Beginning with the proverbial garage band he progressed through his high school years garnering the Louis Armstrong Award and the National Association of Jazz Educators Award for outstanding musicianship. Secondary school years behind him, he decided to accept the opportunity to tour the country with a band playing dates in Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe and Atlantic City. After a year on the road, he linked up with a band with his father and brother. It was during this time while performing in New York, that Tony met famed guitarist Pat Metheny, who after listening to the band commented, “Tony is one burning guitar player… who I am confident will go on to greater fame”.