I wrote Tears of Glory when I was 20 years old in anticipation for my first album release. I had been selling pianos for a local company in Salt Lake City. They had temporarily located me at the Provo Town Center Mall to sell pianos for the holiday season. Out of all the places that a young Luke would want to be, this was it!

Let's just say that, while I loved selling and playing pianos, I loved flirting with all the girls that passed me by much more!

It's obvious where my priorities were. I remember sitting at the piano in the middle of the mall and had come up with this tune that I just couldn't get out of my head. People seemed to enjoy hearing it. They'd always ask me who the artist was and where they could get the CD (you know, when CD's were still cool!). So, I decided I'd make this my theme song for my next album. 

The name comes from my pride in the transitions that I had gone through the last several years of my life. I had done a lot on my own and was proud that I had started to build a life around the piano. I may not have been well known, but I was finding the vehicle to my future. 

There is a new version of Tears of Glory that when finished I will definitely be sneaking into a future album release.

Discovering the Boundary was co-written by my dear friend, Stefanie Cosman and I. I had met Stefanie when I was 15 on our first day of high school. A few years later, after graduation, we had decided we'd sit down and compose something together. It was a blast! Not to mention it was written on my old beat up piano that, after all these years of being around some phenomenal instruments, I wonder how we could have created anything, let alone Discovering the Boundary. I guess that just goes to show that passion certainly shines true when you're really set to do something. Thanks Stef!

*Note: Being around every aspect of the piano world. Including performance, composition, tuning, sales and retail, etc; I have come across some of the most amazing musicians. I can't tell you how blown away I am that some of these young musicians are as good as they are (far beyond my capabilities), when I come to learn the old clunkers that are completely unresponsive, out of tune and just plain old.

As I said earlier, passion can push us beyond just about any obstacle. So, if you're playing on something you can't afford to replace. Just know that you can still progress. With that said, I will say that a good instrument is key to faster and more defined progress. But, sometimes you just have to do with what you have. Don't ever let not having the better "widget" be the reason you don't continue on with anything you are passionate about.

Looking back, I realize just how much of a hopeless romantic I was. Souring the Clouds was written for an old childhood neighbor of mine. Aubrey and I lived just around the corner and we also went to school elementary, Jr. High, and high school together.

When we were 14, we had a short lived "romance episode".  One day she had showed me a really cool chord that I found difficult to get my hands around - literally. It was G#5-9. For some reason it just spoke to me.

I ended up writing Soaring the Clouds based off this chord. I'm not sure if I told her then that I had written it for her, but quite some time later I did spill the beans. Aubrey is an amazing person with more grit and determination than most I know. She's a great friend to this day and I'm grateful for the inspiration she's added to my life. Thanks, Aubrey!

After all these years, I have come to realize that I, as well as others close to me, have experienced a bit more loss than most I know, especially at a young age. After so many tragic deaths of family and friends, at age 19 I had written, "The Fallen", in memory of them. When I play this song, I think of my Grandpa Kirby, who was the glue that held our family together before he had passed. A WWII vet, who knew what life was about and wasn't afraid to speak his mind or tell you how it is.

I think of my cousin Amber, who I was so close to growing up and had passed away in a fatal car accident. My cousins Josh, and Tobie, who's we lost to suicide. My dear theater teacher, Mrs. Essex, who touched more lives than she probably knew. Todd, my brothers best friend who I desperately tried to win over his friendship, always trying to be just as cool as the "older guys". My grandma and grandpa Error. Two amazing souls who were just about as genuine as a human being can get. My great grandma McQueen who was blessed to have great great grandchildren by the age of 85. And so many more. They all inspired me and I miss them dearly. 

Fantasies was also written when I was fairly young. I'm pretty certain that I hadn't graduated high school yet.

So much from this album was experimental, learning my style and the type of sound I wanted to portray as an artist. Fantasies was more of an improv piece then something set in stone. And to be honest, I'm pretty sure I'd have a pretty difficult time figuring out how to play it today, ha ha!

