My Music
Music Making
I wrote my first song in 1978 while in the Peace Corps in Chile, and since then have written over 180 more, but I’ve never made much of an effort to get them out to listeners. Sure, I played the occasional open mic, and upon request (usually my wife Christine’s) sometimes sang a few tunes for her or for guests at our house, but that’s about it. Even after I joined the Connecticut Songwriters Association in 2004 I used the feedback from other writers to improve my songs, but didn’t actually do much with them.
That began to change in 2011. First, my songs “White Squares” and “It Stands to Reason” appeared on Voices Raised: Songs of Social Relevance, a Connecticut Songwriters Association’s compilation CD. Second, I met
Joe Gaudette at a CSA meeting. Actually, I didn’t really meet him that night; I was just thoroughly impressed by the music of the tune he offered for critique. I wrote some ideas for polishing the lyrics, along with my email address, in hopes that he might get in touch and want to try collaborating. Fortunately, Joe liked my suggestions, emailed me the next day, and we spent the next nine months crafting and recording songs together.
Eventually Joe decided that he didn’t have the time to continue putting so much effort into music, a decision I understand and respect. So our partnership is over, at least for the time being. Collaboration with Joe was an extremely rewarding musical experience; I learned a lot and enjoyed every minute. Now it’s time for the next chapter. My songs “The Farm” and “Hole Where My Soul Was” are on the most recent CSA compilation CD, and I’ll be performing at the Environmental Awareness Concert at the Coogan Farm Restoration Site in Mystic, CT on September 10.
I continue to work on new tunes. I hope you enjoy them, and cordially invite you to accompany me on this journey.
My musical influences include Neil Young, Loudon Wainwright III, Bob Dylan, John Prine, Joni Mitchell, Steve Forbert, James McMurtry, Eliza Gilkyson, Bruce Cockburn, Todd Snider, and Warren Zevon.
Tom Hazuka 