Pursuing Passion for Music: Justin Hines

I can't link to it as it was included in a special interest supplement to todays Globe & Mail, but there was a nice piece on Justin Hines, a local performing singer/songwriter who's just released a new CD, Sides.

Hines, who is confined to a wheelchair due to Larsen Syndrome, a rare joint condition that he was born with, discusses the honing of his "songwriting chops". Sides is all-acoustic and evokes the '70's greats (James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Harry Chapin and Jim Croce - I've Got A Name is covered on the album). Of that "golden age" era and those songwriters he states:

"A lot of time was taken to write great lyrics, and they never over-complicated
things. There was beauty in their simplicity. I think you can really
capture people's emotions with the most simple song."

And of the presence of the craft of songwriting in his life, Hines reflects:

"It is part of my life now, something I do every day whether I want to or
not. I have enough material for another record already, and that's a good
place to be in."

I think Hines is coming from the right place, doing something that is not "trendy", but just honest... I have to remember to keep that honesty going in my songs...

May the Muse be with him...