I'm the guy in back. The one you rarely see, but always hear. My musical life started at age 10 when I was lucky enough to see Billy Joel in my hometown of Detroit. The concert was unbelievable, but one thing really stood out to me on that stage... the crazy guy with the flailing arms behind the drums. The drummer, Liberty DeVitto, blew me away and I was hooked. The next day I was signed up for my first private drum lessons with Jerry Wilds, a great drummer from suburban Detroit.
I moved to Louisiana in 1981 and continued
taking private lessons. I started playing in bands when I got into high
school and hooked up with Will Cullen. Will and I played together in
several garage bands in high school with bad names and bad gear, but we thought
we were rock stars.
In 1988, after I graduated high school and was on my way to LSU, I formed my first "real" band with Will Cullen and Chip Von Unwerth. We called the band "Second Guessing" after an obscure REM song and played the club and college scene for five years in southeast Louisiana. During that time, we became friends with Rick and Jan Windhorst and Milton Borel while crossing paths at monthly gigs at the Dixie Café (R.I.P.) in Covington, Louisiana. Ricky let us open up for their band, Bad Dog. We were as green as can be, and those guys were mentors for us. Watching Bad Dog whip a crowd into a frenzy was like "music 101" for us.
In 1993, Second Guessing called it quits, and I auditioned for and began playing with a New Orleans based pop-rock band called The Bagdaddies. That was a great band with unbelievable songwriting and unique instrumentation. Our lead instrument was a blazin' accordion! We developed a strong following in New Orleans and went into Keith Keller's Chez Flame studio in 1995 and recorded a full-length CD called "Borrowed Bones." I am extremely proud of that CD. It documents some great songs and some great times I had in that band. Unfortunately it turned out to be our first and last CD as we disbanded in 1996 when we simply ran out of gas. We were all completely burned out. Playing all original music is a noble goal, and every musician has to give it a shot. Every member of Four Unplugged has done it, and they'll all tell you it's a rough road to travel.
After taking some time off from music, I got the itch again
and started looking for a band. I knew Will was playing music with Ricky and
Jan in some new band called "Four Unplugged." They were doing acoustic
versions of classic rock gems. The whole "unplugged" music idea was
taking off on MTV, and these guys were all over it. They started building a
following at the Columbia Street Tap Room in Covington. People loved the
concept and sound of the band, but wanted some energy and pulse added to the
mix. The band added Tony Serio (from Bad Dog) on drums and Mark Rogers on
bass to open up the musical possibilities, and they continued to build an
enthusiastic local audience. I later got the call asking if I wanted
to join the band when Tony left. I was a little rusty but definitely up
for the challenge. I had my first rehearsal with the band a few weeks later, and it was
magical (to me at least). I hadn't played with a band in quite some time,
and this band had a chemistry that was undeniable. One of my first gigs was
in front of over 1000 people at the Wooden Boat Festival in Madisonville - what
a rush!!!!
Mark soon left the band and we brought in Dave Lemoine on bass. Things really began to snowball for the band around this time, and we soon became the biggest draw on the Northshore. I was on cloud nine and still am. I never thought the band would explode into what it has. People just love the unique sound, the chemistry, and Ricky's unique talent as a front man that makes the audience feel like part of the band rather than just onlookers. Ricky is the best front man I've ever worked with. He is all about giving the audience 110% effort and doing whatever it takes to win them over and keep them happy. That rubs off on the rest of us and creates an undeniable musical force on stage. The work ethic and dedication of this band is unparalleled. We all love what we do and we are a family. However, this family extends off the stage right into the loyal crowd that follows us everywhere we play. The "Fourheads" are the greatest fans and friends in the world. They make this band more than just a band; they make it a way of life. Just come down to the FloraBama with us every June and you'll see what I mean.
I don't think any of us thought this train would roll this far or get this big. Just when we think it can't go any further or get any bigger, it does. As Ricky always says, "We'll ride this wave till we can't ride it no more!!!!!"
