I started playing piano at seven years old, but like any teenager looking for a shortcut, I picked up the guitar at 17 because a friend assured me it would be easy. (Spoiler: It wasn’t.) In college, I played bass in a hardcore band, then took a leave of absence to join a pop-punk band in Nashville. That experience led to my first major lesson in recording—how not to do it—after a frustrating studio session left me determined to take matters into my own hands.

My first real recording was with my band, The Shuteye Train, a project that gave me the incredible opportunity to collaborate with legendary producer Ed Stasium, who handled the mixing and mastering. That experience solidified my passion for recording, and soon after, I launched a home studio. In my first year, I recorded over 50 bands, including Nicholas Megalis, whose track Instances of Shame was featured on MTV’s The Real World. Megalis later went on to fame creating viral videos on Vine, but back then, he was just a talented teenager looking for a place to bring his ideas to life.

Before opening my first commercial studio, I had the privilege of sitting in on sessions with the late Steve Albini, where I got to pick his brain about making records. Watching him work—his commitment to capturing raw, honest performances and his no-nonsense approach to engineering—left a deep impression on me and shaped how I conducted recording sessions from that point forward.

From there, I expanded into a commercial space in Munroe Falls, opening Lightning Rock Records (LRR). Over the next several years, I recorded countless projects, including the first three releases from Simeon Soul Charger, whose debut full-length, Meet Me in the Afterlife, was released by the German label Gentle Art of Music and supported their first major European tour.

Today, I freelance at various studios, including Suma Recording and Fallen Trees. It’s the next step in a journey fueled by a love for both making music and capturing the sounds that bring it to life.