1.    Hi Brett, can you tell me a little bit about yourself before you became a country musician? I grew up in Belleville, IL which is about 20 min from St Louis, MO. I always had an interest in music but was always steered by folks to take the practical route so I went to school and got a Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology. I figured it would allow me flexibility to move anywhere and work at schools or for myself in order to have as much time off to pursue music as possible. I met my wife in the program at school. We got married and moved to Nashville the next day. 

2.    When did you start to listen to country music? I’ve listened to country music ever since I was born. My mom and dad played records and cassettes of Conway Twitty, Willie, Waylon, Merle, Dolly, The Judds, Randy Travis, George Strait, etc. I was most influenced by the 90s era of country (Garth, Tim McGraw, Clay Walker, Joe Diffie, LeAnn Womack, etc). As I got older I started listening more to rock and pop but eventually came back to country. 

3.    When did you know you wanted a career in country music?    I always wanted to be a songwriter. That has been my dream career since I can remember. After moving to Nashville and getting better at the craft as well as performing, it has become my obsession. 

4.    What is the background story behind your latest single “Better on Paper?”  My last single is “BETTER ON PAPER”. I had the idea for that song for a long time. My friend Andrew Peebles and I were in a co-write. He started playing the guitar lick and I mentioned the idea to him. He liked it so we went with it. We really wanted to nail the song and make sure it hit ya in the feels. I think we did a pretty good job of it. 

5.    Who are some of your musical icons?   Garth Brooks always stands out just because I grew up on him more than anybody else. But also because I am a fan of who he is as a human being. I remember when I was young, we came down to CMA Fest in Nashville (It was called FAN FAIR at that time and was nowhere near as huge as it is now). That year Garth stayed at his autograph booth signing autographs for 23 straight hours. I remember thinking, “That guy loves his fans and gets that they are the reason he is who he is.” I remember saying, if I ever get the chance, I’m gonna be just like that.  In addition to Garth, I was influenced a lot by 80’s pop and classic rock. Michael Jackson, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, just to name a few. 

6.    Is there anything new coming up with your music in 2019?   I have a bunch of irons in a bunch of fires that I can’t talk about. Who knows which ones will work out. It’s sort of like that for everybody in Nashville. I do plan on doing some more weekend touring around the country as well as putting out new music. I should be releasing something new in late Feb or March of 2019. 

7.    What has been of your some favorite live shows to play at?  I have mainly played here in Nashville. There’s a few places I really dig playing like Belcourt Taps, The Bluebird, The Local, and The Basement. 

8.    What is one of your favorite quotes?  My favorite quote is something my dad always used to tell me. He said, “If you can sit down and talk to the dumbest person in the world and not learn a single thing from them, then they aren’t the dumbest person in the world.” That quote has really had an impact on making me the person I am today. 

9.    Is there anything else would like to share? Just that I am so appreciative of every single opportunity and step along this journey. Ive been in Nashville for almost 10 years chasing this dream. It is so incredibly hard and demanding of your time and energy. The fact that Ive been at it and struggling for so long makes me appreciate everything so much. I feel really blessed when people like you want to learn more about me :).