Conversations with Hudson Harmony Band

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hudson Harmony Band.

Hi Hudson Harmony, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Hudson Harmony Band began 11 years ago in August of 2013 when we started music lessons with Priscilla Harp. Back in 2008, when Kaitlyn was 6 1/2 years old, we had started her in piano lessons, and it was such a joy to hear her play and watch her grow in her God-given talent. As the little ones came along, it was Jacob who would pick up the youth guitar that we had sitting in the corner, and he would just strum away all the time— every day, and sing at the top of his lungs! I turned to Kevin and I said, “We have to get this child guitar lessons!” So I looked around and tried to find a good teacher. Months went by and finally our piano teacher gave me the name of a website that listed “music teacher profiles” and so I wrote down around 3 to 4 numbers. I called them all and one older lady from Lousiana called me back! She had been displaced by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina and had relocated to our area. I told her that we were looking for a guitar teacher for our son, but that there were several of us who also wanted to learn. I asked if we could be in on the lesson with him. I knew we had found the right person when she said, “That’s perfect! I specialize in putting family bands together!” So we scheduled our first lesson. When she walked in our door, she was pulling a cart behind her and not only did she have a guitar, she had a bass guitar, a mandolin, a banjo, a violin, and a ukelule. She put us in a circle and gave each of us an instrument. She taught us how to strum along and the very first song we learned was, “How Great Is Our God.” When she left that day, I turned to Kevin and I said, “I called for guitar lessons!! I don’t even like the banjo, and I KNOW I don’t like the mandolin!” And with wisdom that God has given my husband, he said, “Just go with the flow and see what God is going to do.” So that is what we did and the rest is history! Three months after we started lessons, we played the offertory at our church for Thanksgiving service. One year later, we put on our first concert at Christmas. I always say, “If God can do this in us, what can he do in you? What good works has He prepared for you to do?” That has been the story of our lives. As you listen to our songs and testimonies, we pray that you will be challenged to imagine what God can do in your life!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
We have had many struggles along the way. It’s not easy for siblings to get along, much less work together at something that takes everyone’s cooperation. Priscilla, our music teacher, always reminded the kids to “bear with one another in love” when they had disagreements. Time has been another challenge. Vocal and instrumental practice is a daily routine, and sometimes it is a challenge to find the time to do this. There are times when we’ve had to practice at 9 or 10 pm because of work and school schedules. This is not easy, especially when everyone is tired and patience is running thin.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
We are all family, which makes us unique and versatile. Everyone in our group can play at least four or five different instruments. One of our specialties is taking older songs and hymns and rearranging them to fit our style. We even add a special surprise to some of them by incorporating yodeling, which delights our audience!! Although we don’t create original songs, we do put a unique twist on popular favorites that make our style distinctive. Our most popular song on YouTube, “Church in the Wildwood,” has recently surpassed 1 million views this year and continues to grow, thanks to our listeners and the one-of-a-kind arrangement that we created. We don’t do this for money or attention–we do it because we love Jesus and want to share the Good News with everyone. We are truly honored to reach millions of listeners and viewers around the world with the Gospel!

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Our music teachers have played a huge role in helping us become who we are today. In fact, we are still taking lessons so that we can continue to grow and improve.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hudsonharmonyband.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hudsonharmonyband/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076386121029
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@HudsonHarmonyBand
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5UflvqxkejJOa0gt1AOZn3?si=ZnNJVkBXSha8b4kydhg5Hw&utm_source=copy-link&nd=1&dlsi=bee6e2cb89ca4469

Image Credits
Kristie Lou Photography & Sadie Such Films