Here's the short-short:
I play bass. I was born. I
live. I eat. I Sleep. I have joys and sorrows, a great wife
and a beautiful son.
Trip credits the fateful day early in 1982 when he heard "Silly Love
Songs" by Wings as the day he decided that music was for him. He would
often accompany his band-director father to area music stores where he would
see bass guitars. The young Trip thought basses were, as he puts it,
"...big guitars for dumb people...". (We've learned to appreciate
Trip's dry sense of humor...) Trip's school had a bass that was not being used,
so he brought it home and learned to play "Summer Nights" from the
movie "Grease". With his first song under his belt and some new-found
confidence, Trip set out to make music with a friend who had recently started
playing drums. Their association lasted for many years, much of that time
without a guitarist.
Forced by the circumstance, Trip's playing took on both the rhythmic bass
and melodic lead roles, a situation which gave him an appreciation of the
musical possibilities. Trip is quick to credit his drummer friend, who played
with incredible speed and an absolute lack of respect for the downbeat, as an
inspiration to study the bass more seriously. Play "in the pocket..."
as he says.
Since 1988 he has been with
many bands of all different syles. From pop-rock, to Funk and R&B and
Zydeco he has been working consistently. He is now back to being a solo
artist. He studied with Michael Manring in 1991 and 1992,
which was an experience Trip says consisted of scathing invective and brutal
honesty. Trip credits Michael with the phrase "...be deep wide awake and
slow...". We can relate. Recent live appearances include dates with Steve
Lawson, Michael Manring and Bass Quake 2003 and 2004 and many other bass
festivals in the US and abroad. And last but not least the Dirty South.