Biography

I’m one of those who has always loved music. My earliest performance memory was at age four at church and by age 8, I was studying piano. The choral and solo road continued and I wound up with two music degrees from Baylor University. I’m a former elementary music teacher and directed church children’s choirs for 32 years.

Somewhere along the way, I expanded my musical horizons and was listening to Jimmy Buffett by the early 90s. When I attended my first concert back in 1991, I was hooked. After several years of Buffett concerts, reading his books and learning about him, I finally joined the San Antonio Parrot Head Club. It was through the club that I began to learn about Trop Rock and the singers/ songwriters who make the music.

A couple of years ago, I started writing a column about Parrot Heads and Trop Rock for a magazine and I truly became hooked on meeting and interviewing the musicians. One of my favorite parts of going to Trop Rock music events is to forge new musical relationships. I also write for Troprockin.com, a fabulous online magazine celebrating the tropical lifestyle.

I have a beautiful daughter, Lauren Bates, who lives in Dallas and is an artist. And I’m newly married to wonderful Don Muir, whom I’ve known for years through the San Antonio Parrot Head Club. Trop Rock musician Jerry Diaz was gracious to let us be married on the stage erected for the Pardi Gras Street Party in New Orleans, and after the ceremony, a second line jazz band paraded us up to the top of the Tropical Isle, where we had cake for whomever joined us.

I’m also caretaker for the “Jimmy Buffett Museum of Port Aransas, TX,” which is my second home. Come see me if you’re ever on that part of the Gulf Coast. We’ll share a cold libation and listen to…  what else? Trop Rock!

I hope you enjoy my first cozy mystery endeavor, “Schooled For Murder.” Hopefully, this will be the first of a cozy Trop Rock series.