▁he ▁performed ▁in ▁original ▁and ▁cover ▁bands ▁with ▁many ▁soon - to - be ▁ill ust ri ous ▁artists ▁and ▁mus icians , ▁and ▁early ▁on ▁became ▁a ▁found ing ▁member ▁of ▁The ▁K ats . ▁ ▁When ▁The ▁K ats ▁big ▁record ▁deal ▁f izz led ▁ter rib ly , ▁Mc R ae ▁took ▁offers ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁" gu itar - s ling er ▁for ▁h ire ", ▁and ▁seemed ▁to ▁be ▁on ▁track ▁for ▁a ▁successful ▁session ▁career . ▁In ▁fact , ▁prior ▁to ▁joining ▁The ▁K ats , ▁he ▁had ▁some ▁national ▁expos ure ▁tour ing ▁and ▁recording ▁with ▁C ory ▁Well s , ▁from ▁Three ▁Dog ▁Night . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁dis en ch anted ▁by ▁what ▁seemed ▁like ▁' type - cast ing ' ▁in ▁the ▁work ▁he ▁was ▁getting , ▁Mc R ae ▁sought ▁training ▁and ▁art istic ▁growth ▁in ▁the ▁Music ▁Department ▁at ▁US C . ▁There , ▁he ▁met ▁and ▁worked ▁with ▁Dr . ▁Robert ▁S . ▁Moore , ▁in ▁composition , ▁and ▁with ▁William ▁Kan eng iser , ▁in ▁guitar , ▁for ▁a ▁brief ▁period . ▁( Dr . ▁Moore ▁also ▁inspired ▁Mc R ae ▁to ▁take ▁an ▁interest ▁in ▁mart ial ▁arts ▁training , ▁al beit ▁from ▁a ▁pac if istic , ▁med itative ▁stand point .) ▁He ▁was ▁very ▁pleased ▁to ▁be ▁on ▁the ▁ro ster ▁of ▁the ▁great ▁Ted ▁Gre ene ' s ▁jazz ▁guitar ▁students , ▁for ▁a ▁time . ▁It ▁was ▁at ▁US