About Adam Hawkins, shaping the musician he is today...
Growing up, Adam had music all around him. But, one of the things that shaped Adam’s music career was his father. Adam’s father was a very talented Alto/Tenor Saxophone and Clarinet player. Learning and playing music came very easy to him. Even when his father was in high school, he was already playing in bands. It is something his father still does to this day.
So you can image that at some point Adam would begin to play. But, that wasn’t the case. Adam was more focused on soccer than anything else. Of course that eventually changed. During elementary school they had a program for students to learn to play an instrument. Adam thought about it but again his mind was on soccer and not playing music. But, as his 6th grade year was winding down Adam started thinking about playing music. How could he catch up to his friends that were already been playing for a few years? That answer came when one of the classes in Jr. High offered to those students still needing some more time to learn the basics. Adam signed up. But he knew he had to work hard to get up to speed. Adam spent a great deal of practicing and learning from his father that summer. It was tough no doubt but the rewards later on would be amazing.
It was Adam’s goal to join the 7th grade band by the end of the 1st semester. He did just that. Of course being the new player Adam had to sit at the end which just so happened to be the 6th spot. That is when Adam’s next goal emerged… To get to the 2nd seat by the end of the school year. To Adam’s surprise he did even better. He ended up beating out the 1st chair player and took his spot. It amazed Adam that he hasn’t even been playing a full year yet. Now he’s at the top.
So you can image that at some point Adam would begin to play. But, that wasn’t the case. Adam was more focused on soccer than anything else. Of course that eventually changed. During elementary school they had a program for students to learn to play an instrument. Adam thought about it but again his mind was on soccer and not playing music. But, as his 6th grade year was winding down Adam started thinking about playing music. How could he catch up to his friends that were already been playing for a few years? That answer came when one of the classes in Jr. High offered to those students still needing some more time to learn the basics. Adam signed up. But he knew he had to work hard to get up to speed. Adam spent a great deal of practicing and learning from his father that summer. It was tough no doubt but the rewards later on would be amazing.
It was Adam’s goal to join the 7th grade band by the end of the 1st semester. He did just that. Of course being the new player Adam had to sit at the end which just so happened to be the 6th spot. That is when Adam’s next goal emerged… To get to the 2nd seat by the end of the school year. To Adam’s surprise he did even better. He ended up beating out the 1st chair player and took his spot. It amazed Adam that he hasn’t even been playing a full year yet. Now he’s at the top.
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Now during his 8th grade year, Adam continued on in band but now he wanted to learn guitar. He ended up getting a guitar and amp and took lessons. Adam’s love for hard rock and heavy metal and wanting to become a rock star was born. Once Adam got into high school he made friends with another guitar player and the two started jamming together. Adam’s best friend while growing up was also in band and learned to play the bass. Eventually this would lead into forming they’re first band. They began to look for a drummer and found someone. This group of 4 would call themselves Scattered Remains. Although the name sounded scary there music was far from it. They started off playing cover songs and only playing just a few shows while the band was together.
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After Adam graduated high school, he moved down to Florida to study Audio at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida. Adam knew that only a handful of bands actually make it in the industry and Adam loved music so much that learning to be behind the scenes running sound or recording it would be the next best thing. The sad part about moving to Florida for Adam was his band mates moved on and formed a new group. But, after Adam graduated from Full Sail he ran sound for that band on 4 shows.
Adam very soon after ran into a rough spot in life. Unable to find a decent job, no more friends to even jam with anymore and Adam hung up his playing. He spent a number of years like this.
Adam very soon after ran into a rough spot in life. Unable to find a decent job, no more friends to even jam with anymore and Adam hung up his playing. He spent a number of years like this.
The calling to play music was rapidly approaching again. What was different this time was an instrument he has hardly heard would take over his life.
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In 2005, Adam and his wife took some outdoor survival classes from Midwest Native Skills Institute out of Cleveland Ohio. It was there in October that Adam met Eric, one of the instructors for MNSI. Eric brought out his Native American Flute and played for us students around the camp fire that Saturday night. It was a moment that changed Adam’s life.
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He knew he had to learn to play the Native American flute. That night upon going to bed, Adam told his wife that’s all he wanted for Christmas was a Native American flute and nothing else...
Sure enough, he got his first flute and off and running he went. Now learning to play the NAF isn’t the hardest thing to do. Anyone wanting to learn to play can do so in about a day. No lie! But, what makes playing the Native American flute hard is putting emotion into your playing. That is something that takes time. One of Adam’s favorite quotes he’s heard was this:
Sure enough, he got his first flute and off and running he went. Now learning to play the NAF isn’t the hardest thing to do. Anyone wanting to learn to play can do so in about a day. No lie! But, what makes playing the Native American flute hard is putting emotion into your playing. That is something that takes time. One of Adam’s favorite quotes he’s heard was this:
"When a flute maker carves out the core of the wood it is said that the flute loses its soul. It is the flute player’s job, their purpose they picked that flute up, to restore that soul while they play it. Your breathe will bring life back into that wood and If you do so, that wood will sing and take that flute player and they’re listeners on an amazing journey."
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That is something Adam took to his heart. When you listen to Adam play, you will feel the emotion, you will feel the passion, you will feel life flowing through his music. All Adam asks is that if you hear him live or at home, that you close your eyes and let his music take you way from all the chaos, tight schedules, and stress that we all go through. It is an experience that every single person should go through as often as they can.
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