Songwriter/composer, pianist, film composer and producer Turner Horton grew up in Savannah, Georgia and got his early introduction to music from the elementary school’s biggest music aficionado, who gave live performances on banjo, played patriotic songs and Ray Charles’ Georgia On My Mind. Turner picked up the trumpet in the 5th grade and following his introduction to elementary music, he began to study piano in the 6th grade. He also began collecting LPs, 8-tracks and cassette tapes of multi-genres of music, which would later help develop Turner’s appreciation for listening to and writing in multi-genres. While spending Summer vacation months in the Florida Keys on his uncle's boat, he was exposed to Bob Marley's Legend album that was always played through the sound system. His favorite music was movie soundtracks, early military band music and listening to Oldies/Rock’n’Roll, such as Elvis and Buddy Holly.
After the loss of his grandmother, Turner began writing poetry and composing songs on piano. Songwriting and piano solos began to blossom. His musical training in high school was nurtured by the prestigious music program at the Savannah Arts Academy which provided the experience to perform weekly concerts and gave him the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to jam with the likes of Ravi Coltrane (son of John Coltrane), James Moody (Blue Note), Donald Byrd (Blue Note), Benny Carter (arranger for Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald) and Savannah legend Ben Tucker. While he studied music theory and composition in his senior year with the school’s orchestra director, Turner won a community music scholarship from “The Friends of Johnny Mercer Foundation” with a song he wrote for piano titled “Grace.”
In college, Turner studied music composition and fell in love with the idea of composing music scores for film, from composers like John Barry and Ennio Morricone. At a local coffee shop near the college, Turner played piano covers and started performing his original piano pieces once a week. In his 4th year, he began scoring his own video projects and found work scoring various student films for associates at the Savannah College of Arts and Design (SCAD). He discovered a true love for scoring film and capturing feelings and emotion for the moving image.
He has accumulated innumerable high school and collegiate honors and recognitions, including the privilege of touring throughout Europe in Italy, Germany, Austria and the Southeastern United States, performing for various dignitaries and social functions.
In 2010, during his occupational transition to Maui, Hawaii, Turner released his debut solo piano album, “Long Lost Friend”, a collection of some of his earlier compositions written in high school and college. Upon his arrival to Maui, Turner immediately began playing keyboards (and just recently added trumpet) for one of Maui's top reggae bands, One Inity. The experience of playing with One Inity has provided Turner instant access into the Maui music scene & local culture and has given him the opportunity to share the stage with well-known reggae groups such as Slightly Stoopid, The Green, Iration and Ky-mani Marley. Turner is currently in the studio with One Inity, excited to put some of his musical ideas onto their second album.
When Turner's busy not playing music with One Inity, you can sometimes find him selling musical instruments at Bounty Music in Kahului or surfing/SUPing at one of Maui's beaches.
