I started playing trumpet in grade school. In high school I started to play guitar also. I think the Beatles had a lot to do with that. I got my first guitar in 1970, and still have it, a "Toredo" acoustic. I never tried writing songs until after the "Dulcimer Festival" in Evart, Michigan 2007. I never thought I had anything to say, but I wrote 3 songs the first day. As of 05-06-2009 I have 108 songs. The First CD "The Barn Is Still Standing" has the first 15 songs I wrote, in the order I wrote them. The next CD "Shep Dog" has the next 15 songs in the order written. I'm working on my 3rd. CD now (also in the order written) it should be done by June. Last year I entered the 2008 "U.S.A. Songwriting Competition" and placed in the top ten, for a song I call "Mr. Hanky". You can see my name on page five at WWW.songwriting.net/winners.html OK, it's out, my third CD! yep pee! It's better than ever, enjoy, Mark