I began playing at the (then Harrisville, now Nelson) Monday night dances around 1977. Jack Perron hired me to play my first playing gig at the Chelsea House in Brattleboro, Vermont shortly after that. 
My primary inspiration was, of course, Bob McQuillen, and though I soon developed a style that deviated from the pure traditional form he embraces, he remains my spiritual mentor, and a good friend.
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Over time I was enriched by playing with so many different fiddlers who each brought unique qualities and inspiration to my playing. The first real band that I was in was Fresh Fish. Kerry Elkin, Tom Hodgson and I had met in 1985 when we were hired as musicians for a tour of Europe with the Green Mountain Volunteers, a traditional dance performance group. Tom left the band after a short time, but he remains one of my favorite guitar players, and he really established some good textural values that helped to trademark the quality of our music.
A few years later I headed over to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where Fresh Fish, was going to be recording our first (and it turns out only) album. I usually like to keep early morning travel on the quiet side, but this morning I turned up the CD player and took a good infusion of the Rolling Stones and then Oscar Peterson. This sufficiently lubricated my creativity so that when we started recording, I could incorporate the rhythmic and arpeggiotic twists into my piano playing that gave our band an edge in teasing energy out of the dancers. I cite this as an example of the diverse influences that inform my playing of what is primarily a traditional music repertoire: Irish, French Canadian, and New England fiddle tunes.
As a child I was introduced to the classical repertoire and piano style through the rather stern encouragement of my mother, who had a degree in music and was, in fact, a very respectable organist. As I grew out of single digits I became aware of other kinds of music, and eventually learned to play the guitar by ear. This was a very different approach than I had learned from classical training, and it was fairly emancipating. (I will readily acknowledge that the time and discipline required to play classical piano is considerably greater. I have great respect for anyone who can roll with Rachmaninoff or chop on Chopin.). Eventually I switched my keyboard orientation to playing by ear as well.
My playing is remarkably free of virtuosity, yet it does have value. I endeavor to imbibe the nuances of my fellow players, and to enhance them with rhythms, harmonies, and countermelodies. I am primarily an accompanist, and my goal is to provide something perhaps akin to a sonic form of full-spectrum lighting.
