Ask my folks -- they chose it when I was born.

I'm not playing out at the moment, but I have played live quite a bit in the past.

Playing live has its good and bad points, depending on the venue, the audience, and how I'm feeling at the time.

It allows the listener to get music almost instantly, with very little effort. It gives the artist the ability to showcase their talent and to reach a potentially huge audience easily. The internet is all about access, both for the artist and the audience.

Possibly, if I felt the label was commited to developing talent over the long-term. It would also be important to be able to maintain some control over material and to have some input into the creative process.

However, in today's environment, thankfully, signing with a major label isn't necessary.

My history is typical: learned guitar in my teens, played solo and in bands on and off over the next several years. My last band wanted to branch out into more original material, so that's when I started songwriting, which I still do on my own.

First above all: The Beatles. Also, in no order: Buck Owens, The Who, Travis, Pink Floyd, Ryan Adams, Wilco, John Hurt, Larry Sparks, Elvis Costello, The Moody Blues, The Go-Gos, all that Celtic fiddle music, Neil Young, Gillian Welch, The Waterboys, Dwight Yoakam, Tom Petty, and many, many others.

Just about anywhere in the UK. Amsterdam is also a lovely place.

'99 Martin D-28, Carvin Tele-copy, no-name bass, Crate amp, and various other things as needed.

Don't be cheap when you walk by the tip jar.

All songs copyrighted and registered with BMI.