Born and raised in Tijuana he started out as a journeyman musician who performed inside the same south-of-the-border rock scene that produced Carlos Santana. After coming to the United States and marrying wife Denise he played with some amazing musicians and even shared the Playboy Jazz Festival stage at San Diego Stadium. But he decided that journalism was where it's at and, at the age of 30 went to college and, a few years later, graduated from San Diego State University.