My Story

From a small-town to national TV, my journey has been unique. Growing up in a small farm town in eastern Washington, I thought a career as a professional musician was only a dream. With a population of fewer than 600 people, Garfield wasn't exactly the place you'd expect to pursue a music career. But sometimes the biggest dreams come from the smallest places.

Music became a part of my life at an early age when my parents gifted me my first guitar at only three years old. I would get SO excited when the instructional CD said we would be playing "Old McDonald Had a Farm." Being so young, though, the excitement quickly faded with all the distractions of whatever else a young kid could be excited for (such as a plastic sword and shield when crusading as King Arthur, or a bow and suction-cup arrow to impress Maid Marian at the archery tournament as Robin Hood). Then my mom FORCED me to learn piano. As a single-digit-aged little human, I was reluctant to let “practicing piano” overtake “constructing wooden-block roads for my Hot Wheels” on my to-do list. By my early teens, I had picked up a guitar and taught myself to play. Inspired by my dad, who played guitar at the churches he pastored, and by some friends in my local youth group, guitar was IN. What began as a personal passion quickly grew into something much bigger. After performing in front of 2,500 students as a high school sophomore at Washington State FFA’s Convention and, eventually, on the national stage as a senior in front of 10,000 students in Indianapolis, I discovered something I couldn't ignore: I wanted a career in performing.

That dream led me down several different paths. I explored acting, recorded music in studios, met with record labels, and auditioned for opportunities in the entertainment industry, including NBC's The Voice where I made it onto Team Blake in Season 22. But life doesn't always follow the path we imagine.

For years, I struggled with physical challenges that made everyday activities difficult. In 2017, after years of searching for answers, I was diagnosed with myotonia, a genetic neuromuscular disorder that affects my muscles' ability to relax. The condition had already taken a toll on my ability to play guitar, and for a time, I wasn't sure what my future in music would look like.

Eventually, life brought me to Polson, Montana. What I expected to be a fresh start in a new place became the beginning of a new chapter in my musical journey. With some relief from my symptoms and a renewed passion for performing, I picked up my guitar again and began rebuilding the dream I'd carried since childhood.

In August 2020, I played my first local gig with David Caselli, an incredible drummer from the New Life Worship Team that I had joined. He encouraged me to give performing another shot. The response was better than I expected, and one show quickly turned into a cascade of opportunities. Before long, I was performing regularly throughout the area, building a following, and discovering that the dream I'd nearly abandoned still had a place in my life.

In April 2022, I left my job with the United States Postal Service to pursue music full-time. That was the same year I achieved a lifelong dream by joining Team Blake on NBC's The Voice.

Today, I perform throughout Western Montana and the Flathead Valley during the summer, and throughout Southern California during the winter. I provide entertainment for resorts, restaurants, weddings, private events, and venues/events of all kinds. When I perform as a solo performer, I combine guitar, keyboards, percussion, and vocals using live looping to create a full-band sound from a one-person show. I do love the magic of working with other musicians and will certainly provide full-band performances as well. I'm also a songwriter, with original music released across two albums, an EP, and a single (with another EP on the way).

My journey hasn't always been easy, and I certainly haven't followed a straight path. But I've learned that sometimes the things we think are over are simply waiting for a new beginning.

Music has been a part of my life my entire existence. Through the setbacks, the uncertainty, and the unexpected turns, it's always found a way back to me. I'm grateful for every opportunity to share what I love, meet new people, and keep chasing the dream that started in a little town in eastern Washington.

And I'm just getting started.

The Key Moments:

HIGH SCHOOL

When I was 15 years old, I auditioned for the Washington State FFA talent program. This opened up the first opportunity for me to perform in front of a real audience, and also led me to the solidification of knowing that music is my ultimate passion.

It’s May 2009. So here I am at WSU’s Beasley Coliseum in Pullman, Washington for the Washington State FFA Convention. 2,500 high school FFA members looking down at me from the seats as I take the stage. The lights in my face transform them into a sea of silhouettes as I step up to the mic with my dad’s guitar…

I perform “Dream Big” by Ryan Shupe & the RubberBand. My first REAL performance. As I hold out the final chord, the silent pause for what seems like an eternity keeps me motionless and looking out into the crowd… then an eruption of applause. Nothing in my life has ever matched that feeling; that excitement and pride. That intensity of adrenaline coursing through my veins. It was my personal confirmation that I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt what I wanted to do with my life. Music.

