Dr. T has always had a love for music. His greatest inspirations musically were Prince and Michael Jackson growing up. Singing though seemed to have happened by chance with Dr. T. For one day, he was asked while in school, to fill in for someone in his high school quartet. He joined at the last minute as an alternate, and they ended up winning their state competition.

During college, Dr. T focused on medicine and put singing on the backburner. But after becoming a doctor, He then decided to sing a solo in church, after pressure from his wife; and a passion for singing soon developed.

Dr. T started training vocally with Toby Mostel, son of Zero Mostel, the famous late actor. After a couple years of training his voice, he heard of a competition at a local radio station where they were putting together a Christian band. Dr. T went and tried out and ended up making it! The band was known as, Elijah Ride. They opened for bands such as, Jars of Clay, Toby Mac, NewSong, and Newsboys. They became rather well known in the southeast, performing from 2005-2008. And released 2 albums, with regional radioplay. He also placed 2nd in a regional Colgate Country Showdown, in Albany ga; and made it into the finals at Seminar at the Rockies in 2006, in Estes Park Colorado, a former Contemporary Christian national competition. All during that time period.