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WHAT HE DOES IN THE STUDIO:

It's mostly audio and working with bands. It's full service, start to finish: tracking, which is the recording part, producing, mixing, mastering and all the editing. And I also do some graphic design and video work on the side.

HOW HE BECAME A PRODUCER:

I grew up in Greensboro, and I was lucky to have some classes at Weaver Center in high school, so I went there for half the day for electronic music. When college came around I went to UNCG for a year. It was a lot of theory and classical and they didn't really have the recording aspect. So I basically dropped out because I didn't have any direction, and that's how I ended up at the Brownsville Revival School of Ministry in Florida.

I didn't feel like I would be in full time ministry working in a church, but my faith is very important to me and there was a big emphasis on music there. I led one of the bands and played in front of crowds of 2,500 people at the Brownsville Assembly of God in Pensacola, Fla., so that was an amazing experience. I always felt more for the studio, but I didn't know of a school around here to go to. Now GTCC has a good program, but I graduated from high school in 1997 and it wasn't happening then.

WHAT HE LOVES ABOUT HIS JOB:

The coolest thing is when you have people come in that just have an idea. Sometimes I'll help finish writing. A lot of the albums I've produced I'll end up playing some instruments on or singing some background vocals on. What I enjoy is being a part of the creative process.

HIS FRIENDSHIP WITH DAUGHTRY DRUMMER JOEY BARNES:

Joey and I met through Patrick Rock. Patrick and I went to high school together and we were in bands together. I met Joey nine or 10 years ago when he started playing with Patrick. We developed a friendship and kept in touch once he got the Daughtry gig. He just decided he wanted to do a solo album, so we kept in touch while they were on their last tour and as soon as they got a break he sent me a text and we pretty much started the next day.

WHAT BROUGHT HIM BACK TO GREENSBORO:

I've always enjoyed the music scene in Greensboro. Athenaeum got signed to Atlantic Records. Now Mercy Mercedes just got signed. I met Chris Daughtry briefly after their last show in Greensboro but watching him come from this area and have such great success has been a huge inspiration for me.

There's always been a ton of talent. And Patrick Rock's another one that if he doesn't get a record deal it'll be a travesty. There's so much talent in this area.

There's Nashville and Los Angeles and New York, but I grew up here, I like this area and I'd much rather try to make something here. I eventually would like to start a record label and be able to sign bands that are from here and they can record here.

HIS UPCOMING PROJECTS:

Joey Barnes, of course, and we've tracked more than 30 songs. I'm not quite sure if we're going to cut that back to one album. He's tossed the idea around of putting out a double disc as his first album. He's so creative that it's hard to fit it into one album. Patrick Rock, we'll finish his up hopefully within the next month. Patrick and I have also recently been writing music for commercials for TV and radio. There's The Secret Cool out of Richmond, Va., and I'm also working with a couple of praise and worship artists.

-Alexa Milan