Just got word that my song 3x a Fool was placed into the up and coming 2013 indie movie, Better Living Through Chemistry. 3x a Fool was also placed in Mindy Project on FOX (episode 1013) airing Feb. 07, 2013.… Read the Rest →

Phil Stevens (@GetYerPhil) is an inspiration. I met Phil some time back but recently made a deeper connection. It is through this connection that has lead to recent placements with Home Depot, Husky Tools and Defiant flashlights. Beyond that, I have had my songs placed within his Pressure Points series. A deeply moving and creative […]… Read the Rest →

Producer Phil Steven (@GetYerPhil) along with Home Depot and Defiant brand asked for an original song to be produced for their upcoming Defiant brand flashlight. Over this past holiday break I wrote and produced the instrumental song Unbreakable. Listen to it on the music page under instrumentals.… Read the Rest →

Home Depot and Husky tools, in conjunction with Producer Phil Stevens (@GetYerPhil), used two of my songs, Wannabe (instrumental version) and Three Days Growth in their upcoming commercials featuring their product line of tools.… Read the Rest →

Two recent placements for songs Same Old and 3X’s a Fool. Same old was placed into A & E’s The Glades (episode 307) and 3x’s a Fool was placed in ABC’s The Middle (episode 323).… Read the Rest →

Joe Aukofer (Lawrenceville, GA) I’m excited to let everyone know that my song “Brother” recently aired on the CBS show Criminal Minds. This placement was a direct result of a deal I made with a Music Placement company.… Read the Rest →

I was interviewed by Michael Laskow regarding successful placements in Film and Television, songwriting, etc. Interview also seen in the Dec 2011 “Recording” magazine. A excerpt of the interview was caught on Video. You can watch it below and feel free to read it as well. External link to interview: Here Michael: What do you […]… Read the Rest →

I was interviewed by Taxi, a song writers membership association, late last year in October of 2010. Here’s the full interview:

Q: You currently live in Atlanta, Georgia. Tell us about the music scene there.

I have performed in Atlanta music venues for many years. I find the camaraderie among the musicians, the people who support the local scene, and the people who make it all happen behind the scenes, to be very encouraging.

Playing original music can be a hard road to travel. At the local level it doesn’t pay as much as playing covers. But I think that’s likely the situation anywhere. This is where film and television play a great role for original, independent artists and music to thrive.

In a way, music libraries are sort of like the new, independent labels. They have the ability to break new bands and give them exposure that wouldn’t normally be available to them. If a band or artist is featured in a film or television show, it in turn can be talked up on web sites, Facebook, Myspace and even tweeted to casts of thousands.

I think, too, in the minds of the fans, it gives the band/artist credibility. If a killer song is submitted to a music library and it’s right for what they need, they use it and it’s a win/win. They get a killer song to use, adding to their credibility, and the artist/band adds to their credibility as well and gets all the exposure and bragging rights.

Q: You are a songwriter, artist, engineer, producer and performer. What first got you interested in music?

I have an older brother who plays, one of those kinds of guys who can pick up any instrument and make sense out of it pretty quick. And good sense at that. I remember specifically when I was young being really moved by music. I was lying under a desk in my room, wearing headphones and listening to April Wine, “Just Between You and Me,” over and over again, engrossed in every aspect; the melody, the guitar tone, that intro solo, just everything about it.

I remember, too, at Christmas time sitting in our family living room trying to figure out the intro to “Freebird.” I really didn’t know what slide guitar was. Instead I just fretted it, trying to figure out all the nuances.

Also around that same time I remember watching my brother play “Flirtin’ with Disaster” and thinking, “Man, if I could just play that”….I was so captivated by it.

Music is just as vibrant to me today. I can still be stopped in the busyness of the day, maybe driving in the car or something and be moved to tears by a song. It doesn’t even have to be a sad song.

Several years back at one of Taxi’s Road Rallies my brother and I sat in to watch one of the writers’ showcases. They had guys there who wrote for Bonnie Raitt, The Eagles, etc. I don’t remember now if it was Chuck Jones or Steve Seskin who played “Pictures.” About half way through the song I looked over at my brother and we both had tears in our eyes. What a fantastic song that is! It’s not sad at all. It is just so wonderfully written and evokes such emotion. It struck a chord with both of us. I later downloaded the lyrics and read them over and over.

One of the first mentoring sessions I had as a result of attending one of the Road Rallies was with James Dean Hicks (look him up; he’s got a few things going on). After he sat and listened to one of my songs he immediately grabbed the lyric sheet and started scribbling out words and offering up suggestions. By the end of our time together the song had new life. I kidded with him asking if he wanted co-writing credit to which he said, “No, these are for free!”

I left that session and went straight back to my hotel room and spent the next several hours rewriting that song. It later went on to take an honorable mention at the 7th annual NSAI/CMT songwriter contest.
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