My Bio and Acknowledgments
When I began to tackle writing my bio, it quickly occurred to me that without some of the many people who had an influence on my life, I wouldn't have a bio to write.
My musical journey:
While there was little in the way of music in my home growing up, one day at school, maybe in second grade, we were loaded onto a bus and taken to a symphony hall to be introduced to orchestral music. It was the most powerful and compelling experience I'd ever had, and within a year I had been given a clarinet and could not put it down.
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Because my sister Susan had a phonograph, I also became aware of the popular music of that era, and the next thing I knew I could not put down my first guitar.
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Being an instrumentalist carried me thru my public school years. I had so many opportunities to perform: rock bands, jazz combos, dance bands, concert bands and orchestras, and I suppose it was natural that I found myself working with better and better musicians, and enjoying being a paid player.
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Singing came as a surprise. I had of course done backup vocals over the years, and I guess I just felt it was probably another thing I could add to my toolbox, but my initial stepping out as a lead singer was something of a disaster! When I went looking for my first voice teacher it was because I knew my voice was in trouble.
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I guess fate took a hand, in that voice lessons gradually introduced me to an understanding that I was a tenor, and my voice was far more suited to classical music.
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I was no doubt being a bit over-dramatic, as I sold off all of my music gear, wanting to really focus on singing. The next years were full of studying and performing as a tenor, and beginning to work with teaching young people how to sing.
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I guess my "full circle" experience came in 2007 when, with some encouragement from my lifetime friend Jeff, I realized that there was room in my life again for guitar playing. It has been a pleasure to wear both hats.
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Acknowledgments:
Genevieve Edith Orcutt: My mom, undoubtedly the source of my musical genes, who graciously put up with me filling her living room with musical gear when I was in high school.
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Robert E. Hinkson Sr.: My dad, for recognizing that I had found a home in music, and being willing to support it.
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Ross Peterson: A former L.A. session drummer who left Southern California to become an Elementary School Band Director. He introduced me to music while I was in 3rd grade, convinced my parents to buy me an instrument, gave me lessons on his own time, and saw to it that I had opportunities to be a soloist.
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Paul McCandless Sr.: My high school band and orchestra director, who created an amazing instrumental program in a small town in northwestern Pennsylvania, gave me countless opportunities as a clarinetist and guitarist, and gave me my first glimpse of beautiful singing by sticking me in the orchestra pit for a production of "Brigadoon."
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Tony Napoli: An amazing jazz guitarist, who took me from playing the guitar to being a guitarist.
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Thelma Dare Ahner: My first voice teacher, who saved me from wrecking my voice, and taught me I could make a beautiful sound.
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John McLain: Tenor and voice teacher, who opened my eyes to a new world of technique.
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Peter Gregg: My first operatic coach, whose passion for the art form and unwavering support was like an injection of creative adrenaline.
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Sharon Davis: My wife, life partner and best friend, who helped me to more clearly understand all of the things I "thought" I understood about singing technique, and who always encouraged me to be a little less annoyingly left-brained!
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Michaela Hinkson: My amazing, multi-talented daughter, who gave me the confidence to undertake designing this website, and then hung in there with me as I made one mistake after another.
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Rick Homan: My longtime friend, mystery writer and fellow guitarist, who offered some sage advice on writing my bio, most particularly... "First write, then edit."
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