I was born in New Haven, Connecticut on the AUgust 5 and grew up in Great Neck, New York, beneath the blue suburban skies. Guitar playing, wiffleball and TV were all staples of my happy childhood.

During an undistinguished academic career at Dartmouth College, I used to drive down to New York City where I wrote some jingles (Thomas' English Muffins) and the score to an off-Broadway show, Oh Baby!


After college, I became a staff songwriter for Chappell Music (now, Warner-Chappell). The first group to record one of my songs (After All) was Air Supply. My most well-known songs are probably Tell It To My Heart and Prove Your Love sung by Taylor Dayne, Love is a Beautiful Thing sung by Al Green, Instant Pleasure sung by Rufus Wainwright and Did You Give Enough Love? sung by Celine Dion.
Click here to see my discography.

It was while at Chappell Music that I met my future wife, Jody Gerson. We moved to L.A. in the early 90s when Jody was asked to head up the west coast office of EMI Music Publishing. Currently, she is the President of Sony Music, as well as a movie producer (Drumline, ATL).

In 1996, the first of my three books, Baseball Letters, came out. The book consists of handwritten letters that I received from Major League baseball players in response to my questions about their lives and careers.

In 1999, my second book of letters came out, this one with letters from baseball pitchers. Like Baseball Letters, this book, Every Pitcher Tells A Story (Times Books), was also a best-seller.

The third book in the trilogy, Something to Write Home About (Random House), came out in the spring of 2003.
Click here to see the books.

It was while putting together these books that I first began collecting baseball memorabilia. Somehow, I ended up with the ball that went through Bill Buckner's legs in the 1986 World Series, but that's another story.

In 2004, I put out an album called Instant Pleasure. It won an L.A. Music award for Best Pop Album. You can hear clips from the album here.

In 2007, I released an album recorded with singer-songwriter Mike Ruekberg under the band name, The Red Button. You can listen to some clips from the album, She's About To Cross My Mind, here.

Right now, I am working on a documentary entitled, A Year in the Life, which consists of interviews with individuals who have a story about themselves and The Beatles.

I also enjoy making art, eating sushi, talking and writing about politics, looking through kaleidoscopes and sitting in the sun, though not particularly in that order.

Jody and I have three children: Julian, age 13; Luke, age 5 and Daisy, age 3.