Yes, it’s an unusual name for such a beautiful and spiritual instrument, but I am here thanks to “The Original Ugly Boy” which was, truth be told, ugly.  But it played, bold and loud, and my excitement level was electrified as I began honing my craft since that day in July, 2002.  Mine is a spiritual pursuit in line with the spiritual nature of the Native-style flute, and my goal is to create a crystal-clear voice that is responsive and lyrical.  The secret is all in the sound mechanism, which I craft identically in all my flutes.  Whether it’s an affordable Shadow Hawk or the fanciest Ugly Boy, the voice is the same.

I often get asked, “What’s your favorite wood to work with?”  I don’t have just one because different woods have different characteristics.  However, I will say I favor Makore, Black Limba, and anything ‘old growth’ with tight annular rings, as those are all fantastic ‘tone woods’.  But who can argue with the beauty of Walnut, Maples, etc., especially when they have a lot of figure and character?  I split-bore my flutes (no lathe) and make a very wide range of keys, some even in Verdi frequencies (A432 Hz).  I often let the flute ‘tell’  me as to the key that is best for that particular flute…it’s just something I hear and know. For 24 years I was a TV meteorologist, with 4 years at The Weather Channel.  I’ve been flying under the ‘figurative’ radar with my photography, but I have maintained an online presence with my Ugly Boy Flutes.  I rarely vend at shows for various reasons, but may from time to time locally.  My flute ‘family’ is all over the US, in the jungles of South America, Thailand, France, Germany, and more.  Music heals, and I’ve seen this instrument create some amazing changes in people and animals.  Check out the PHOTOGRAPHY page for my other Soul-inspiring work.