Even Rose admits he has no clue how to categorize his own music.
"It's a tough call," Rose says. "I just do what comes naturally. I love all types of music, and what happens is a result of so many things filtering through my mind. I love folk music and playing the guitar, but I was also classically trained on the flute. I love rock 'n' roll, and really like jazz that's out there."
"I love words, and find them to be just as musically important as anything else," he adds.
Rose's fans have a hard time pinpointing his influences.
"People have told me I must listen to lots of Frank Zappa, but that's not true. I've heard people compare me with Bob Dylan, The Talking Heads, Hank Williams, Neal Young and Woody Guthrie," he says. "It really doesn't matter who they compare me with."
A few years ago, Rose met Jay Whitehouse, who was running Waterdog Records and thinking about launching his own label.
"I'd send him my demo tapes, and they captured his interest because they were different and unique," he says.
In 1993, Rose recorded a full album, and shopped it to many labels, including the newly formed Whitehouse Records.
"I went with Jay, and liked his work ethic," Rose says. "Plus, I knew we could get the record out in a couple of months, as opposed to a couple of years if I had signed with a major label."
Rose considers his debut CD, Information Overload, a success. To support the album, he toured the country from Denver to New York City, playing some gigs solo and others with his band, The Transcendos. He received plenty of reviews, and considerable airplay on AAA and college radio formats.
Rose believes touring broadened his fan base, and looks forward to the chance to play Rockford.
"I've driven by Rockford a lot on my way to Madison," he says. "I need to play in front of some people, and Rockford seems like it would be so nice."
So far, the response to Naked In A Trailer has been stronger than his freshman release, and looks as if it will go further. Still, Rose thinks it will take a few months to get the wheels in motion.
"Sooner or later people will hear about me, they will play it on the radio, and then the people will take interest and buy the record," he says. "I think it's been a success. The record is selling at the stores and at my shows, and I'm meeting people. That's how I gauge my success."
by Doug Collier, for RAM