BIO
| Born in Mobile, AL on the leading edge of the Baby Boom, Hal Newman had his first gig at age 3 singing "Sarah's Got a Secret", a spot for local business Sarah's Dollhouse. Though his talent was recognized early, he was prevented from taking formal lessons until age 5 when his hands were deemed large enough to play piano. "Growing up listening to radio in Mobile in the '50's, I tuned in to John R. in Nashville and to the New Orleans stations playing Ernie K. Doe, Benny Spellman and Lee Dorsey. These were my heroes," says Newman. |
| By his early teens he was playing in bands and taking in the sites and sounds of the local scene. "Mobile had an active fraternity and sorority system in the high schools, so there were a lot of local dances every weekend. I saw James Brown with his Flames when they were just starting out in '58, '59. That's also where I was able to see Slim Harpo, Eddie Bo and Clarence 'Frogman' Henry.....all those great New Orleans bands." |  mobile boy |
 maestro | As a young man in the early 60's, Newman embarked upon the accepted route. He spent a year at military school, obtained his B.S. in Music Education at Livingston State University and taught high school choruses in Georgia, Florida and Alabama before returning to pursue his Phd. at Florida State University. In 1970, unable to postpone his dream any longer, he moved to Memphis. |
| In Memphis Newman recorded one project for legendary producer Willie Mitchell's Hi Records label and fell into the rowdy, rocking crowd that included blue-eyed soulman, Dan Penn and producer/piano pounder, Jim Dickinson. His music would never be the same. "Dickinson taught me to make it 'uglier', Newman laughs, "and I credit Dan Penn for teaching me to write from a 'hook'." |  redeye |
 soulmate | Escaping Memphis w. his skin and most of his sanity in tact, Newman returned to Mobile in 1975 to clear his head and rejoinder his forces. By 1980 he was ready to return to the fray. This time it was to Nashville with songwriting spouse and soulmate, Rachel. They found early success with their southern, contemporary and r&b gospel which were recorded by such diverse artists as The Happy Goodman Family and Shirley Caesar and wrote the title song for the Archer's 1981 Grammy nominated album, "Spreadin' Like Wildfire." As the decade progressed, so did the Newmans, raising a son and a daughter and scoring cuts with artists ranging from bluesman Lonnie Brooks to country superstar George Strait, to country/pop diva, Shania Twain. |
| In 1985 Newman formed "The Mystics of Time", named for a historic Mobile Mardi Gras society. The Mystics have performed all over the Southeast and as far north as Minnesota and south as Universal Studios, Orlando, FL. They have recorded their unique brand of coastal r&b in Nashville since 1987 beginning w. their classic vinyl LP "Rock and Roll Mountain", through the rolling "Riverboat Rhythm and Blues" to their Y2K 4CD collection, "America's Party Band." |  pianoroll |
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