John Stewart Rough Sketches CD

He began singing early in life. He grew up in an a capella church and was blessed with a large extended family who were members of the same denomination. At family get-togethers, such as Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter, the family would set aside part of every evening to sing their favorite hymns, and the vocal harmonies were as tight as any professional choir.

While in high school, Fletcher learned what it meant to perform music, not just sing it. He sang in the choir and acted in the school musicals all 4 years, He also participated in local and state wide vocal competitions. In his sophomore year, Judge claimed 2nd chair for basses in the state of Texas. His best friend from church beat him out by a tenth of a point for 1st chair.

On Fletcher's 16th birthday a friend of his parents from church gave Judge the guitar that he had learned to play on. 'My poor parents didn't sleep for months,' Fletcher says, 'until I learned how to play a little. After that, they really didn't sleep because I would play along with the radio into the wee hours of the morning.

' On his 18th birthday, he traded in that guitar for the 12-string Yamaha that he still plays today.