Colin Haines, 17, is unlike his musical peers who were born to a life of music. But that changed when he was introduced to a famous musical family.

“I was first exposed to music by my grandpa, Dick Stoner,” Haines said. “Every Sunday, on the way to church, he would put in one of his CDs to play. Every week it rotated between a Best of Frank Sinatra album or Out Among the Stars by Johnny Cash. I was drawn to the Cash album, and for a few years found myself into country music, though I have now comfortably settled into folk music, and I don’t see that changing for a long time.”

A student of the Sweetwater Academy, where he studies guitar with Kenny Taylor and voice with Hannah Battistone, Haines has made up for lost time with a few important experiences.

“Back in November, I was approached by Tom Brosseau to appear on his radio show The Great American Folk Show. I did two tunes to demonstrate my autoharp playing. It was my first radio appearance and will always hold a special place in my heart. My favorite, though, would be from about a year ago. When quarantine first began, my family would go to dinner at my grandparents’ every other day. I’d always bring my speaker to play some music. One particular night, I played ‘Here Comes That Rainbow Again,’ a song that’s a favorite of my grandfather and mine. And there, at the kitchen table, we sang along with Johnny Cash.”