The next year I returned for WA State FFA and performed again. I had been learning more and more songs and even started writing some of my own at this point. During my second time performing at the state level, I was encouraged to audition for the FFA’s National Talent panel for my senior year. I couldn’t pass it up. I auditioned and made it through. So in the fall of 2010 at 17 years old, I travelled to Indianapolis where I performed on multiple stages set up around the city where FFA events were taking place. The biggest thrill came when I was invited to perform at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Conseco Fieldhouse at the time) as one of the top 13 National FFA Talent Acts of 2010. I chose to perform an original song which I sang in front of 10,000 people.

Later on that school year in early 2011, I auditioned for a Disney Celebrity Acting Camp. I met and performed for Phill Lewis (Mr. Moseby - Suite Life of Zach and Cody) and was accepted into the camp that was put on by Adrian R’Mante (Esteban – Suite Life of Zach and Cody). I spent the next year after high school auditioning for small independent movies, recording music in studios, and meeting with small labels after signing with both an acting and music agent.

ADULTHOOD

I moved to Burbank, California in the spring of 2012, but didn’t last long as I wasn’t patient enough to wait for a job to land, so I moved back to eastern WA and got a job in Pullman with Schweitzer Engineering. The day after I got back I received a call from AMC with a job offer but I was already back in Washington, so I called it quits. As a last-ditch effort to try and get some momentum and escape the feeling of failure, I auditioned for NBC’s The Voice for the first time. I figured it was a long shot, but I felt like I had to make one more attempt at breaking into the entertainment world. After not getting a call-back, I started trying to change my mentality and accept a 9-5 career as my new life plan (well, 3-midnight career since I was swing shift.)

I worked there for a couple of years when the idea of NBC’s The Voice surfaced again. After an audition attempt in Denver for an open call ended with “thank you for trying”, I was back to my normal routine. Ending up in Seattle with my wife at the time, I started performing more and writing again, finding open mics and some small gigs at coffeehouses, bars, and breweries. I even ended up performing in a couple of Battle of the Bands. I decided to send in another music video submission for The Voice, this being my third attempt, but again did not receive any response back. Music became pretty stagnant, not really growing or being a total failure either.

Hoping for a fresh start during marital difficulties, my wife and I moved to Missoula, Montana, for a new career opportunity she achieved. Despite all the changes we made to create a fresh start for ourselves, we ended up going our separate ways. I didn’t want to move back to Washington, so I explored Montana a bit further and discovered Polson. I was fortunate enough to buy a small house, my first home (after taking out my entire 401k and using everything I had for my down payment). I was just trying to work through my heartbreak to find my peace and contentment with where I was at. Bank account back to $0, just like after my attempt at California, at least I had a house and a job this time.

As a few months went by, I felt the remaining ember of my passion for music trying desperately to get my attention. I had so much emotion to express, but didn’t want to pursue it the same way as before. I decided to join the worship team at the local New Life Church. After a Sunday service when David Caselli and I were scheduled together, he approached me and asked if I was interested in playing some gigs with him. I was reluctant at first, remembering the bitter taste of failure and not wanting to experience it again. Even so, he convinced me to give it a go. David and I played our first show together in August of 2020 at The Shoe in Polson for his wife’s birthday. We packed the restaurant full, roughly 100 people. At the end of the gig, we received nothing but positive feedback, and people were asking how many years we had been playing together. It came as quite a shock when our response was that this was our first gig together. Everybody wanted more. We started booking more and more gigs at local bars and restaurants, eventually securing a couple of residencies and requests for bigger parties and weddings. I have since had the pleasure of working with many incredible artists around the Flathead Valley, such as Joe Martinez (who took over all my gigs when I went to The Voice), Tommy Edwards (who was on Team Blake the year before me), Kelley Sinclair, Max Armstrong, Drew Barker, and many others.

