Interview with John Hegner

🎶 About the Music

Scott: John, when did you first realize music would be such a big part of your life?

John: I started piano lessons at 6. When I started to lose interest in the standard lesson fare, my teacher introduced me to the music of Burt Bacharach, which I found captivating, and at some point my teacher took me to a Bacharach concert. Seeing and hearing all the musicians on stage was so exciting I knew I wanted to be somehow in that world.

Scott: Who were some of the early influences that shaped your songwriting and sound?

John: Burt Bacharach, of course, and great songwriters like Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, Tom Waits. I love all genres and they all have interesting ways of approaching the same elements of melody, harmony, rhythm and message.

Scott: How would you describe your music to someone hearing it for the first time?

John: It’s usually on the spectrum between mellow and upbeat, with some detours through comical and quirky.

Scott: What inspires your lyrics — life experiences, people, or maybe just the rhythm of everyday living?

John: In retrospect, I’ve observed that most of my songs are written as a means to work out something going on in my life, mostly having to do with interpersonal relationships, my beliefs, or processing old traumas. The stories are not literal, because first you have an experience, and then the after effects of what your mind does with that information, which can lead to both scary or comical imagined constructs.

🎤 The Upcoming Concert

Scott: Tell us what we can look forward to at your November 1st show at the Woodstock Opera House. 

John: I was digging around in my old song notebooks and found an unfinished one called Peace Is Alive. I thought that would make a good title for the show because lately I’ve been thinking a lot about inner conflicts, and how finding inner peace is a necessary microcosm in the macro of World peace. I think each song for me was an attempt at resolving those conflicts or unanswered questions. I have some great musicians joining me, so that should really uplift the music. I think you can expect an entertaining evening with some food for thought.

Scott: Are there any special guests or surprises in store for that evening?
John: Most assuredly. For one, the trumpet player, Roger Reupert, suggested bringing in his friend, vocalist Cheryl Wilson, who has worked many years in the Chicago scene and has a lot of big names on her resume. That should be really fun and, as for surprises, well, you’ll have to come to find out! 

Scott: The Opera House is such a special venue in our community — what does performing there mean to you personally?
John: My first theater experience was in the Woodstock Opera House. It’s a lovely and intimate venue that means a lot to me and the community. As it reinvents itself and gets updated, I am excited to be part of that process and collaborate with them to achieve excellence in whatever ways I can.

Scott: How do you prepare — mentally, creatively, even spiritually — for a show like this?

John: Music has sometimes been on the backburner for long periods of my life including in the past few years, so to undertake a full show of originals means getting back into shape - my fingers, voice and mind. With practice everyday, it’s coming back to me.

🎧 Behind the Soundboard

Scott: You’re also an accomplished sound engineer. How does that technical side influence the way you approach performing and recording?

John: It’s difficult to focus on both music and the technical simultaneously. In the past, I’ve found that I can do a much better job engineering when that’s my only job, as opposed to engineering and being part of the musical portion. Poor sound can easily happen due to various factors, and there are challenges facing us. I know the team will do our best to create a pleasing sound. When the technical side is truly successful, it becomes transparent, it doesn’t draw your attention and then the music can shine through.

Scott: When you’re producing music for yourself or others, what’s your favorite part of the creative process?

John: It’s the happy accidents, the wrong chord played that becomes indispensable to the final product. And the exploration of possibilities. When we are creating, there are no rules, it’s fun to imagine something and then do your best to make it real.

💡 Creativity and Community

Scott: You’ve always been passionate about helping others express their creativity. Where does that drive come from?

John: I’ve worked with a lot of people who weren’t professionals, nonetheless they created something they wanted to share. When you apply a high standard to helping them achieve that, you can observe what that means to them and those around them. They get a sparkle in their eyes when they hear how good they can sound. It comes down to the experience of being seen when sharing something that comes from inside. I feel all people should have that experience of their creations being seen and appreciated. When that happens, I think we feel like we belong here in the world.

Scott: How do you see art and music helping to connect people in what often feels like a disconnected world?
John: All art is telling stories that ultimately relate to our shared human experience. If you break it down to the basics, each story has common themes that resonate universally. In collaborative settings, which are my focus, there are endless opportunities to find common ground and unite with others around the joy of creating.

Scott: Are there any local projects or collaborations you’re especially proud of — or excited about — that bring community and creativity together?

John: The Square Notes project from 2024, which will ride again in 2026. We had over 20 performers from various disciplines, we all added our creative expressions into the mix, using only the Woodstock Square as a creative prompt. It was the most beautiful chaos that coalesced into a very enjoyable performance with audience participation.

🌟 Looking Ahead

Scott: What’s next for you after this concert — any new recordings or community projects on the horizon? I know, for example, you are planning a Holiday Concert with local favorite Cassandra Vohs-Demann

John: Cassandra and I will present a holiday concert at Stage Left Cafe on December 6th, 7:30 pm. Other than that, Square Notes 2026, and most likely recording some of my unearthed and dusted off songs, such as Peace Is Alive.

Scott: And finally — for all of us trying to live more creatively, whether through music, service, or daily life — what advice would you share about nurturing that creative spark?

John: First, when you have creative ideas that excite you, never dismiss them as silly or unattainable. Within every ambitious vision, there are elements that you can start creating immediately. Second, if your mind’s eye can see it completed, I would venture to say it is, though perhaps in another dimension, the more complete the vision, the more likely you are to draw it into a 3D reality, and the more helpers that will magically appear. Occasionally I’ve received ‘flashes of inspiration’ in which I saw an idea in its fully-completed form. Those are gifts from somewhere beyond, and they seem to have a high degree of inevitability. Pay close attention to those. Finally, whatever it is that you love doing, you can approach it with an artistic sensibility. Put the real “you” into creating it. Give it time, care about the details, and it will blossom.

🎫 Don’t Miss It!

Catch John Hegner live at the Woodstock Opera House on Friday, November 1st — an evening sure to celebrate music, community, and connection. Let’s show up to support our fellow Rotarian and the incredible local arts scene he helps keep alive. Click here to purchase tickets