Equipment: Ludwig Drums, Zildjian A and Z cymbals, Remo renaissance and falam heads, Gibraltar hardware and pedals, and Ahead 5B sticks.
Influences: Mike Portnoy, Mark Zonder, Neil Peart, John Macaluso, Dennis Chambers, Carter Beauford and Mike Guy.
Tim began learning music at a young age. His mother, a music teacher, taught him piano, how to read music and the basics of music theory. At the age of eleven, he got his first snare drum and joined the elementary school band. He started learning more about music and about performing concerts in front of an audience. Three years later he was moved up to the high school marching band.
Throughout high school, Tim participated in every music activity that was offered. He competed in several solo competitions each year, and began placing first in most of them by his junior year. From his sophomore year throughout his senior year, he placed second and first chair in the East Tennessee State University symphonic band for high school students. By the end of high school, Tim knew that he wanted to continue studying and playing percussion at a University that had a great music program.
From 1989 to 1992, Tim continued his music education by attending East Tennessee State University. There he studied music theory, music history, music hearing and various other music categories. His main concentration was on music performance while specializing in percussion. He was a member of the marching band, percussion ensemble, jazz band, pep band, and took private lessons. During this time, Tim was exposed to almost every type of percussion instrument available. Although he had not focused much of his time on the drum set in the past, it was during these years that he started playing the set seriously. As he became more and more comfortable with the set, he decided that this was what he wanted to concentrate mostly on.
After leaving ETSU, Tim played in a few cover bands, but never played out live with them. He jammed with several local guitar players, but nothing ever became of it. Because he always wanted to be a performer, he finally decided to start a band and go out and find serious and talented musicians who wanted to write and play original music as much as he did. So, in 1996 - a new band was born.