Born in Pittsburgh, Pa 1935.

Moved to Los Angeles 1942 and graduated from high school 1953. Attended Long Beach City College in 1954 then entered to US Navy and graduated from US Naval school of Music in 1955.

Attended Sam Houston State University (Texas) 1958-'59 and also studied with Jerry Coker at this time.

1959 Joined the Woody Herman Orchestra.

1961 Joined Maynard Ferguson Orchestra.

1963 Joined Count Basie Orchestra.

1965 freelanced in New York and re-joined Woody Herman.

1966-1982 freelanced in Los Angeles and worked in every major motion picture studio; did "live" tv and film tv productions; worked and traveled with Henry Mancini, Percy Faith, Les Brown/Bob Hope (12 years including five Christmas tours of Vietnam '67-'71); Della Reece (Tv series & Vegas), Jerry Lewis (33 years traveling and Muscular Distrophy Telethons); Bill Holman Band; Stan Kenton Orchestra (6 years staff member Kenton Clinics); Terry Gibbs Dream Band (10 years including tv show "Operation Entertainment);
Diana Ross (Ten week tour); Louis Bellson; Benny Carter (four tours of Japan); Supersax; Elvis Presley (one tour); Frank Sinatra,
Frank Sinatra jr. and Andy Williams.

1983-'84 Joined staff orchestra at South German Radio-TV network in Stuttgart. Also worked at Radio Zurich in Switzerland; NDR radio orchestra in Hamburg, Germany and WDR Radio band in Koln, Germany.

1985 returned to freelancing in Los Angeles but return to Europe to work yearly where I have recorded cd's with Bill Holman; Peter Herbolzheimer; Frank Foster; Rob McConnell and others. Began doing Jazz tours doing concerts and clinics.

1994 re-located to Sydney, Australia and began freelancing with: Sydney
Allstar Big Band; Tom Burlinson; Frank Bennett; Doug Parkinson; Tommy Tyco; Rhonda Burchmore; Grace Knight et al. Jazz trumpet improvisation teacher at Sydney Conservatory of Music (approx 5 years); visiting artist at Central Queensland Conservatory of Music
(3 times a year); motion picture and recording sessions.

I have taught at Polytech in Christchurch, NZ and at the Polytech in Wellington, NZ. as well as doing concerts and clinics throughout New Zealand