Lou came from a musical family. He took music lessons as a kid and sang in church. His older brother got him listening to bluegrass when he was about 14, and his younger brother still sings in a church choir. He was raised listening to classical music, which his father loved. Lou played the flute in band and orchestra through high school.

He picked up his first guitar while stationed in the Air Force in California in 1963 and it was love at first sound. He took his flat top Gretsch with him to Vietnam and Thailand. He played western and rock-a-billy, and learned bluegrass while stationed in Vietnam, sitting around playing for fun and entertaining anyone who listened. (The Gretsch came back with climate-related disabilties, but they hung out together for another 45 years.)

While living in California, he had a ton of fun playing banjo with a friend on guitar. They played in local pubs for food and drink. After moving back to Washington Lou met a family of musicans and the neighborhood would gather at each other's homes to sing and play for hours. Lou started writing songs then.

Lou and Loren met in 1990 and started Back Burner in short order.

Lou loves bluegrass and gospel (for the wonderful harmonies and a capella), with some blues and swing thrown in there too. He's a regular at Maltby singing and playing. He LIVES to jam.

He met the love of his life, Sharon, in 1975 and they are celebrating their 30th this year. They have six adult children and five wonderful grandkids. Their kids are spread throughout the USA, in New Jersey, Alabama, Nebraska, Sultan, Everett, and Bellingham.