Bo Diddley is quoted on your web site as saying about your second CD Just Gimme One Night, “…this boy`s got the whole salt shaker!”.  That`s quite a quote.

Bo has a way with words…I remember one night during one of his shows, a reporter and camera crew showed up out of nowhere.  He stopped in the middle of a song and said, “Wait a minute…you with the big camera…y`all got to leave.  You can`t just barge in here like that…you got to ASK me if you want to eat my fried chicken!!”  ‘Nuff said.

Your web bio states that you`ve been playing “non-stop since age fourteen…” Tell me about your background.

14 was when I did my first steady gigs…I had a trio with my Mother and Father called “Family Affair”.  We sang a lot of 3-part harmonies and had a blast.  When I was about 19, I believe, I formed my own group, and I started touring non-stop 4 years ago.  One great thing about touring is that you get to see all the beautiful parts of the country: during days off on tours, the band and I have been to the Grand Canyon, Mt. Rushmore, Yosemite, Yellowstone and Old Faithful, and others.  You also get to taste the specialties: real Chicago pizza, real cheesesteaks in Philly, real key lime pie in Key West, real green chilies in New Mexico.

Having traveled so vastly, do you have a favorite city or club that you`ve played?  Would you recommend to other artists any particular place?

I don`t have one favorite…the great thing about the roots music and blues scene is that wherever you go, fans are so supportive and loyal.  That`s what keeps me going.

Your web page also mentions you as a “multi-instrumentalist” - what all do you play?

Guitar and Harmonica are the ones I`m most associated with, but I play some keyboards, drums, and bass…actually I played the big upright bass in the Houston jazz scene for many years, but I did it “incognito”, sort of undercover.  It`s a really fun and challenging instrument to play, especially physically.  It`s very demanding to play, and I should say, even to CARRY the darn thing…it`s as big as me!

What is a PIB “P C In A Box”?
My friend, Eliot Green, from Wichita KS took a regular desktop computer and built it into a flip-open road case the size of a briefcase.  It`s really fast, powerful, and easy to upgrade and service.  It`s now used and endorsed by the man Bo Diddley himself.  Imagine a recording studio in a briefcase…

Tell me about your teaching.

I haven`t taught in a while, but I used to teach blues harmonica (blues harp) classes in Houston.  The craziest class had 150 people in it…I had a long waiting list for my class and I decided to have one big blues harp clinic and enroll everyone at once.  Imagine 150 harmonicas playing at the same time…it`s the wildest thing…

You received a Grammy nomination for your self titled CD, Hamilton at an early age.  I know this made an impact on your career.   What year was that, and how old were you.

I was 17, and I got a 1st round nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album.  My latest CD Kickin` It got nominated as well.  It`s nice to think that someone on the committee thought enough of me to nominate me…it makes you feel good, you know?

I noticed that your calendar full and that you pretty much stay on the road.  How does a young artist stay so busy?

I`m just really lucky to have had great responses from music-goers all over the country.  They are loyal and supportive.  You know, making music for a living is a lot like pizza: even when it`s bad it`s still really good.  But being an artist and a bandleader is a full time job by any standards, so there is a LOT of work, but it is really worth it.

You are playing Deep Ellum Blues in Dallas in April.  Tell me about the show.  Who are your players?

I will be joined by Ian Bailey (drums), Rob Ramos (bass), Vince Palumbo (sax), and Kenny Borak (trumpet).  They are great musicians and they are really tight…we have tricks too: we do 3-part harmonies, I record and sample live guitar loops “on the fly”, I play harmonica with a vacuum cleaner, dance on the tables, play with pool cues…I even played with a chicken wing once, but it got grease on my guitar.

Sounds entertaining!  Rob Ramos.  Any relation to Kid?

I heard they are cousins…I guess talent runs in the family.

What`s next?

We`ve been to Canada, we`re going to Europe this fall, and I`m even talking with a guy with a venue in China…who knows how far we`ll be able to go??

Considering his gracious attitude, “stage etiquette” and his strong work ethics, this multi-talented musician is expected to go far.  (I`m not talking just far East…)