Dave Hoskins

Dave Hoskins first imagined the concept he would eventually name LYRE just a few years ago. However his love affair with music goes all the way back to the cradle. “One of my earliest musical memories is of my mother playing accordion and singing from an old tattered church hymnal when I was a kid,” remembers Dave. In fact sacred music played a huge role in Hoskins’ musical upbringing. “I grew up in evangelical churches – literally. My family was at church three times a week and there was no escaping music,” he says grinning widely.

Outside of church Dave was introduced to the Beatles at age six by a babysitter, got his first guitar at seven and eagerly watched as rock-n-roll swept the country throughout his teens. “I can’t ever recall not wanting to sing and play rock guitar,” he muses. But to the majority of people who had influence over Dave back then rock represented something negative to say the least. “It’s easy to forget just how countercultural and anti-social rock was once considered by the majority of americans,” he states. “Add to that many people’s perception that I couldn’t make a living as a musician and the fact that I was young and unsure it’s no wonder by the time I was twenty I gave up trying.”

It would be another twenty years and a couple of careers later before Dave was able to once again approach the idea of life on his terms. “For years I wouldn’t allow myself to think about my dreams of being a musician,” he says matter-of-factly. “But then one day I’d just had enough of the struggle and decided to give up and just go with it. There were challenges – still are – but that whole process of desiring, holding myself from the desire, and finally deciding to go with the flow has expanded me now and it’s part of what I have to offer. It’s never too late to live the life you want. A long time ago I buried my talent and tried my best to ignore it. Now I’m back going for it again and I’m breathing life into it with every song.”