Guitar ability
Expert
Bass Guitar ability
Expert
Vocal ability
Classically trained
Vocal range
Tenor
Composer ability
Expert
Producer ability
Expert
Singing styles
Favourite genres
Influences: Eagles, Gary Moore, George Benson, Joe Bonnamssa, Earth Wind & Fire, Status Quo, The Shadows, Clint Black, Garth Brooks, Uriah Heep,
I am a professional singer & guitarist with many years of experience in the music business.
I have worked fronting and leading bands for many years and as a backing musician, and for the last 17 years I have worked as a solo entertainer / guitar vocal act.
I record, arrange and produce my own backing tracks .The music styles I feature covers all types and styles and ranges from 1940's timeline to up to date in styles of ; Pop,Rock,Soul,Ballads,Country,RocknRoll,Rock,Blues,Jazz,Big Band,musicals & Scottish traditional music & instrumentals. I utilise high tech guitar synth technology in my act & play with or without backing tracks or with live backing musicians or accoustically.
I have a number of TV and Radio appearances over many years and recently recorded a number of shows live at The Caird Hall Dundee as session guitar player in the house band for Sky TV,s Janey Kirk Show . I featured in a 20 minute spot with my solo act ,the video is on this web page on SKY TV's Music Express, which aired throughout Europe. The show was aired weekly over a six month period. Other videos in the video section include a live gigs and live music jam night videos ( unrehearsed) from jam night sessions recorded at a venue in Dunfermline.
The audio section of my page contains live recordings from gigs and also original recordings for an award winning project done for the worldwide launch of Dailies ( Launch music & media Music ) in form of 2 songs . One for the USA market and the other for EU. An Accoustic recording Jean song also features . I wrote this for my wife Jean not long after we met 33 years ago and recorded this LIVE in 1 take on a home recorder with my late brother David on keyboards onto a portable cassette based multi track recorder to be played as our first dance at our wedding. I have cleaned up the background noise but the track has had nothing added or taken away and is as recorded all these years ago but also stands as an example of my accoustic work Because I record live gigs content in this section changes on a regular basis.
I am experienced in working all types of venues and and my act changes from gig to gig to suit each audience type. As well as the guitar vocal set with backing tracks ( my own and not karaoke type ) I work with live backing musicians and also have an accoustic set.
I sing and play for up to 3 to 4 hours at a time with breaks and have a set list that comprises over 500 songs.
Uniquely, I also feature a 2 piece band with live drums that has the sound and impact of a 5 piece pro function /covers band.
The equipment I use is state of the art and is regularly added to and upgraded. I have recently changed to a digital QSC desk with all its powerful control and performance features. Alongside this I have added again to the guitar side with a Blackstar TVP ID260 2X12 combo and floor controller with an upgrade on the vocal harmony side as well via TC Electronic Voicetouch Live 2 unit. The PA is changeable according to venue size and utilises a Bose Line Array L1 system with Bass Bins plus 2X JBL 315 powered speakers for monitors and a Peavey 250 watt wedge system. For guitar I use a number of alternatives for smaller venues including rack mounted or floor based amp systems V allowing space and sound restrictions required at these gigs. The backing tracks I use are mostly made and created by myself. There are no karaoke tracks and no fadeouts. I have a 1 bar count in on each track just as you'd expect a live band to start all in sync. For backing track playback I mainly use a Boss BR system and have backup playback devices with a Roland sound canvass Audio/Midi unit and Mini Disc system. I prefer not to use a laptop for playback as they can be temprememntal and can crash during a performance.
I work from a choice of 8 different guitars including 2 accoustics and a 5 string Bass. One of my Fender strats is fitted with the guitar synth system and the others include a Telecaster, 2015 Fender Strat with maple neck, Yamaha RGX A2 and Hagstrom Super Swede.
I have a floor based foot effects pedal system that has 12 pedals of various types with others available to customise uses for different types of music show requirement.
I can use a Mackie 16 channel desk and/or a small 8 channel desk if required.