Friends
These are some of my greatest influences and inspirations throughout the years, and I'm proud to have shared a friendship, or even just a moment, with each of them. Click the images for a larger image.

Yngwie Malmsteen
When I was 16 years young I went to see Yngwie play live in Houston. This was one of those rare life changing experiences and after that I practiced guitar 6 to 8 hours a day for years. There were a lot of guitar players in the audience that night and I think all of their jaws were on the floor. He has incredible stage presence and is an extremely entertaining performer. I have had the chance to hang out with him several times and he is very funny and a big fan of Monty Python.

Jay Leno
I always have been a fan of Jay Leno. He has come such a long way and his life story is amazing. When I was a kid I used to go see him at comedy clubs in Houston. One time I saw him at the Aerial theatre in Houston and Billy Gibbons was there. Jay made a very funny comment that was playfully targeted at him. Jay has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at the exact spot where he was arrested for sleeping on the street when he was homeless. I spent the day with Jay and my friend Mike Powell in Fort Worth.

Daniel Lanois
Three of my favorite album’s are “The Joshua Tree” by U2, Peter Gabriel’s “So” and Daniel Lanois “Acadie” He produced all of them and he has a great feel for working with technology and keeping an organic vibe. Daniel and Brian Eno have been major inspirations to me.

Tony Robbins
I love to read and I have to tell you Tony Robbins loves to read. I attended one of his seminars after college and it changed my life. Some of the books I have read because he recommended them have helped me immensely. He reminds me of a coach or teacher that you always respected. I always respond well to people who have high expectations of me.

Dr. Tom Sovik
My music theory professor at The University of North Texas. It was inevitable that me and Tom would become friends. He is an extremely proud Czech and I was raised in a Czech household. We have gone to the Czech Republik several times and always have a blast.

Matt Thompson
Matt is one of my favorite drummers. He is now touring with King Diamond. When I was growing up me and my sister used to jam to the King Diamond records. We recently recorded a song together and he sounds awesome as ever. Watch for it on the site at the downloads page.

Bernie Grundman
Bernie has mastered three of my records and I cannot say enough great things about him and his company. He is the consummate professional and has a great ear. You can always tell when someone has great taste by their love of Jazz. This is in Los Angeles at the mastering session for “Wake Up”.

Al DiMeola
Another one of my favorite guitar players. I used to spend hours listening to his records. All the musicians were always the best in his band. Chick Corea! Al was playing with Chick Corea when he was 17 years old. That must have been a trip. My friend Chris Carrington played with Al for 10 years in World Sinfonia. I have learned a lot from Chris and Al. This is after a show in Dallas.

Allan Holdsworth
There are guitar players and then there is Allan Holdsworth. Allan is one of the most influential guitarists of all time and has massively elevated the boundaries of the guitar. Here we are hanging at my home in Texas where we had a sushi party and did a mess of drinking. Allan was in town for a concert for my Fall Jazz series. The show was incredible and Allan is always on top of his game. We have become good friends and I always look forward to chatting with Allan.

Clint Strong
Wow Clint Strong! When I first moved to Dallas me and my friend Jeff Viaclovsky went to see Clint play and we almost had heart attacks. I have seen every living major caliber guitarist there is and no one plays like this guy. Even Ted Greene raves about Clint Strong. I have become good friends with Clint and there is no one funnier than Clint as well. He always has some crazy joke that he pulls out of nowhere. Every time I see him he is laughing or fixing to make someone laugh.

Chet Atkins
I am a member of The Dallas Classical Guitar Society and we brought Chet to Dallas for a concert and auction a few years before he died. I spent years collecting and going over his records. I think I have almost all of them. We talked a lot about Fernando Bustamante and this great classical guitar piece “Misionera” that we both play. He is such a powerful example of “Do what you love and the money will follow”. You could just tell from talking to him how much he loved guitar. He told a lot of Dirty Jokes as well.

Popeye
I do not eat much fast food these days but I make an exception when it comes to Popeye’s Chicken. That stuff is like a sacrament to me when I am in the mood for it. Long live Al Copeland and Louisiana. I love New Orleans and I have spent a lot of time there. New Orleans is truly a magical place and I can see why we are all drawn to it. I was pleased to meet Popeye recently at a location in Texas. I read an interview with the Chef “Emeril Lagass” in Playboy and he said he craves Popeye’s as well.

Jim “Alamo” O’Neill
Jim is my good friend Trey Smith’s grandfather and a hell of a fiddler. He lives in Midland, TX and was a member of “The Texas Plainsmen” with fellow Texas legend “Yodeling’ Don Walser. We hit it off when we first met as musicians do and this guys comedic timing and wit are without peer. I have never heard anyone rattle off a string of wisecracks and one-liners like Jim does. Here we are celebrating at a bar in Cameron, TX.