NBC’s THE VOICE

In the early summer of 2020, I was practicing for 5+ hours. Every. Day. All my spare time. With all the practice I was putting in, I started to build a new confidence I never had before. Yet again, I tried out for NBC’s The Voice. I didn’t make it. I tried again in the next round. I didn’t make it. I went to see Luke Combs in Billings, and I was inspired to try one more time. Besides, Tommy Edwards had just made it onto team Blake, and I couldn’t let him be the only one to do it. I tried one more time, my SIXTH attempt… I got the callback! I traveled to Hollywood in June of 2022 for Season 22 of NBC’s THE VOICE. I was getting a blind audition! I made it onto team Blake and lost out in the very next round in the Battle Round. I didn’t want to be done; I wanted to learn and grow even more. So, I went and watched the next round from the audience. During the Knockout Round, I watched my friends perform and compete, and really thought about what was causing my nerves and keeping me from being on that stage. A very moving performance of “Hey Ya” from Kique Gomez made me realize that I just need to enjoy my performances and my existence up on the stage, and just be myself. Stop being nervous. Start LIVING. It changed everything about how I perform, and I have been getting better and better with each passing year. The Voice changed my life, and as much as I wish I had made it further or could give it another attempt, it is one of the biggest milestones in my life.

Living with Myotonia

For years, I knew something wasn't right with my body. Simple things that most people take for granted could be difficult for me, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't always get my muscles to cooperate. What made it even harder was not knowing why.

I first started noticing these challenges in high school. Activities I once enjoyed became increasingly difficult, and even playing guitar, something that had become such an important part of my life, started to feel like a struggle. My hands and fingers would sometimes stiffen up while I was playing, making it difficult to finish songs. I was constantly dealing with muscle tension and fatigue, and I didn't have an explanation for any of it.

Between 2009 and 2017, I saw multiple doctors searching for answers. With each dead end, it became more frustrating to explain what I was experiencing. When you can't explain what's happening inside your own body, it's difficult not to question yourself.

Then, in 2017, I finally got an answer.

After listening to my experiences and performing a few mobility tests, a neurologist at the University of Washington recognized what was happening. To confirm the diagnosis, I underwent a test called electromyography, or EMG. During the procedure, a small needle electrode was inserted into several muscles so their electrical activity could be measured. When the doctor stimulated my muscles, the electrical activity continued longer than it should have. He described the condition as myotonia.

Myotonia is a genetic neuromuscular disorder that affects the muscles' ability to relax after contracting. You may have heard of the videos of goats that suddenly stiffen up and appear to faint. The nickname "fainting goat syndrome" gives people a simple way to picture what can happen, although the human condition is more complex than those videos might suggest.

For me, it meant my muscles could stiffen when I tried to move, sometimes making it difficult to get going after sitting still or to use my hands and fingers the way I needed to play guitar. It also contributed to the exhaustion I often felt, as though my body had been working out all day.

Receiving that diagnosis was an enormous relief. After years of searching, I finally understood that what I was experiencing was real. I wasn't imagining it, and I wasn't simply overreacting. There was a reason my body wasn't responding the way I expected it to.

The diagnosis also helped explain why music had become increasingly difficult. I had spent years developing my abilities as a guitarist, only to reach a point where my own hands sometimes prevented me from playing the way I wanted. It was discouraging to feel my passion for music competing with something I couldn't control.

Fortunately, my doctor prescribed mexiletine, a medication that helped alleviate some of my symptoms. It wasn't a cure, and it didn't make every day the same, but it gave me some relief. I was able to play guitar more comfortably, move around more normally, and begin doing things that had become difficult over the years.

That relief helped me rediscover something I never wanted to lose: the ability to pursue music.

My journey hasn't been without challenges, and I still have days when my symptoms remind me that I can't take anything for granted. But my perspective has changed. Instead of allowing uncertainty about the future to keep me from pursuing what I love, I've learned to appreciate the opportunities I have today.

I don't know exactly what the future holds, and I can't promise that my body will always cooperate. What I do know is that I don't want to look back someday and wish I had done more with the time and abilities I had.

Music has always been a dream worth pursuing. Living with myotonia has made that dream more complicated, but it has also given me a deeper appreciation for every opportunity to perform, write, and share my music with others.

I may not know what tomorrow will bring, but I'm not going to let the uncertainty keep me from making the most of today.

Contact