I grew up in a fairly musical family. My mother played accordion, piano, bass guitar and electric organ (a Hammon M3 at home and at church); my older sister played the accordion, organ, and guitar; and my father played guitar and bass. Almost every Friday or Saturday night there would be a "family" jam session with most if not all members, me included. At age three, just to include me in the jam, my folks would set an old "wall ornament" Sears Silvertone box guitar across my lap, and I would pluck strings trying to "match" tones with each song. Six strings severely limited my chances of actually matching notes on each song, but I didn't care, I just loved being involved. It took two more years (with no lessons), to figure out what "frets" were for, and that they significantly increased the number of notes I had available to "match" tones at the family jam sessions. At age 5, the old Silvertone was finally "formally" brought down from the wall, and handed over to me, mostly to keep me from "bugging" everyone to let me play it more. (Basically banished to my room while practicing!)

My first "lessons" came from my sister Nonie, whom I annoyed continuously for pointers when I was about six years old. She showed me how to tune it, and a couple of chords, and finished up the ten minute lesson with some lasting words of encouragement, "...now, leave me alone!" Of course I really never did. I got further "off-color" encouragement from my Grandmother with comments like, "Your hands are too small...," and "Why bother, you'll never stick with it long enough to learn anything..." IF she was trying reverse psychology, it was the ONLY time it ever worked.

My mother was terrific at REALLY encouraging me as much as she could with some chord books and allowing me to go through the record albums, pointing out some various guitar artists that we had; namely Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, and Hank Snow. I was awe-struck by them all, but mostly by Chet Atkins. From age six to age twelve I listened to several Chet Atkins records in my room on an antique mono record player over and over and over again, trying to "match notes" until the grooves on the records were so worn down, they would barely play. There were plenty of times I was so frustrated with that old Sears Silvertone, (fingers sore and literally bleeding) that I would vow to never touch it again, only to pick it right back up again and keep trying. To this day, I still really don't know why!

Along this same time-frame, I was also playing around with an old St George Bass guitar my father had left behind when my folks got divorced. That old bass actually sent me off into a direction that I had not intended. Rocklin Elementary school, (where I attended), had a "Guitar" class, where I enrolled to get some real lessons (at about third grade). Unfortunately I already played too well for the beginner class, but didn't know enough chords to really fit in properly for the advanced class, AND the instructor found out I had a bass guitar I was playing with around the house; problem solved! So my musical career really started in the Advanced Guitar classes playing Bass guitar for school functions. This led to advanced "band" class where, (again) I was too advanced to play with the beginners, but didn't know how to read music, so I played bass guitar by ear for the advanced band class. (Back to matching tones and notes). I was the only student in the class and at competitions that didn't have a music stand. I didn't need it, I just played and the instructor liked what he heard as well as the judges in competition; we managed 2nd an 3rd places for our division. A judge's comment once came back that she was astonished that I was able to play all the songs without sheet music from memory. (I seriously doubt if I ever played any of the songs the same way twice!)

At age twelve my father gave me a 1965 Fender Music Master II, with a small Gibson amp for Christmas, and I soon after discovered "bar-chords" and advanced finger picking. Bar chords, it seemed, was the "key" to unlocking the secrets that Chet Aktins had been keeping from me all those years prior, listening to his albums. It wasn't long before I had learned a couple of his "simple" country pickin' tunes.

My mother often played either accordion or organ for "Old Folk" dances, and since she played the same songs there, that we "jammed" on around the house, and once I got good enough, she asked if I would like to play bass or guitar at those functions with her. On one of those dances I got paid $15. I gave it to my mother to pay for gas, and was totally thrilled that someone thought I was good enough to pay me, (anything)!

During my "teen" years, I visited my father during the summer months. He was playing bass and singing in a group that played "Classic Country". I was able to go to a few of the "gigs" and help set up the gear, and was given the "chore" of tuning up everybody, (by ear). Later when I was seventeen, I met one of my Dad's musician friends, Corkey Urmson. He would later end up being one of my largest sources of valuable advice for stage performance, professionalism, musicianship and ethics. After I graduated High School and moved back with my Dad for College, I ended up working with my Dad and Corkey (Dad #2 as he likes to say) playing various "gigs" around Northern California. My "Chet Atkins" finger picking style fit in beautifully with the "Classic Country" music we were playing. My first gig with my Dad paid out $83.33 each for three of us to play at a 50 year class reunion. We played a total of 45 minutes. I was totally hooked on playing music for money. At that point, I realized what I wanted to do with my life, AND actually knew how I was going to do it. To quote my father, trying to explain it to my mother, "...he's off the streets! He's playing in bars, but he's off the streets!"

