JoEllen Harris Stearns is a song. Her lilting, soprano voice has its own sparkle, its own engaging personality, its own smile! Precise yet spontaneous, disciplined but playful, operatic and yet "down home", JoEllen commands an amazing range of music genre with disarming ease. JoEllen invites the listener to experience new melodies at a fresh and exciting level and to re-experience, in familiar tunes, deep feelings in those secret places within the heart.

JoEllen began performing as a vocalist at age four and made her television debut at age nine. In high school, she was director of Central Ohio's popular musical production, "Up With People". JoEllen completed her B.M. degrees at Ohio State University in Music Performance and Music Education. She built concentrations in the diverse fields of light opera and musical theater, and Appalachian Folk Musicology. Following conservatory, JoEllen performed in cabaret, stage, and television and radio in New York City.

JoEllen followed her life-long passion and advocacy for young children to public education where she combined her expertise in music and theater in arts immersion elementary school in Arizona. When she returned to graduate school at Ohio State, she completed her Ph.D. in Creativity Studies under the direction of Marlin Languis.

Currently her creative energies are expressed in educational leadership positions, performing sacred music in a number of churches, musical composition, and private studio instruction in piano and voice for over fifteen years. Embracing an amazing diversity of musical and artistic skills, JoEllen lives her mission of assisting adults and children in discovering the power of the arts and creativity in their daily lives.

Jack Widner's music is as strong, intense and vibrant as the jet-black nine-foot, concert grand Steinway piano he plays. Jack's expressive style takes full advantage of the bell-like clarity in higher octaves and the booming bass reverberations of this rare instrument that was played by world famous pianists in the ornate Ohio Theater in Columbus, Ohio.

At once playful and improvisational, yet technically precise, Jack's playing evokes memories of The Big Band era with more than a subtle hint of jazz as he expertly weaves a musical tapestry that gives fresh texture to well-worn musical cloth. Jack Widner commands an amazing range of musical styles from classical to show standards, including sacred, jazz and popular. Several of his most popular original tunes are included in this album. He brings spontaneity and humor to his performance. Jack's playing is evocative for a wide range of audiences; listening to Jack play, one inevitably feels a surge of energy and a deep urge to smile, hum along, or dance.

Jack has been playing since age five, formed his own band in high school and won musical recognition and honors in college. Remarkably talented and versatile, Jack's musical career has included solo pianist, leader of a jazz trio that toured the U.S. and Canada, musical director for the musical comedy, Tongue in Chic, and one-half of The Andrew Jackson Pianoforte duo.