It was around this time T.J. was introduced to one of West Virginia's premiere bands named Southern Mix. He attended the Sunday night jam sessions hosted by Southern Mix on and off for several years. Playing drums, guitar and singing, T.J. was well received by local musicians and audiences of the jam sessions, quickly becoming a favorite. He signed up for competitions on talent nights at the Long Horn in Sissonville area where the jams were held which also expanded his experience as a performer. He later went on to work in different facets of the music business with some of the attendees and hosts of the jam sessions. Some of these players included guitarist Robert Shafer, steel player Gary Boggs, and bassist John Thornton, all members of Southern Mix. Playing with this dynamic band further helped T.J. to gain experience and confidence he needed on stage.
At the age of 16, T.J. decided to put drums on the back burner and step up to the front stage where he would gain more experience on lead guitar and his long time passion, performing as lead vocalist. It was at this time when he met one of, if not the hottest guitar pickers of the Kanawha Valley, WV named Bub Byrne. It was then at the age of 16 that Bub took T.J. under his wing and began teaching him several hot licks on the guitar which added to the sound of T.J.'s country band, a sound he had been searching for but hadn't found until this point.
T.J. has competed in and won several local karaoke contest where the contest were held over the period of several weeks winning the preliminary and then moving up to the finals where prizes ranged from free drinks to $50 and $100 grand prize.
T.J. has sat in and sang with many bands over the past few years where he continues to receive very high remarks from both the musicians and audiences he performs for concerning his vocal talents.
T.J. plays at the Fairplain Jamboree once a month located in Fairplain, WV near Ripley where he sings and plays guitar and some fiddle which he has recently picked up on his own.
T.J. is now employed at Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) Memorial Division where he practices his nursing skills as a scrub nurse in the Cardiac Cath Lab. He is also continuing his education in the medical field at the West Virginia University of Parkersburg.
In Conclusion; T.J. is ready and willing to put everything in his life on the backburner in order to pursue his dream of becoming a national Country Music star. His dream has been to make it as a performer and it still thrives very strongly in him today. He will continue to seek out avenues to make this dream become reality.