Monte was born in the heart of America. Some say before he could talk, he would sing. Indeed, his first melodic utterance of record was the old gospel standard "My Lord Keeps A Record" sang and taught to him by an old and dear friend of the family as she hang her laundry out to dry in a warm summer breeze. ("I must have been about two years of age… but, I remember it well. I've heard it said I kept neighbors up all night singing at the hill-top home of my Grandma in east Tennessee… a mile away. Well, that's off the record. No doubt, after two years there while I was starting school, they were glad to see me go so they could get some sleep.")

     The local Sunday morning congregation was electrified when the kid with a twang hit the piano with a bang and nearly brought down the rafters… literally. ("That's not true… well… maybe.")

     Class mates were entertained when their choir singing thespian took the lead in local productions. ("It got me out of class.")

     Army buddies were comforted by his guitar playing and ballads while standing down in the midst of combat. ("No comment. It is what it was… it was special.")

     Concert audiences were wowed when this lead singer of an award winning Southern Gospel male quartet would bring down the house with a hand clapping-toe tapping-get on your horse and ride spiritual, then, bring 'em back home with a heart felt-soul stirring hymn. ("I did all that? No, I think we all did.")

     Born out of wedlock, molested as a child, foster home, combat, addiction, near death automobile accident, this troubadour has just about seen it all. With the loss of close family members to a drowning, car-train accident, a shooting... maybe he has. Whatever, he would rather speak of others than himself. Don't ask his opinion on the matter, for he will simply say, "... just a singer singing a song."