Jesse grew up in Washington, NC as the oldest of 6 kids. He began music lessons with the cornet at eight years old, and then piano when he turned nine. At age 12 he performed in the trumpet section of the Washington Community Band. Piano soon became his main musical focus, however. At 16, Jesse debuted as soloist with the Tar River Symphony and later won the state's MTNA title and the Raleigh Symphony Concerto Competition as a private student of Dr. Charles Bath (ECU). After attending college at North Carolina School of the Arts, Jesse married his college sweetheart Leslie, and they moved to Texas for graduate study at Baylor University. After graduate school, Jesse won several international prizes and performed in various countries throughout Europe in solo concerts and as soloist with a number of philharmonic orchestras. Jesse and Leslie have a son Tommy who was born in Waco in 2003, and Leslie is the organist at Snyder MBC in Fayetteville. They also maintain a private piano studio at the Snyder Music Academy.

Favorite book:  At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald

Favorite hobbies/activities:  Basketball, golf, investing

Favorite song and piano composition:  "Jerusalem", Rachmaninov's Third Piano Concerto