Aloke Dutta
I love the tabla and have followed Indian music for years. Aloke is great friend and has done a lot to introduce Indian music to new audiences. His solo tabla work and collaborations with Tool and King Crimson are wonderful. Here we are in Studio City, CA after recording some tabla for my record.

Carlos Machado
Carlos is my Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor and a great teacher. I have learned a lot about life and conditioning from him. Here he is throwing me to the mat in Dallas at his studio.

Alligator Dave
Me and Alligator hanging after a show in Waco, Dave is one of the funniest and most awake performers I know. He has really developed some awesome guitar skills as well.

Christopher Carrington
Chris is simply a world class Classical Guitarist and a wonderful Luthier. He built me an awesome classical guitar and I have used it exclusively on my records. Here we are in Dallas after the Al DiMeola show. Chris toured with Al for 10 years and is powerful performer. He was playing in Dallas on night in the 80’s and Al Dimeola, Paco DeLucia and John McLaughlin walked in the restaurant. Can you imagine? Needless to say Al was impressed and the rest is history. Check Chris and his guitars out a www.chriscarrington.com

Dr. Blasé Harris
One of my best friends and a true mover and shaker who knows how to live. He has a PhD in psychiatry, wrote a best selling book “How to win your lover back”, Ran for mayor of Hawaii and was the Libertarian candidate for the Senate in Hawaii. All the while maintaining a full time practice and heavy lecture and retreat schedule. We are always up to something and enjoy talking about everything. Check him out at www.ulaleo.com

Sir Mix a Lot
Everybody Loves “Baby got Back” and this is the cat that wrote it. Sir Mix a Lot is from Seattle and me and my friends grew up listening to his music in high school. Fun Stuff!

Carl Finch
My friend Carl is the founder of the Nuclear Polka band "Brave Combo” He has been a great help and a wonderful influence on me. I think that Carl is a shining example of “Find out what everyone else is doing and do the exact opposite” One of my most memorable experiences is when Brave Combo played at my parents 50th wedding anniversary.

Teiichi Sakurai
This is at my birthday party this past April. I love to cook and am very fortunate to have a lot of friends that are chefs. This guy single handedly changed the landscape of Japanese cuisine in Dallas and raised it to a whole new level. His name is Teiichi Sakurai and he has 2 restaurants in Dallas. Teppo and Tei Tei Robata bar. Whenever we have close friends in town this is the place we take them for a memorable experience. I have had several friends tell me they had the best meal they have ever had in their life at Tei Tei. How is that for word of mouth! No kidding Teiichi never advertises anywhere and there is always a 2 hour wait at his place for dinner. I have learned so much about respect and quality and attention to the smallest of details from my Japanese friends.

Kei Nagano
My friend Kei Nagano is the King of all chefs and he can do all styles of cuisine. His heart is authentic Japanese cuisine yet he constantly surprises you always.
To give you an example of his skills Teiichi Sakurai and Masa Otaka from Teppo are big fans. He is coming to my hometown to open a restaurant and we are very excited. He is my personal favorite and a great friend.

Wazu the Lion
This is my friend Randy Miller's lion "Wazu" this is at the photo shoot for
my album in Redlands California. It is an absolutely beautiful area. "Wazu" is the lion on the back of my album "Wake Up" I will post some of the video from the shoot on my site soon. This is right before we started on location. Once he was out of his cage only his trainer can be near him because the lion trust Randy and has respect for him. I am glad that Randy fed "Wazu" well before we started. It was the experience of a lifetime for me and my friend photographer James Bland. Check out Randy's website www.predatorsinaction.com for more info

Bill Dear
Unfortunately in the entertainment business you can often attract some unwanted attention from people with malicious intent. In times like these it is great to have friends that have years of experience, and are honest and wise enough to uncover the true facts. Internationally renowned private investigator Bill Dear is stellar example of a professional who has done exactly that throughout his career. He recently became like a second father to me and I have learned so much from him. Bill never assumes he always verifies and has an uncanny ability to read people and their motivations. Read his book “OJ is Guilty but Not of Murder" and you will see what I mean.

Rafe Foreman
Rafe Foreman is my attorney and we have been friends for years. He is a great attorney and on the staff at Gerry Spence "Trial Lawyers College" Gerry Spence has never lost a case. Rafe is a real "Renaissance Man" he loves music is an accomplished auctioneer, dancer and rodeo enthusiast. We are going to have him on the sequel to "I'm a Cow" Every one always jokes about attorneys until they need one. I am proud to have someone with his reputation for integrity on my side. Here we are at my home after Edgar Cruz performed at my house. Check him out at www.warriorsforjustice.com/

Vilem Spilka
I recently had the honor of hosting Jazz guitarist “Vilem Spilka” from the Czech Republic at my home while he was in the US. We had a blast and he even performed with us at a show in Houston. Vilem is a great player and we had a lot in common since my mother is Czech and we both love Jazz. I will post some pictures from the gig soon!