Composer and songwriter for many artists (There are 2 compilations of Rue material, with performances by The Honeydogs, Helen Reddy, Nick Lowe, Butch Thompson, Laura MacKenzie, Maria Jette, (members of) The Rose Ensemble, Leslie Ball, Dan Chouinard, Bradley Greenwald, Christina Baldwin, Rio Nido, Jennifer Baldwin-Peden, Debbie Duncan, Pat Donohue, Arne Fogel and many others).
Founder of the internationally acclaimed pop quartet RUE NOUVEAU
Creator and co-creator of more than 90 music theater scores with over 2000 local, regional, national and international performances.
Composition:
Mall of America’s “There’s a Place For Fun In Your Life” (also guitar/co-producer)
Paul Wellstone’s 1996 campaign theme “We Can Do Better” (with lyricists Marian Moore and Leslie Ball)
Isaac Misrahi’s Target campaign “Cross Country”
Hormel Co. “Pam, Don’t Take My SPAM”
HISTORY
1965-present: Touring Musician (guitar, piano, vocal, arranger, music director)
1979-2015: Band leader: The Coasters, Platters, Marvelettes, Shirelles…
1986-2006: Music Director for Gene Pitney (Town Without Pity)
1989-present: Arranger, producer for electronic media.
1994-2014: Composer In Residence, SteppingStone Theatre, St Paul
2007-present: Songwriting Clinician and Lecturer
2007-2017: Adjunct Instructor of Composition, Music Theater, Business at
McNally Smith College of Music, St Paul (School is now closed)
AWARDS
1985 Minnesota Music Award, Multi-Media
2010 Inductee Mid-America Music Hall of Fame
2010 Inductee Minnesota Music Hall of Fame
2012 IVEY Award, Music Direction, “Buddy! The Buddy Holly Story”
AFFILIATIONS
BMI Loose Canon Music Group, Composition and Publishing
ASCAP New Music Arts, Publishing only
AIMP (Association of Independent Music Publishers)
Performance: FAB 6 (George Martin/17 piece Beatle band)
LUSH COUNTRY (classic country music 1945-1965, with former members of Guy’s All Star Shoe Band, and
featuring Dan Chouinard)
SOLO GUITAR/VOICE (original music)
Theatre: CHOPIN’S HEART (cabaret and politics in late 30s Warsaw, by Dan Pinkerton)
HARD TIMES (musical adaption of the Charles Dickens novel, by Dan Pinkerton)
RUNESTONE: THE ROCK MUSICAL (by Mark Jensen)
Business: Owner of New Music Arts LLC (touring and production)