An attic fire swept through our home and took everything from our family last year, displacing us for 8 months and destroying my recording studio and my livelihood. My partner and I were later struck in a terrible car accident, injuring us and making a bad year worse.

Our music studio and a lifetime collection of instruments burned to a ruin, including 15 years of music and art. Still we persevere, publishing original music, and running a music program for kids in Portland. This is the story of our recovery and the legacy of my work. Please help fund the dream to bring musical excellence to the under-served children of Portland, and resurrect my beloved music studio:

I've lived for music since I was five, banging out tunes on my family's piano, giving solo voice recitals at church, and dreaming of guitars under Led Zeppelin IV's spell. By eleven, I was shredding riffs and playing benefit shows, and by thirteen, my band's "Philly Song" had kids cheering at school assemblies. Later, I won the coveted Randolph Music Prize at my Brunswick School graduation.

At NYU on a partial music scholarship, I soaked up Greenwich Villages's folk vibes, immersed myself in the indie rock scene, and wrote chamber music under great composers Youngmi Ha and Dinu Ghezzo.

I played countless shows in NYC and have maintained a live presence ever since.

I was snatched up by a fledgling indie label, Dovecote, and released my lauded first album Subcontrario (In Stereo).

In Portland, I started a music school and lessons business, and built a studio--my sanctuary for writing, practice, teaching and production. Last year, a fire took it all: my guitars, amps, mics, recording gear, computer and hard drive, antique piano, keyboards, and the space where I made albums for friends and taught kids to love music as much as I do. It was a gut punch, but I'm not done.

Song + Slideshow

Piano Piece w/guitar and fx

Our family lost everything, and it’s been a real struggle ever since. In this economy tough times hit hard, especially when they force your business to shut down.

Now, I'm raising $25,000 to rebuild. This will replace my gear--guitars, tube amps, recording tools, piano, everything I need to create again. It'll fund music lessons and group classes in Portland, including my after-school program, helping public school kids tap into music for the first time, and helping adult students find their sound.

And it'll launch my publishing dreams, starting with my album Nature's Son, a bluesy, spiritual journey inspired by Dylan and Zeppelin, borne out through my indie rock and folk years.

Your support will bring back the music, from a kids' first chord to tracks that'll echo in hearts. Join me to rebuild the studio, fund the school, and keep the music alive. Rock on!

Here's how your support will help: $15,000 replaces my guitars, amps, keys, mics and recording gear lost in the fire, bringing my studio back to life. $6250 funds music lessons and group classes in Portland, teaching kids and adults to play with passion. $3750 launches Nature's Son, my album of bluesy, soulful tracks. Every dollar fuels music, creativity, and community.

Fund Allocation: