Jennifer Haines

Music has always had a big impact on me. If given the choice between watching a new movie and listening to a new song I'd choose the song every time. I can remember, as a kid growing up in Southern California, roller-skating in my driveway with the radio blaring (I'm sure the neighbors loved me for that!), or dancing around the house to my mom's Tony Elman tapes. I just couldn't get enough music.
When I was about ten I begged my parents for piano lessons. They took me to the local piano store where we picked out a beautiful Charles R. Walter upright and I proceeded to take nine months of lessons and promptly quit! Even to this day it amazes me the patience that my parents had with me. They didn't get upset. They didn't even sell the lovely piano. I think they always knew that one day I'd come back to it.
At the age of 16 I became interested in my piano again when I learned that I could play by ear. Now, I'm no prodigy not by a long shot, but I taught myself a few of Enya's piano pieces and then was able to tackle the Moonlight Sonata. I began to look at the piano in a whole new way.
When I was 17, I decided I wanted to learn how to play the guitar. So my Aunt graciously allowed me the use of her guitar and I sat down with a chord book and taught myself. I loved it! Around the same time a friend of mine was leading worship music for a church event and since she already played guitar she taught me some music theory for piano so that I could accompany her during the service. This opened up yet another avenue for exploration on the keys and I was loving it!
I met my husband, Peter, a year later. He was also a guitar player and even composed a beautiful song for me. Music was a joy we both shared. However, I set music aside for a while to have my babies and learn how to take care of my new family. After our youngest was born, Peter took me to the music store (I had sold my beautiful piano in favor of a car when I was 18) and bought a new piano for me. I protested. It was too much money. I was never going to play it, etc. He just knew I needed it and bought it anyway. What a guy!
One day I was sitting at the piano with my, then, two year old daughter Naomi. Naomi was patting at the keys and stumbled across a succession of notes that I really liked. I wrote a song around those notes right then and there. It just happened. Everything that I had been taught and experienced over the years was poured out into that song and it was an amazing experience. I've been composing and arranging songs almost non-stop since that day and enjoying every minute of it!