BIOGRAPHY

I was born and raised in upstate New York. My father played music around the house all the time. He played guitar, keyboards, accordian, and trumpet. He sat me down at the organ about the age of six and let me go. I started piano lessons at seven and clarinet (Deathstick) at nine. I hated that clarinet but my teacher, John Geyer, wanted clarinet players not saxophone players. We moved to central New York where I played sax and guitar. I studied under the supervision of Paul Shiffer and David Asman. These two men helped me develop a love of music which would become endless.

I started college early at SUNY/Morrisville with John Humphrey in 1978. I went on from Mo'ville to the University of Utah until 1982 studying jazz under the watchful ears of Henry Wolking, Al Weight, and the late Dr. Loel Hepworth.

I proceeded to play rock and jazz during all this time before going on the road with top forty, r&b, rock, and show bands. During these next eight years, I honed my skills as a player/performer/composer. I played all over the US and Canada before settling down in Denver to raise a family in 1990. For the next ten years I wrote/recorded music and sold musical instruments at various companies in the Denver metro area.

In 2000, I moved my wife, Diana, and our two sons, Tyler and Jace, to southern California to follow my musical dreams and find a better life for my family.

In October of 2005, my wife passed away leaving my sons and I to navigate the rest of our journey on our own.

We live in the small city of Moorpark where I teach music lessons and continue to pursue music. Both boys have started guitar and act as well. I'll update that as it comes.

I am composing, recording, producing, and performing with various projects. Please contact me if I can be of any service to you or your loved ones.

Tim Stafford, March, 2006.