H. Band you will notice that I am playing the lap steel guitar full time. It’s a good thing AND a God thing. After my injury last year for the first few months I had no choice but to play the lap steel. My neck and forearm were in no shape to sustain hanging a guitar over my neck and playing for any amount of time. As I healed I switched back to the six string guitar and was able to play again however every morning after a show felt as if I were in a car accident and I really just tired of that awful, achy feeling every morning. I continue my physical therapy for the herniated disk every 4 to 6 weeks and that will probably be for the rest of my life. I just wanted to feel better again all the time and so the switch to lap steel has become permanent. I will continue to teach both six string guitar and bass and play the acoustic sitting down but no more hanging a guitar over my neck, thank you very much.

This change did not come easy. There was a period of adjustment for the band as not only did I change instruments but we brought in my daughter Kate to play bass (and what an incredible job she is doing as the rhythm section of the band has never sounded better or funkier). However, the band has adjusted and become even more of a powerhouse than we ever were and, if I may, I am really proud of the way the band sounds these days. Kate and Larry have combined into a formidable rhythm section and L.A.’s keys seem to add just the right touch in each song. As for me on the lap I am working hard adjusting to a new instrument and so far everyone’s reaction has been great. I am receiving help on the instrument from two experienced pro steel guitarists, Darick Campbell of The Campbell Brothers Band and Calvin Cooke from Detroit who happens to be Robert Randolph’s mentor.

The style of steel guitar I play is much different from your typical country/western weepy, whiny steel guitar that you may be familiar with. My playing, influenced by the above three steel guitarists, falls in the category of “Sacred Steel” guitar. It’s far more blues and even rock oriented and is more up front and vocal than the typical steel. Imagine the Allman Brothers Band at your Sunday morning church service and you’ll get the idea of “Sacred Steel.” The V.I.H. Band starts with that sound and then takes it in an R&B/ old school funk direction and makes the whole sound more our own than copying anyone else. We’re all VERY happy with the resulting sound and can’t wait to get in the studio to record our first electric band CD. As for solo projects, you can look for an instrumental CD of “Sacred Steel” music from me, Vol. II, sometime next summer. The V.I.H. Band’s acoustic CD releases mid-November of 2005. We hope to have our new electric CD recorded over this winter for a Spring 2006 release and possibly record a live CD with the electric band for Fall of 2006. Somewhere in between there look for a solo CD from me.

Thanks again for stopping by the website. Come back and visit again and as always.. I’ll leave the light on for ya. Peace.