When asked about regrets, Chocky replied, "People still hear 'Runner' and think I'm just a Satriani clone and they stop listening.  'Runner' is the only Satrianiesque song I've written.  'Out of Place' and 'Chick'n Lick'n' are as far from Satriani as anyone can get.  For that matter, so is every other song I've written.  When I played in a band here in Denver, I was spotlighted playing 'Rocky Mountain Way', so some people thought I only knew how to play classic rock.  But, that's just human nature.  Now that Kyd Wok is getting exposure, I wonder if people will think I'm just a comedy song writer?  It's all okay, though.  As long as you can touch someone's life and bring some joy, that's what it's all about.  When so many different people have so many different ideas of who you are, it reveals the depth of your talent and your versatility.

Earlier, Chocky wrote numerous Christian Rock songs and played in Christian Rock groups, but being a rock artist in Odessa, Texas was tremendously frustrating.  "People would actually come up to me after a concert and say that I needed to stop what I was doing since they could hear blues and rock music in a bar if they wanted. And, I'm talking about young people!"  Despite numerous accolades and a standing ovation from one of his heroes, Dana Key (DeGarmo & Key), who told him he needed to be touring full time, Chocky was never able to get signed by Word Music, Starsong, Sparrow, or any of the Christian labels.  "I even sat down at Rivendell Recording Studio with Wayne Donahoo and Barry Manilow's promoter for his first gold record, 'Mandy'.  They're the nicest guys you'd ever wanna meet, but I just don't think I had what it took at the time.  I became resentful of the Christian Rock music scene for a while, and I felt that only certain types of music were kosher on the scene.  That drove me back to writing secular music.  But, in fact, if I'd gotten signed, I would have never learned how to engineer and produce, which was one of my dreams.  Also, when I started writing secular music again, it was like the flood-gates opened and songs started pouring out of me like crazy.  Anyway, Starsong and Rivendell Studio had just bought a new 32 track machine due to Petra's hugely successful album with them, and they couldn't sign me.  I wish I had photos of multi-grammy winner Bobby Hartman and Bill Glover from the original Petra when the group stayed with us in our home.  I even played in a group with Bill and I have no pictures of him.  Sweet Comfort and the legendary grammy winner Bryan Duncan stayed with us, also.  We (Solid Rock Concerts) hosted them at our local college.  Or, I should say, I hosted them.  I paid the entire bill out of my own pocket, just to get them there and it was worth every penny.  After the concert, they all enjoyed my wife's incredible lasagna and then burned up in the Odessa, Texas heat when our air conditioner went out.  That was my last concert promotion, since I had to buy a new air conditioner or get divorced.  Also, that night, poor Kevin Thompson (Sweet Comfort), one of the best bass guitarists I've ever known, nearly broke his leg while hauling their equipment onto the stage.  However, I got my Les Paul that night, from the legendary Randy Thomas of Sweet Comfort and Allies.  I traded him my '59 Strat and $200.  He told me later he'd used that Strat on every album since we traded.  Just having him do that, I think I got the better end of the trade."

Other Pursuits:
He has also authored three books and is working on the fourth:  
* Biography, Dr. Leo Windecker: The Man Who Built The World's First 
     FAA Certified All Composite Aircraft
* Medical, Things You Need To Know For Continued Good Health
* Philosophy, The Degradation of Values
    (They will all hopefully be published, soon)

Has been a Family Physician for over 14 years.