There’s a moment in every artist’s life when he knowsthat music is not only his path, but his destiny. For Canadian singer-songwriter Justin Hines who will perform next month at the Fox Cities P.A.C., his moment of realization came at the most unlikelyof places – a Toronto Raptors’ basketball game in his hometown 15 years ago.
A then14-year-old Hines won a vocal competition tosing the National Anthem – both the Canadian and American – at the game and hisworld opened up before him. “In that moment, it all seemed possible,” herecalls. “The performance eliminated any stage fright.” Thrown in the deep end, Hines, who hasperformed professionally ever since, realized he could not only survive, butthrive.
But then again, Hines has thrived all his lifeagainst odds that would daunt someone with a less indomitable spirit. Hines hasLarsen Syndrome, a joint dislocation condition that confines him to awheelchair. “The reality is I don’t really look at my situation as that big adeal,” he says. “We all have our things that challenge us, just some people’sare a little more visible in the forefront. Mine is very apparent, whereasothers wear it on the inside.”
Hines has performed across the globe, throughoutEurope, China, the Middle East and North America. Although he admits his condition has provided challenges, he primarilysees the good it has brought him and the inspiration he can provide others. “Therehave been so many blessings. It’s afforded me so many other opportunities. It’sa bit of an attention grabber,” he says. “But then my job is to keep peopleinterested and keep their attention with my music.”
That natural optimism permeates much of his Americandebut, “Days to Recall,” the singer/songwriter’s collection of heartfelt songsabout life and love. “I don’t want to pretend that dark times don’t exist, butI have a hard time leaving things negative,” he says. “I think everychallenging situation leads to something better. When I’m writing I don’t do itconsciously in the songs, it’s just how they evolve.”
The album’s 2011release coincided with a PBS special of Hines in concert taped at Toronto’sRoyal Cinema with special guests Ron Sexsmith, Natalie MacMaster, DonnellLeahy, Sierra Noble and the Canadian Tenors. The special has had over 400 airings across North America to date. Hines also appeared in a CBS Sunday Morning feature,which aired December 18 and received an abundance of positive responsesnationwide.
Music has always been a big part of Hines’ life. Hisparents had a jukebox— well stocked with tunes from the ’60s and ’70s thatprovided their son with a music education from an early age. “I really listenedto such an eclectic mix,” he says. “What I most resonated with was JamesTaylor. He’s definitely one of my heroes.”
Though Hines doesn’t remember it, his mom tells himhe wrote his first song when he was seven. “My grandmother still has thelyrics,” he says. In his late teens, Hinesdecided to teach himself how to play piano as a way to better expresshimself, despite the obstacles LarsenSyndrome provided. “I’d done a lot of writing with other people. The mostfrustrating thing was I could hear the song in my head, but I was relying onother people to write chords since I didn’t play anything,” he says. “I decidedfor just about a year to focus on playing piano. I had to figure out my ownmethod of how to make it work. My fingers are unique. Sometimes I use up toseven fingers. For a lot of songs I can get by with three.”
Hines recorded “Days to Recall,” his fourth albumoverall, during a six month period in Toronto. The first single, lilting, instantlycatchy “Tell Me I’m Wrong,” tackles the fears that plague everyone and our desirefor reassurance. The music video for thesingle was shot in Joplin, Missouri following the devastating 2011 tornado. Tosupport the American Red Cross, the music video displays a community comingtogether to rebuild, following tragedy. The song climbed to #21 on theBillboard AC Charts and the video has garnered hundreds of thousands of hits.
The second single from the album is “Say What YouWill,” an uplifting song that initially appeared on Hines’ second album. Thefirst video released for the song was filmed in Toronto’s Dundas Square andshowed everyday people writing personal messages on whiteboards and showingthem to the world. The whiteboard concept traveled to South Africa, where a newvideo was filmed, featuring the Most Rev. Desmond Tutu and was partially filmedat Oprah’s Seven Fountain School. The song took on a life of its own and wasused as part of a campaign to refurbish 20 schools in 11 days. Hines performed in South Africa spring 2011and saw the schools that will educate more than 22,000 students. “It’s sobeyond an honor knowing that a song we did was part of this, that we get to bepart of that beauty,” he says. At the time of his visit, the song had hitnumber one on South African commercial radio.
Following the success of “Tell Me I’m Wrong,” American fans quicklyfell in love with “Say What You Will” and began posting their own whiteboardmessages online, which inspired a U.S version of the music video to bereleased. The new video was filmed from the east to west coast and featuresappearances by athletes, as well as everyday people, each writing their ownmessages of love and hope. Decca/Universal released the video in February.
“Say What You Will” was also highlighted in concertsacross the U.S. recently as The Tenors and National Symphony Orchestra joinedJustin to perform it in Boston, Portland, Minnesota, Cerritos and four nightsat the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
“I get transformed to a different place when Iperform. I hope it just makes people feel something,” he says, adding that heespecially enjoys singing ballads. “Hopefully, that helps form an intimateconnection with the audience. I embrace those moments because it feels likeyou’re having a unique conversation with people.”
That conversation begins anew with “Days to Recall.”
You can see Justin Hines Wednesday, March 14 at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in downtown Appleton. Tickets are $20.
Biography provided by justinhines.com.
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