I started playing bluegrass banjo in 1987. After playing in numerous jam sessions at bluegrass festivals I answered an advertisement for bluegrass musicians in my local news paper. From there, the East Coast Bluegrass Band was formed, where I played for a few years, including a mini tour of Holland.  I have also played with the Anglian Bluegrass Boys and guested with many bands including Arthur Robinson's band and Phill Morleys band, Wet Paint.

In 1994 I took time out to explore Bluegrass in the USA. During this visit I forged special friendships in Galax Virginia, the home of the world famous fiddlers convention, which I like to revisit most years to catch up, and enter the banjo competition, where I placed 7th (only 1st 10 places are recorded out of around 250 players) in 1998.

Around this time I became a regular member with Del Robinson and the Rocky Island Boys until Del’s untimely death in 2002. It was this event that put me in touch again with Gerry Williams, band leader of Deep River, who I first met while attending the Wadhurst Bluegrass days. These were days of tuition and workshops by respected British bluegrass singers and musicians. I was proud to be asked back as a tutor myself for the banjo at a later date. Gerry contacted me again in the summer of 2003 and asked if I would be interested in playing banjo for Deep River, which I did until the summer of 2009. I am currently the lead singer and banjo player with "The Dude Coopers" Bluegrass band, based in East Anglia.

My influences include: J.D Crowe, The Bluegrass Album Band, Don Reno, Tony Trischka, Bill Keith, and Scott Vestal as well as many others.