Kentucky Boy

Born in Cynthiana, Kentucky. Tim has been a professional musician since the age of 18. He started playing at 8 and performing at 11. Instruction included teachers in Cynthiana and Central Kentucky and organ for a summer at Georgetown College under Daniel Tilford. He performed with many local bands and played for many functions in and around Central Kentucky and Southern Ohio during his high school years. It was at this time he was developing his interest in classical music and jazz; citing influences that included Beethoven, Jimmy Smith, Oscar Peterson, Burt Bacharach, Ramsey Lewis. Tim is still being influenced today by artists Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Dave Grusin, and Bob James.

Upon enrolling at the University of Kentucky he chose a double instrument major of piano and trumpet and participated in the UK Marching Band and Jazz Ensemble directed by Walter Blanton. Tim participated in an exchange program and performed in Quito, Ecuador as pianist with the UK Jazz Quartet. While attending UK, Tim was a member of the Magnificent 7 and Luv Machine; two popular R & B, jazz-rock, horn bands based out of Lexington, Ky.

Ohio Calls

In the course of traveling and performing, The Luv Machine shared the bill with a band from Dayton, Ohio, Green Lyte Sunday at a club in Northern Kentucky called The Roundup. They both shared a jazz background and a common jazz-rock sound of Chicago, Blood, Sweat, and Tears, Cold Blood, Dreams. When he became available as a result of the breakup of The Luv Machine in June 1972, Tim joined GLS in August 1972 and relocated to Dayton, Ohio

As a member of GLS, an extensive collection of material was recorded in 1973 written by Tim and Michael Losekamp . This collection included: Symphony For The Living, All In Time, Leave My Blues Behind, Song For The People, What A Beautiful Day and If I Could Be There. 1976 and 1977 saw collections recorded while performing extensively in Louisville, Kentucky. This material is not available at this time (3/2000), but plans are to remaster and release these recordings.

Giant Steps

With the breakup of GLS in December 1979, Tim pursued a solo career and has kept that as vital part of his musical career ever since. In June of 1982 Tim founded Giant with GLS guitarist Jason Hollinger, Luv Machine drummer George Montgomery, Larry Vest on bass/vocals and Suzanne Vanderbeek on vocals. They played almost exclusively at The Nite Owl; a Dayton/Oregon District venue noted for presenting jazz. With the departure of Vanderbeek, saxophonist David Stegner was added as a regular member January of 1983.

Giant had a very unique format, which included a group within a group: Little Giant-Tim, George and David. They're jazz oriented rep was a great contrast to Giant which had a more jazz/rock/pop/fusion focus. John Taylor took over as drummer for Giant in February of 1989. The group stopped performing regularly in September 1993, but Giant has still performed since then and Little Giant continues.

Tim performs solo and with Little Giant regularly at some of Dayton's top restaurants and clubs that feature live music. They include: The Peasant Stock, TW's, Lincoln Park Grille, King Cole/Olivia's and Gilly's. During this time Tim has performed with some of the most outstanding artists in jazz and pop over the past three decades: The Rippingtons, Larry Carlton, Pieces Of A Dream, Najee, Kim Waters, Tom Scott; also performances with The Beach Boys, The Commodores, The Righteous Brothers and Wayne Cochran as a member of Giant and Green Lyte Sunday.