Age:

 

Hometown: Owatonna

 

Occupation: Behavior Analyst, I run a group home outside of Hayfield MN.

 

 

When did you first start singing? : I started singing as soon as the army doctor swatted my behind after making my grand entrance from my mom's womb.  Pretty sure I had my black Fedora on AND I know I was singing "Mr. Bojangles"--man Sammy could sing. 

 

Favorite genre to sing? Wow that's like asking me to choose which of my two sons I love best?  Actually, I like my older son better, he picks up the dog poop for me.  Just Kidding.  No, actually I love the strength, power and simplicity of the singers from classic rock.  How can you beat the purity of Steve Perry (Journey), the bluesiness of Steven Tyler (Aerosmith), the beautiful powerful falsetto of Brad Delp (Boston) or the grittiness of Lou Gramm (Foreigner) and don't even get me started on Freddy Mercury--that man could do it all, strength, beauty, drama, falsetto, grittiness--listen to their (Queen) album "Innuendo", then listen to it again and realize he made that album while he was literally dying of AIDS.  Ah, but then there is R & B!  Can Classic Rock really compete with the soul and passion that singers like Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, Ben E King bring to the table and I can't not mention groups like the Temptations, Commodores, Earth Wind and Fire and Sly and the Family Stone--A MAZING.  Fortunately, like my sons I don't have to choose--I can love both and I love to sing both.

 

Have you been in, or auditioned for shows or contests before? Yes, I won a couple of contests and placed a few times.  But, I sing really great in front of my dog, when she doesn't run away AND I take full advantage of any and all opportunities to embarrass my boys by singing and dancing as often as possible in public when out shopping.  Hey, it's part of my job as their dad, right?

 

What would your dream occupation be? : I can't think of a more rewarding occupation than being a father to my boys.  It's the most important job in the world, the most difficult and the most rewarding.  As Sidney Poitier said "a measure of a man was (is) how well he provided for his children".  What, did you think I was going to say a ROCK STAR? 

 

If you could join any band in the world past or present, who would it be? Without hesitation I would say Queen. They have written so many great songs and have an eclectic musical style and their show kept you riveted from start to finish.  From the rock operetta Bohemian Rhapsody, to the funky Dragon Attack, to the driving Stone Cold Crazy, to the surreal My Bijou, to the ballad Somebody to Love, to the powerful and emotional The Show Must Go On!!!! Freddy and Queen could do it all!!!

 

What would you do with $10,000? I know it sounds cliche but I told my boys I would take them to Disney World.  I've never been there and haven't been able to afford to take them there and it's important for me I follow thru on the things I tell them.