ultralite acoustic   Sean Dipple sounds so much like James Taylor it's scary. In fact, Sean sounds more like James Taylor than James Taylor! I was invited to audition with them through a profile I'd set up online.

UA featured Sean on vocals and guitar, his sister Jennie and friend Jennifer on vocals and percussion, and myself on lead guitar. Sean flies ultralite aircraft in his spare time, hence the name. We covered material by JT, Jimmy Buffett, Jim Croce, Hall & Oates, Seals & Crofts, Bread, Stevie Nicks, Dixie Chicks, Bonnie Raitt and some of Sean's well-crafted, accessible originals.

We performed for enthusiastic crowds at restaurants, coffeehouses and bistros - one of the most easygoing situations I've ever been involved with. All I did was show up and play - and get paid afterwards.

It was soft rock city, but that only allowed me to explore the music more deeply. I was able to evoke much more subtlety and texture from my instrument than I typically did, and I enjoyed that - almost as much as I enjoyed tearing up the occasional blues tune we'd throw in for kicks.