BIOGRAPHY
My parents lived in Auburndale, Florida when I was born, but I was actually born in a hospital in Lakeland on August 5, 1950. I grew up and have lived most of my life in Auburndale. My earliest memories of music and singing involve three locations; home, school, and church. My grandfather (my mothers dad, Harry A. Cline / DOB May 27,1882) led singing before Sunday School, and played a variety of stringed and "odd" instruments, including the "saw" (some of which he crafted himself) from his "Minstrel Show" days, at our house. My mother played the organ at the First Methodist Church, (and later at Kersey funeral home) and played the piano at home, where I remember singing hymns and Christmas songs. Early on, I remember the home radio being tuned to Glen Miller, The Andrews Sisters, and The Mills Brothers. In my early teen years I tuned my transistor radio to Sam Cook, Elvis, Ricky Nelson, Merle Haggard, Marty Robins, and Charlie Pride. I played alto saxophone in our local schools from sixth to twelfth grade, and was Drum Major of our High School Band my senior year. (1968) I was about thirteen when I started trying to play one of my granddad's homemade guitars. When I was fifteen, He crafted a six string guitar for me for my birthday. I am a self taught "strummer" on the guitar. I learned a few "folk" songs, which I sang on the bus, when we ( Auburndale High School Band) made trips to events around the state. I started writing songs when I was fifteen. I wrote about four songs between ninth and twelfth grade. I did a four year tour of duty in the U.S. Air Force. While I was stationed in Korea, I entered a talent contest with a Merle Haggard tune. I came back to Auburndale and entered a career as a firefighter/EMT, where I was known to sing a song or two in the evening, sitting on the "Pumper Bumper" as traffic passed by. I started attending a small independent Baptist church and enjoyed the "southern gospel" style of the songs, the "ya'll come" choir, and the "southern gospel" quartets (Dixie Echoes, The Kings Messengers, and The Rock City Boys) that visited us. In 1983, I started attending a larger church in town, (First Missionary Baptist) where I sang lead for ten years in a southern gospel quartet we called the "Messengers". I started writing some country songs, mostly inspired by events in my life, like the one I wrote about a co-worker/friend, that had moved away. In 1990, I started performing at local arts and craft shows, doing mostly classic country, which lead into being the MC at the Auburndale craft shows for ten years. I later started performing at the Florida State Fair in Tampa, The Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City, Pioneer Days in Zolpho Springs, and other fairs, festivals, patriotic functions, military and illness benefits, assisted living facilities, nursing homes and foundations in and around Central Florida. Along the way, I was inspired by a motorcycle "poker run" in Alamogordo, New Mexico, that I participated in, with an international organization that my brother was affiliated with called The Retreads. After writing a song, (Cruisin') I went to an Auburndale native, performer, singer/song writer, Carl Chambers, (Close Enough To Perfect, Loves Gonna Get You) and asked if he could help me record that song. That was the first of Thirteen songs that we did, that are on my CD entitled "You Set Me On Fire". Although it’s been quite some time since I penned an “entire” song, My intentions remain to use my God Given Talent, to minister to, perform for, or just generally share my talent, as my granddad (Harry A Cline) would have done: for myself, for my family and all those with whom I am allowed to come in contact with, for as long as I am able. As I’ve stated at live shows before: “Just please don’t throw chairs!”
CONTACT INFORMATION
PHONE
863-967-3629