I have been a musician since I was seven years old. My first hero was the Friendly Giant because he played the recorder, my first instrument.  When I was 10 my aunt showed me how to play three chords on guitar and I was hooked.  With the help of some amazing music teachers I was taught the importance of reading music.  I learned clarinet and a slew of other woodwind instruments during my high school years.

My first real band was called “The Company of Strangers”.  My older brother Kevin invited me to play lead guitar and the adventure began!  In 1973 we recorded a 45 rpm single at a professional studio in Seattle, owned by our bass player’s brother. High school graduation brought the demise of the sextet.  In 2009 I got together with Franco Mrau, the original lead singer and rerecorded a song Kevin and Jim Gawne wrote. Watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A29SfNjqV34

From 1977 to the early nineties my music took form as a DJ in nightclubs and radio. I didn’t get back to performing until 1992 when I formed a trio appropriately called “Straight Ahead Fred”, the approach we took to our audience-focused entertainment style.

In 1997 I formed the award-winning  “Amazing Rubber Band” and we enjoyed many years rocking the Penticton area until 2012. More on that at: www.amazingrubberband.com

As I branched out, I joined forces with singer-songwriter Gail Riddall as her instrumentalist and music producer.

More recently, I worked with Ken Mehrer, Craig Brown and Chris Meister as “The (World’s Largest) Trio” — a group with an eclectic mix of instrumental, jazz and country classics.

Now I am a soloist. I recorded the music backgrounds in my studio and perform live with them - creating a rich, full sound for the audience.

My home recording studio, which I dubbed “The Fort” has produced more than two dozen  albums for various local artists since 2004.