This month, we would like to spotlight our instructor Casey Hanner! We are so lucky to have such a talented musician as a part of our team for the past 7 years. Alongside her time spent teaching at Sunburst, she is no stranger to the Pittsburgh music scene. As the lead vocalist and guitarist in the Band Donora, she has had years of experience singing across the country and even recorded several critically acclaimed albums!

We got a chance to sit down with Casey and ask her some in-depth questions about music to get some insight into her life as a musician. Here is what we uncovered…

How was your musical journey started?

My dad is a musician and had a recording studio in our house growing up, so I was always around music and other people making music. I kept a songwriting notebook as a kid and when I was about 13, I begged my dad to buy me a guitar. He lent me one of his guitars and a guitar chord book and told me that if I learned how to play the guitar, he would buy me one. The chords to the songs I wanted to learn were hard, so I wrote my own song using only the easy chords instead. My parents did buy me that guitar and I still play it today.

What do you feel is the best song you have ever released and why?

I can't answer this question. I have an affinity for all of the songs we've released. Some I like more than others. But I truly believe that the best is yet to come. I'm not one of those artists that believe we each have a finite amount of creativity or greatness inside of us. I truly believe that the more you work at your art, the better you become. And I don't think I've reached the best I can be yet.

What is your source of inspiration when writing music?

I try to be as honest as possible with my music. I can be inspired by some small interaction that happens in my life that I want to turn into a lyric. Or I can be inspired by the music itself. My brother Jake (the drummer and producer of the band) and I write most of the songs together. Many times it's a true collaborative process. He might play something that creates a certain vibe, then I might write a lyric that plays off of that vibe and we'll build it from there. 

What do you enjoy most about being a musician?

I make music for myself, but every once in a while, it's nice to be reminded that our music brings joy to other people too. Spotify and Apple Music have been great for that. They may not pay artists enough for their streams, but they do tell you where every stream is happening around the world, which is pretty incredible for a band like ours. We've had our songs in movies and TV shows and commercials and playlists, so our songs have reached a global audience. When I'm feeling less than inspired or down about music, I can always look at Spotify and say, "Well people were listening to our music in Mexico, Peru, Australia, Sweden, Morocco, plus 94 other countries this month." So that's pretty cool. 

If you had one message to give your students, what would it be?

Music doesn't always have to be perfect or pretty. Don't be afraid of mistakes or a little ugliness. Sometimes that's how we discover new and exciting things about ourselves and our unique voices.

Check out Casey's music Here! 

Donora • Larue June