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After attending the concert that featured The Hinsons...I was hooked!  I can't believe I'm admitting to this, but I became a Kenny Hinson FAN.  I mean, to the most extreme use of the word "fan", I was.  It was so bad that in my early teens I grew my hair out like Kenny's, I dressed like Kenny, I grew a moustache like Kenny (when I was able to grow facial hair), and I tried to sound like Kenny.  I found that it was much easier to look like the man than to sound like him.  In my opinion Kenny Hinson was the greatest vocalist to ever sing Southern Gospel Music.  Again, it's MY OPINION...please no emails or letters.  :) 

During this time I was also a Happy Goodmans fan.  Who wasn't?  Rusty Goodman was another exceptional vocalist in my book.  The man could put more feeling into one word than most singers put into an entire song.  Then came a group call The Singing Americans with a lead singer named Michael English.  This guy's voice floored me.  I was also introduced by a friend to a Black Gospel group called Commissioned.  Thier lead singer, Fred Hammond, was and is an outstanding singer.  So, when someone asks who my major influences were...those are my four. 

I quickly became a student of these singers and many others as well.  The Hemphills, The Hoppers, The Perrys, The Freemans, The Cathedrals, Gold City, The Anchormen, The Singing Americans, The Kingsmen, The Inspirations, and many more became my teachers.  I watched how they would stand, their expressions as they sang, how they talked, and their styles of music.  I also was introduced to contemporary artists like Mylon Lefevre & Broken Heart, David Meece, The Imperials, Russ Taff, Keith Green, Degarmo & Key...I'm showing my age aren't I?  Anyway, my life was music. 

During my highschool years I was involved in every sport I could get my hands on.  Football, baseball, basketball, soccer, ran track, threw the shot-put, and the discus...but when I would get home I put on my records and sang.  Singing is what I loved most. 

When I was 17, after graduating from highschool, our family moved to Pensecola, FL.  I attended Pensecola Christian College, half-heartedly, might I add...  I wasn't interested in getting an education, I just wanted to sing.  I remember telling my father, "Dad, I don't need to learn Business Administration...I'm gonna be a singer".  Not a good idea, by the way.  I realize now that a good education would've been a good thing...but all I had was singing on the brain back then.  After one semester of college and showing a great lack of interest...I didn't return to PCC.  Here's a Pensecola memory...I was 18 and my family attended Smyrna Baptist Church in Pensecola.  The Minister of Music, Otmer Horn, always encouraged me to sing.  He was once helped me make a demo cassette that I took to J. G. Whitfield to try and get a job in the music business.  Mr. Whitfield was the founder of The Florida Boys and owned a store (if I remember correctly) in Pensecola.   

Our family then moved to Virginia Beach, VA.  It was there in Virginia Beach that I sang for the first time with a group outside of my family.  It was a male trio called "The Galileans" led by the baritone singer, Ken Channell.  Ronnie Harris sang lead and I sang...tenor.  I wasn't a tenor singer but the group had their songs so low that there wasn't much of a struggle.  The Galileans would travel one or two days a week.  We would go all over Virginia, North Carolina, and West Virginia.  I worked a forty hour week and then we'd hit the road and sing.  Needless to say, I was loving my life...but it was just the beginning.