Album Notes

Self-taught pianist and songwriter Tim Horning has been writing, recording, and performing his original music for the past 25 years. Coming of age in the era of bar bands and cover tunes, Tim became a veteran of the open mic scene and helped to pioneer the original music movement in Omaha during the 80s. He also had his music on local radio and television, sang jingles and earned a degree in the music business in 1995.

Tim was raised with a musical heritage. His parents were musicians with varying musical tastes, and as a child Tim was indoctrinated by styles ranging from Broadway to Motown and from Big Bands to The Beatles. In the 50s, Tim's father grew up next door to, and jammed with, The Everly Brothers just prior to their fateful move to Nashville, and his mother sang professionally in the mid-60s. His grandfather had performed on old-time radio, and his stepfather was in the original Spike Jones Group and performed with Rudy Vallee. This eclectic mix of influences established in Tim an understanding of and appreciation for the timeless melodies which have outlasted many a fleeting musical fad. While Tim attended concerts by many of the super groups of the 70s and 80s, he equally enjoyed seeing greats like Count Basie, Dave Brubeck and Liberace.

Tim's ear for quality can be heard in any of the 100+ songs he has composed. Writing his own lyrics, he is able to marry the music and the message in a uniquely personal and powerful way whether the song is a tender ballad, up-tempo pop or hard-driving rock. At the root of his works is a strong piano foundation reminiscent of Elton John, Billy Joel, and other classic pop pianists. In fact, Guy Babylon, longtime keyboardist for Elton John, called Tim's music "really excellent!" when he heard one of his tapes in 1991. Tim's songwriting is equaled by his abilities as a vocalist, and his dynamic performances have transfixed audiences of all ages and tastes.

With the advent of digital technology, the opportunity to record the songs the way Tim had always envisioned them became possible, and he is currently remastering his entire song catalog. A talented arranger and producer, Tim strives for a crisp and clear sound in his recordings using primarily acoustic instrumentation with the occasional dash of electronic spice.

Tim's goals include becoming a published songwriter and recording artist, writing a musical and eventually creating his own organization aimed at helping other artists break into the business.

"The Songs of Tim Horning: Volume One" represents a sampling of his varied musical abilities spanning a quarter century of songwriting. While all of the recordings are new, the songs range from one of his earliest works (1980's "You're My Favorite Fantasy") to one of his more recent (1998's "I Had A Dream"). These 10 songs were chosen in order to demonstrate Tim's ability to craft a catchy song regardless of the style or subject. He has already begun working on Volume Two of the collection.