Biography
Three years of dedicated touring and regional success as a have transformed Hudson K’s founder, Christina Horn, from a music conservatory graduate and teacher into a successful songwriter and performer . With one EP under her belt and a new studio recording in the works, Ms. Horn and her fellow band members Nate Barrett and Jeff Christmas are continuing to evolve as they look forward toward their future opportunities as they recount the tremendous progress they have made in so little time...
Christina Horn, the songwriter and pianist for Hudson K, earned a master’s degree in classical piano from the University of Tennessee School of Music. Upon graduating, Ms. Horn followed the standard path of her colleagues in the classical world. From 2003 until 2006 she maintained an enormous studio of devoted little pianists, spending most of her hours teaching and preparing students for entry into piano competitions and auditions. The rest of her free time was spent planning a wedding and paying the mortgage on her and her fiancé's new home. But something was missing.
Born in New England, Ms. Horn moved to Tennessee in the 90’s and has since called Tennessee her home. But the dedicated pianist had somehow forgotten her original catalysts for studying piano. That catalyst was primarily her early exposure to Tori Amos and classic rock groups such as Led Zeppelin. Through the years the focus on attaining a legitimate degree had clouded her original dream of becoming a songwriter and performer. So she cancelled the wedding. Then she sold her home. Then she closed her studio. She began collaborating with Nate Barrett on her original material. The rest of the story can be heard n the songs that appear on her debut album, Safety Line (2007), recorded in her basement with the help of Hudson K’s first guitarist and singer, Laura Bost. Favorite Metro Pulse writer, Leslie Wylie, explains:
“ As a classically trained pianist, the local musician's dedication to technique is evident, but there's a transcendence of academia at work here as well—maybe a realization that classical music, so often considered an end in and of itself, can also function as a beginning.”
Around the beginning of 2009, Hudson K switched players. Jen Rock, from local rock outfit New of the Moon, took over with a smooth, experimental guitar sound and cool vocals. Soon after, multi-instrumentalist Rachel Schlafer-Parton began contributing bass lines with her cello and melodies with her flute. Both women toured with the band for as long as their personal lives would allow. Both women had an enormous impact on the overall sound and evolution of the band and will be heard on Hudson K’s next release. But touring can be difficult to maintain, and Hudson K was once again in need of a mobile player.
In comes Jeff Christmas, another multi-instrumentalist. This time the electric bass is introduced to the band, and the sound evolve. Raised on 60s soul, the Beatles, and glam rock, Jeff Christmas is a classically trained vocalist who started playing piano but turned to guitar at age sixteen. Jeff is a musical swiss-army knife. In Jeff’s own words; "I have been a really good dad and partner for the last 4 years and I’m now ready to melt faces and lay down fantasy grooves."
Music can be found at:
http://www.hudsonktoday.com
C.L. Horn
Gypsy Booking and Management/Hudson k
865.719.0651
HudsonKBooking@bellsouth.net
Instrumentation
Christina Horn: piano, wurlitzer, synthesizer, lead vocals
Nate Barrett: percussion, vocals
Jeff Christmas: guitar, bass
Discography
Safety Line March 2007
Live in Johnson City 2008
Links
| http://www.hudsonktoday.com |