By age twenty I had played dance halls, clubs, a Northern California State Prison and bars from the California/Oregon Coast to Casino's in Eastern and Western Nevada, and Lake Tahoe. I was still attending Lassen Community College on a regular basis and that's where I met up with Stephen Purdy Jr. I had seen a project he was working on in a Graphics class that involved a picture of himself and another guy, Mark Fyve playing guitar. When I mentioned to Steve that I also played some guitar and that maybe we could "jam" sometime, I got the impression that he was less than thrilled. If I remember correctly it took another couple days worth of conversations with him about getting together, before he finally invited me over to his house. We jammed for about three hours out in front of his house that first day. I guess I impressed him with my finger picking styles, and "swing" techniques. Jammin' together soon became a regular event, and we were eventually joined by his long time friend, Mark Fyve. Mark also seemed to be impressed with my finger picking style of guitar work, but also (through Steve) realized that I enjoyed playing bass guitar as well. So I was assigned the task of "Bass Player" for the three of us on a few College music productions. We eventually formed a rock band, "Catch 22" with a sixteen year old drummer named Lisa.

To be honest, jamming with Mark Fyve and Steve, doing "rock n roll" was a new experience for me. I had always been country, from the word go. I was often accused of playing everything "too much country" for a long time. So for a long time I simply played rhythm guitar or bass on most songs, with only an occasional lead, usually on some of the older "swing" type songs we did. It was in Catch 22 though, that I started experimenting with "rock" leads, and for the first time, attempting to sing some harmonies and play too. (Steve, you really goofed up back then. You had ALL the leads at first, but you kept trying to get me to do some, and once I got a taste for it, I never looked back! So if you don't get enough lead-work now around me, just remember it's all your own fault!!!)

Steve was also really responsible for introducing me to a much larger world of guitar artists, particularly Larry Carlton, and George Benson, along with a host of Rock artists. All my previous "bands" and guitar work only required my usual "Chet Atkins" style of picking, and that's all I really knew or cared about. But suddenly I was aware a completely new world of music and lead-work; Jazz, and Rock n Roll.

Unfortunately, Catch 22 as a rock band, couldn't support the lifestyle of which I had become accustom to playing music for a living; mainly being able to eat! So I ended up auditioning for a road band that had been playing in town at a local bar. David Grimes and Stagecoach (new country/Southern rock) asked me to join up with them and I was once again off and running playing gigs all over Northern California, and Nevada.

If there is one thing I've learned over the years, it's that bands will eventually break up. (I think it's actually a scientific "constant") And so, David Grimes and Stagecoach led to a "power-trio" called Diamonds Edge, which started a multi-state tour that lasted only two weeks at the first stop in Alliance Nebraska, breaking up when the lead vocalist/Bass player wanted to return home. Luckily our competition across the street was completely impressed, and hired myself and our drummer Eric Willoughby to continue on their tour. As a part of Don Carey and the Bandits we traveled all over the mid-west states, (Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, North/South Dakota and Montana.). We played 144 nights straight, two weeks at a time per location, with as much as 1500 miles between locations before we had our first three day break, and then started it all over again. I saw A LOT of beautiful country with that group.

Once again, that scientific constant struck, and Don Carey and the Bandits broke up. It had been a great experience, (worth a thousand more stories) and I was hit pretty hard about the break up. I really didn't want to return to Susanville and go back to college, so I called my sister in Florida. I asked her if there was any "work" down there. She said there was "tons". I was thinking music, she was thinking construction laborer!

While I was living with my sister in Panama City Beach Florida, I auditioned for several bands. Unfortunately those that weren't "garage band wanna-be's", were just trying to see if I had any good drug connections; the one thing I had and still have managed to stay completely away from during my whole life and music career, (much to many people's disbelief!). So I managed to get a part-time "Gig" at a local Mexican Restaurant for a while, playing "Fall asleep in your food" music, (as I called it), which was nothing more then going back to my Chet Atkins style "roots".

The "straw that broke the musicians dreams" came when I auditioned for a group, that I don't even remember the "leaders" name and bands name sake. They had a RCA record contract, sponsored tour bus, sponsored equipment and soundman, road manager, roadies and an 18 wheeler gear truck, with a work schedule that included opening up for some top RCA names at larger venues, (state fairgrounds and arena's) and recording studio time already booked in Nashville. My audition ended up being a three-hour "jam" session, in which we all really hit it off! We sounded "tight" without even working hard for it!!! I was hired that night and given two weeks to pack and be ready to meet up with them in Clear Water Florida to kick off stage rehearsals and start the tour. I finally felt like I was really on my way, and I know for a fact my feet were not even close to the ground! A week later that scientific constant struck once again! I got a call and was told that there had been a "falling out" with RCA, and the recording contract/tour was cancelled. All the other band members had already scattered to the far corners. I was devastated.

That was it for me and any dreams of trying for the "big-time." I was SO depressed, that only a couple of months later I joined the Navy just to get away from everyone and everything. I signed up to go Submarines literally to submerge myself in something completely different and try to forget about playing music. (I honestly thought at that time, I would never play again... silly me!)