Usually when I was playing this music on the piano I was thinking of the great outdoors. I loved to spend so much time on the Weber River in Utah, fishing for monster Brown Trout till the sun went down.

Pachelbel's Canon has been interpreted by many. This is mine. When I was 13 or 14 years old, I was like a sponge when it came to music. I remember listening to my school choir sing a Noel Goemann arrangement of the piece. Call me sentimental, but the goose bumps that I got let me know that music was all I wanted to learn. 

Don't get me wrong, I was wrestling and playing baseball, always thinking that singing and acting, and all the arts-type things in school were pretty weird. But for some reason, that piece put everything into perspective for me. My mother laughed hysterically when I came home and asked if I could start singing lessons. Not because she was un-supportive, but because this was coming from the son who had constantly whined, complained, and teased every time he heard his sisters during their singing lessons.

I have to say, I had to swallow some pride before I got the guts to ask. But I have no regrets. I can safely say that I owe so much to this piece. I am confident that I would not be where I am today if it had not inspired me. I know, for a fact, that I would not be a musician, I would not have been an actor, and I would not have met and been so influenced by the many that have come and gone in my life since those early days.

So, Pachelbel, I apologize for the young "Luke" version of this piece. But I thank you for the inspiration you provided to so many, including myself!

There is a new and improved version of this arrangement that I will introduce soon.  

When I was 16, I was taking an AP music theory class in high school. We were assigned a project to compose a small piece. I forget what the criteria was, but this is the result. I'm happy to say, I got an "A". Theory was tough for me. I've always been more on the artistic side of music, but I'm grateful for the little that I did pick up along the way. 

Okay okay.. I'm going to come clean here. There is way more to the story:

My theory instructor had taught us some chord structure taboo's that she claimed applied to all music. I was confused because I knew that I had written some music that, while not professional, sounded pretty decent, and the chord structures seemed to have conflicted with the lesson she was trying to teach us.

Unfortunately, it was so long ago, I just don't remember the chord structure taboo. Burt, I do know that I wrote this piece, waited to get my grade (an A), and then approached her in front of the entire class, informing her that my song apparently went against her previous lessons.

What can I say, I was a kid. I can't tell you it was the smartest move. I didn't mean to put her on the spot. I was just trying to show off in front of my friends.

Well, let's just say that I paid for that moment from there on out. Even to the point that she didn't speak to highly of me to my next choir teacher when I moved to a different school.

For the record, "Lady Fair" was a very quick, one page piece, just for the assignment. I ended up adding to it for Tears of Glory.

I have a plan to reduce it back to its original form and release it again in the future.

I dedicate this song to my buddy, Jim Taylor, a childhood friend who had more imagination than anyone I know. I used to be very into the story of Scotland, mainly the portrayal that the movie Brave Heart provided. I was so passionate about that kind of stuff, I couldn't help but sit at the piano and come up with something that reminds me of what it may be like to travel that area. I haven't done it yet, but it's on the bucket list!

Another bit of inspiration for this piece was from the music of the movie, Last of the Mohicans. I still get goosebumps when I hear that stuff.

The music we grow up appreciating seems be the major portion of the soundtrack of our lives. James Horner, Trevor Jones and Randy Edelman are huge parts of my life soundtrack!

Fishing is one of my favorite past times. There's something about wading in a river up to your waist and fishing for that perfect catch; or any catch for that matter! I could go hours and hours with nothing but a fishing pole in my hand. I had written this piece in reflection of all the many memories I've had of traveling to the great outdoors and enjoying all that it has to offer. Especially the river! There's nothing like it really. 

How obsessed was I? Let's just say that I was caught in stupid moments where I was so eager to fish that I'd drive to the Weber River in Utah, in the middle of January, with nothing but my fishing pole, a fishing vest and literally shorts! I got into trouble once where I got so after fishing for hours and only catching one fish, that I had to ask a nearby cabin family if they'd let me warm up.

I said I was passionate about fishing... I never said I was necessarily smart about how I went about doing it!