TG started playing music on an Indian style toy drum at around age two and took up the guitar at age eight and a half with lessons given by C.D.”Corky” Chilton, on Fugate Rd, in Roanoke, Virginia. From there, it was learning more guitar from school friends and a huge boost of knowing that music was what he was going to do happened soon after he met a drummer friend, David Elliott at the Wasena grade school. David suggested that they perform on The Catcus Joe Show, a local live tv program that aired cartoons, live skits, and various talent. In 1982, TG ran into Cactus Joe again when they just so happened to be seated next to each other while eating lunch at a food deli.