One thing to remember about the Navy; if you don't particularly want to go somewhere, don't mention it or that you might know someone there! After 18 months of training they figured out I had an inner ear problem that would keep me out of submarines and the detailer overheard me saying I knew someone in Guam. So, I was immediately cut orders to the USS Proteus (Sub-Tender) in Guam. Steve had taken a job at an Advertising firm there, (Glimpses of Guam), and as soon as I arrived was taking about "getting the band together again". Nothing really came of the first couple of years there as "bands" go, we were recording songs and comedy skits at Steve's office after hours, and eventually went in together on an 8-track Tascam mixer recorder. Steve just kept trying to convince Pat Williams, (his bass player in another band after I left) to leave Texas and come out to the "tropical paradise" of Guam and "get the band back together again...". Pat was finally conned, huh, I mean convinced to move out after an initial quick two week stay.

Before we actually got the band back together we started recording more songs and comedy skits. However; I was looking into an "open mic" night at my favorite hangout "Jeff's Pirates Cove". Maria Yatar was the host and had a very unique style and list of songs. I had been sitting in (with an open invitation) on a regular basis for a couple of months, when Steve and Pat finally decided to come down and try it out as well. It didn't take long for us to become Maria's "back up band". Eventually we moved on to become "Crossroads" after picking up Scott Carr as our drummer/tattoo artist. Then we picked up a friend in the advertising business Mike Leon as our "front man" and lead singer. He had never been in a band before but filled the position nicely, and was known as the "man of many voices and characters". That line-up lasted until about 1992 when I finally got out of the Navy and Scott moved back to the states. While I was home on terminal leave, Steve, Mike and Pat had put an add in the paper looking for a drummer. That's where Paul Laraque on drums and Ri Rotundi on keyboards came along, and Riptide was born. We were becoming very popular around the island, and had played literally from one end to the other. Mike Leon eventually had to move back to the states and we picked up another popular lead vocalist from the island named Kim Aikens. He had been in several local rock bands, but really found a home with us. We developed a stage presence that drew in the audience. The "front four", (Steve, Pat, Kim and I) were "wireless" and would go out into the audience very often playing at patron's tables or opposite sides of the rooms. People loved our "antics". If you came to see Riptide, you were going to have fun and be included, whether you thought you wanted to or not! Eventually Ri was replaced by Mike Rady, and Riptide enjoyed a steady run every weekend at Barney's Beach House (outdoor bar/pool/grill) for over a year. We even played several gigs up in Saipan, (120 miles north of Guam). We were at our peak when the island of Guam was "rocked" by an 8.2 magnitude earthquake. Paul and Mike Rady both ended up moving back to the states, and the rest of us decided it would be too difficult to rebuild the band to it's glory. Riptide was finished.

I got married in 1995 about a year and a half later, and moved back to Washington State. I had sold all the gear I owned (including the full PA setup that I had bought for and was used by Riptide). The only thing I kept was a couple of electric guitars. I had pretty much came to the conclusion that I really didn't want to get involved with a "band" situation again, (too much politics and too many ego's to have to deal with). Just too many other important things going on in my life.

Steve soon followed from Guam and moved to Washington State too. Paul Laraque and I had hooked back up and were starting up a recording studio, (Sound Media Productions) in Silverdale. We really wanted Steve to become involved and bring in his creative talents to the studio. Of course, the first thing Steve wanted to do was start up "the band" again...(Riptide), and immediately started hitting up Pat to move to Washington as well, (again to "start up the band again"...). It took a couple of years but he succeeded in conning, huh convincing Pat to move out to Washington. Paul and I were really just trying to get a recording business going, and that's all I was planning to do. Since I had sold all the gear I would need to play "gigs" and wasn't in a financial position to buy replacement gear, (I had already sunk a ton of money into the recording studio), I was the "hold out" as far as Steve and Pat were concerned. Paul really didn't want to play the "same old stuff" anymore, so Steve and Pat went on looking for other groups to work with.

We continued to work on recording projects, like our first Christmas CD, (something Steve and I had wanted to do for almost twenty years). It was in the pre-production meetings and rehearsals for the second Christmas CD that I came to realize something about the three of us. We really liked working together and always seemed to have fun playing the "old stuff". I had suggested an acoustic "thing" but Steve and Pat were still "stuck" in the rut with full-fledged rock bands. They kept hammering hard on me about joining up with them, but I really didn't want to do that anymore. I was more interested in what I was hearing us doing (vocally) as a trio, getting ready to record the second Christmas CD.

Finally Steve and Pat were finished with the last band they were working in, and came to me about a trio "thing". I was ready myself and agreed under one condition. We had always put our vocals on the "back burner" and always looked for another "front-man" and let our guitars to carry it. This time I wanted us to focus on our vocals and three-part harmony. So finally, Acoustic Union was formed.

So there you have it, three guys, two guitars, one bass, looking for "that sound" and after almost twenty years, finally finding in ourselves, (where it had always been, all this time). So you can be sure that when you come to see Acoustic Union play, you are seeing and hearing "the real thing". That's no "act." We have a good time, and if you're not careful around us, you will too.

Mark