Music Music is a huge part of my life. In 1984, something attracted me to the violin. Every time I heard a fiddle on the radio, I would listen carefully and wish I could play that instrument. I begged my parents to find a violin teacher so I could take lessons. In late 1984, they found a guy who gave fiddle lessons. I began taking lessons in December of that year and I have been playing ever since. I began playing other instruments, and today my main instruments are fiddle, guitar, and bass. In 1990, some guys near my hometown were forming a Cajun band. They asked me if I'd be interested in playing the fiddle in the band. I had never really played Cajun music before, but I decided to give it a try. I learned a lot about Cajun music and the Cajun culture, and I really began to enjoy playing the music on my fiddle. I currently play bass in a Cajun band, The Boudin Cajun Band, and I freelance on bass & fiddle with several other Cajun groups. From 1998 until 2002, I made playing music my full-time job. During this time I was a member of Lee Benoit and The Bayou Stompers. I really enjoyed my time as a full-time musician; I met many interesting people and traveled to many places. Some highlights include performing at the Kennedy Center, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and performances in France and Belgium. In 1992, I entered the Louisiana State Fiddlers' Championship, winning 1st place in the Young Adult Division. I competed again in 1993 and 1994, winning 1st place in the Young Adult Division again in each of those years. In 1994, I also beat the other division winners to win the title of Grand Champion. That was certainly a highlight of my musical career. The Long Neck Society has been my latest musical project. Two of the musicians from The Boudin Cajun Band and I branched off to form this classic rock/variety band. I play bass with this group and I'm enjoying myself immensely! When I play bass, my main instruments are a 1995 Music Man Stingray 4, a 2000 Music Man Stingray 4, and a 2005 Music Man Stingray 5. All three basses are strung with Ernie Ball Slinkys, and I play them through my Gallien-Krueger rig consisting of a 1001RB-II head and Neo 212 and Neo 115 speaker cabinets. My primary fiddle is a violin made by A.M. Batchelder of Frankfort, Maine, in 1928. It's equipped with Pirastro Obligato strings and a Fishman pickup. My main guitar is a 1996 Gibson Les Paul Standard with D'Addario XL strings, and I play it through a Laney LC30 amp.To read more about my A.M. Batchelder violin, please click here. Performance Schedule Please e-mail me to verify any dates; dates are subject to last-minute changes. The schedule below includes the names of the bands I'll be performing with as well as the instrument(s) that I'll be playing. All events are open to the public unless otherwise noted. March 2009 March 7 - Abita Springs Town Hall, Abita Springs, LA, 8-11 P.M., Choupique, fiddle March 14 - Park Place, Gonzales, LA, 9 P.M.-1 A.M., Long Neck Society, bass March 28 - Sullivan's Ringside, Baton Rouge, LA, 9 P.M.-1 A.M., Long Neck Society, bass April 2009 April 4 - DI's Cajun Restaurant, Basile, LA, 7-10 P.M., Choupique, fiddle April 8 - Private party, Slidell, LA, Choupique, fiddle April 10 - Private wedding, Gonzales, LA, Long Neck Society, bass April 19 - Tipitina's (Uptown), New Orleans, LA, 5-9 P.M., Bruce Daigrepont, bass April 24 - Roux House, Baton Rouge, LA, 10 P.M.-2 A.M., Long Neck Society, bass April 25 - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, New Orleans, LA, 1:35-2:25 P.M., Bruce Daigrepont, bass May 2009 May 8 - UCT Hall, Baton Rouge, LA, 8-10:30 P.M., Choupique, fiddle May 9 - The Caterie, Baton Rouge, LA, 9 P.M.-1 A.M., Long Neck Society, bass May 30 - Sullivan's Ringside, Baton Rouge, LA, 9 P.M.-1 A.M., Long Neck Society, bass June 2009 June 5 - Private wedding, Baton Rouge, LA, Long Neck Society, bass June 6 - Private wedding, Baton Rouge, LA, Long Neck Society, bass June 12 - Varsity Theatre, Baton Rouge, LA, 9 P.M.-1 A.M., Long Neck Society, bass June 18 - Sullivan's Ringside, Baton Rouge, LA, 9 P.M.-1 A.M., Long Neck Society, bass July 2009 July 11 - Abita Springs Town Hall, Abita Springs, LA, 8-11 P.M., Choupique, fiddle July 17 - Private party, Baton Rouge, LA, Choupique, fiddle July 18 - Natchitoches Folklife Festival, Natchitoches, LA, time TBA, Choupique, fiddle July 25 - Private party, Springfield, LA, Choupique, fiddle August 2009 August 1 - Park Place, Gonzales, LA, 9 P.M.-1 A.M., Long Neck Society, bass August 15 - Private wedding, Baton Rouge, LA, Long Neck Society, bass October 2009 October 9 - Live After Five, Baton Rouge, LA, 5-8 P.M., Long Neck Society, bass October 24 - Abita Springs Town Hall, Abita Springs, LA, 8-11 P.M., Choupique, fiddle Updated on 4/20/09