Karl was born on the U.S. Army base in Frankfurt, Germany and grew up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. He began his musical career banging drumsticks (wooden ones, not poultry) on the floor to the music of The Beatles.
As a kid in his first bands, he was drummer and the lead singer. He soon switched to keyboards. Karl moved to Southern California after high school and added guitar and saxophone to the list of instruments he was able to master. He spent the next 10 years performing at weddings, banquets and corporate events.
Just prior to the turn of the millennium, Karl stumbled into (and later out of) a dueling piano club in Irvine, California and knew instantly that he'd found his new niche. After performing in San Diego for 3 years, Karl moved in 2002 to open up a club in Pittsburgh. That's been his home ever since.
Karl feels as though he grew up in the most exciting time period for music, the ‘60s and ‘70s. He says, "There was such a variety of music. On any given day I would listen to Jimi Hendrix, Kansas, James Taylor and Earth, Wind and Fire back to back to back." Shaped by that golden, Karl delivers a wide-ranging repertoire, sharp humor, and powerful vocals that make every performance unforgettable.