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I was born into a musical family. My grandmother played the piano in her church.
My dad grew up playing trumpet, and later picked up the guitar.
My mom sang in beauty pageants as a girl.
And when I was 5 years old, my dad bought me a little toy piano.
He taught me how to play “Yankee Doodle,” and there was no turning back.
Within a year, my parents bought an antique upright piano, and signed me up for lessons.
I wanted to learn it all! In 5th grade, I picked up dad’s trumpet.
In middle school, I started on the French horn. In high school, I discovered jazz, and started writing music.
In college, I started on the drums. After college, I picked up the electric bass, and acoustic and electric guitars.
Next on my list are saxophone and harmonica – stay tuned!
My musical education is fairly broad. I graduated from the Arts Magnet High School at Booker T. Washington.
I studied at Southern Methodist University, the University of North Texas, and the University of Texas at Dallas.
I’ve studied piano and vocal performance, piano pedagogy, music theory, arranging and composing, history, recording and production.
My professional and performance experience is even more extensive. My first professional gig was at age 15, and I haven’t stopped.
I’ve performed with some big names: the late Gregory Hines (singer/dancer), Winton and Branford Marsalis (jazz instrumentalists),
the late John Cage (avant-garde composer), Roy Hargrove (jazz trumpeter),
Aaron Comess (drummer), Roger Roe (oboist), and Tricia Coffin (soprano).
For several years, I was the musical director for Ad-Libs, the improv comedy club in the Arts District of Dallas.
I played for the inauguration ceremonies for 2 Dallas mayors, a beauty pageant (I’m sorry, a scholarship program!),
multiple charity benefit concerts, and more than 100 weddings.
I have been involved in quite a few recording sessions, produced CDs, and developed musical groups.
I’ve performed in California, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and all over Texas.
And I co-wrote, co-produced, and performed in a full length Christmas musical.
Currently, I live in Grapevine with my wife Janet
(a great pianist and singer in her own right!). I own a music production company and recording studio,
providing music and voiceovers for a variety of projects, from telephone on-hold systems to commercials to video games.
My first solo CD, Words of Life Volume 1, was released February 5, 2006.
Along with other gigs, I play and sing regularly as a part of the praise and worship ministry at Southlake Blvd Church.
In addition, I am a freelance journalist and music critic for the Dallas Morning News
and the United Methodist Reporter, with other publications coming soon.
And finally, I am a member of the
Stefano Elliott Band. We're a Contemporary Christian band based
in Southlake, TX. Our first CD was released in December 2007, with proceeds going to benefit
Central Dallas Ministries. |
