Monte spent the first 24 years of his life in Amarillo , Texas . He first began playing the guitar at age 12 but found that what he was playing was not recognizable as "music" and he lost interest for a while. Upon picking up the guitar again at about age 13 after getting a new Norma electric guitar and amplifier from the local department store, he found that he could actually play a few recognizable "dittys" on the guitar. That same year he sang and played "Judy in Disguise" at a 7th grade talent show and first realized that he may actually have some talent. With this newfound encouragement, he spent several months saving up his paper route money and went with his grandfather to the local music store and bought a really nice Ventura classical guitar for $125. This guitar would be inseparable from him for the next several years. After teaching himself how to play every song on Peter, Paul, & Mary's two albums:"Album 1800" & "Late Again", Monte was becoming very comfortable with guitar playing and singing. He spent the next 7 or 8 years playing the guitar and singing. He spent hours in his room in Jr. High and High School teaching himself to play with the help of "Bob Dylan", "James Taylor", "Gordon Lightfoot", "John Denver", "Neil young", "Cat Stevens", "Jim Croce", "Seals & Crofts", "America", "Simon & Garfunkal", "Peter, Paul, & Mary", and all the folkies of the early 60s. He spent hours learning the songs and styles of these 60s/70s artists and in time he was being asked to perform at various events, churches, and weddings.

After graduating high school, Monte spent a semester in California , going to college, and singing on the christian coffeehouse circuit in central California , doing some original music and also,what was then, the "new" christian music made popular by new christian artists like "Love Song", "Malcom & Alwyn", and "Randy Stonehill". Upon returning to Amarillo , Monte was forced to get a "real" job but continued to play whenever the opportunity came. Within a couple of years, Monte married his wife Joni, and, within a couple more years, they had their first child, Rachel. Monte immediately realized the effort and dedication that would be needed to be a good dad, and the realization that music was not going to be a good provider for that. So his focus centered on providing for his family by means of a "regular job". That job, for the next 27 years, was being a cop. First in Amarillo , and then, 24 years in Houston . Two more kids along the way, Rainey and Rica, and the rest is history. With the guitar pretty much on the back shelf for over 25 years, Monte retired from the Houston Police Department in 2003, and the old desire to do music came back and here he is again, writing songs and performing his own 60s/70s style acoustic music. "Music with a message" is what he likes to call it. A positive message. A message of hope and truth. A message to change lives. A message to fix the brokeness that we see around us everyday in this broken world and in broken lives. A message for everyone regardless of age, color, or social standing. This is the drive behind the music.

Learn more about Monte Ray Fogle... www.monterayfogle.com