Today we’d like to introduce you to Ted Hajnasiewicz.
Hi Ted, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m a singer-songwriter born in the Minneapolis suburbs. I’ve been writing most of my life. I recall writing what would be “songs” very young (songs about bathtubs or Star Wars toys) long before I owned or knew how to play an instrument. I also wrote short stories and even comic books as a young kid, mostly re-telling someone else’s story, but that’s part of the creative learning process. I have been in bands since my teens (I’m 52 now) and have been writing throughout this entire process. I feel I should be a much better writer by now, but hey, it’s a joy. 🙂
I started to come alive as a songwriter as my kids graduated high school and moved out of the house. I had more time but also a very different outlook on life. At this time, I also joined a cool Facebook group geared toward songwriting challenges. The prompts we’d get every week and rubbing virtual elbows with some of the most amazing songwriters have helped me refine my process and mature as a writer. (I’m not mature, to be clear. But I’ve grown) I love writing. Be it solo or in a co-write situation, or with my band. Be it for our songwriter group or just sitting down with a guitar, I’d still want to do it more if I could do this every day. I have been happily married (“happily” is a great understatement) for eleven years. We have five grown children, four married (so really – NINE wonderful children), and TEN grandkids. Holy smokes! Life is perfect. I’m super blessed. Oh – and I love ice cream with all my heart, mind, and body.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a smooth road?
No, not smooth. Mostly stumbling. But enjoyable. As a young kid growing up in the 80’s MTV/Rich and Famous era, I was hell-bent on becoming a rock star. I put that above substance. I didn’t know what substance was (MTV did have some great artists in the 80s – but also a lot of typical pop music of the time that wasn’t so great – and that influenced me a bit too much as a young kid). Going into my adult years, being in bands, we were striving to write something that mattered. But I didn’t know how (I don’t know that any of us did), and I deferred to bandmates and friends who I thought were better than I at writing. It wasn’t until I decided the “rock star” path wasn’t for me that I started writing for myself. And learning – always learning. It’s taken probably 25 years since then to come into my own. And I feel like maybe I’m still coming into my own. One hurdle is my mind. If I give the initial writing process too much time, I will start to doubt the song or myself and scrap it. Writing the first draft rather quickly helps me get out of my way. I can always edit later, and I often do these days. I’d rather write and delight in that process. Though, all the challenges with being a songwriter are a glorious part of the process. I tell my friends all the time – WE GET TO DO THIS! That is such a joy.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I think maybe the crafting of a song. That could be the initial writing of a song (Or co-writing). It’s exciting, and something new is being created right there! I believe anyone creating something feels that excitement. But it doesn’t end there for me. I love crafting the song further as the song develops in the studio. I love the possibilities. I can hear things in my head as I play a song alone: ooh, a harmony vocal, an organ, drums, and here. I feel like someone whittling a cool piece out of a piece of wood might feel how they can see something amazing in a block of wood. That’s incredible. And I love doing that with a song—also the possibility of playing the song live. With different instrumentation/collaborators, the song takes on new life – and sometimes possibly meaning. That’s a cool thing. The thing about songwriting, vs. maybe painting or woodworking, is that songs can continue to live on and evolve. And when it gets into a listener’s ears, minds and hearts? It’s no longer mine; it’s ours. That’s a glorious thing.
What characteristic of yours would you give the most credit if you had to?
The COMMUNITY. What I do, I cannot do alone. And I don’t have to. In MN, we have a rich community of songwriters, musicians, bands, and artists. I know you could go anywhere and say the same thing, which makes this all the more incredible. Community – I’d argue, is paramount to success in almost any field. “Success,” for me, is defined by connection. If a song connects with someone, you have success. And I get to both share and be shared with.
Contact Info:
- Website:Â https://www.tedhtunes.com
- Instagram:Â https://instagram.com/tedhtunes
- Facebook:Â https://facebook.com/tedhtunes
- Twitter:Â https://twitter.com/tedhtunes
- Youtube:Â https://youtube.com/tedhtunes
- SoundCloud:Â https://soundcloud.com/ted-hajnasiewicz
- Other:Â https://tedhtunes.bandcamp.com
Image Credits
Bo Allen John Heinen TJ Turner Sarah Frank Phyliss Hajnasiewicz Rebecca Petersen
