My name is
Scott Horton. I was born on July
30th, 1965 in Bedford,
Pennsylvania. Growing up in a small rural town
definitely had its limitations.
When I was 6 years old I sang two solos in our first grade Christmas pageant. My music teacher from K thru 12, John Hoffner recognized that I had a gift and encouraged me, from that day on, to participate in every musical event that I possibly could.
Back in those days, it was not considered appropriate, for boys my age to play a musical instrument and sing. I was expected to play football, baseball, basketball and to hunt and fish. I had no interest in those things. In an effort to please those people around me, however, I reluctantly participated and as a result spent a great deal of my childhood unhappy and detached.
My Grandmother, Peggy McMurtie, always believed in me and supported me. She was a loving, sweet woman with a huge heart. Her Angelic, operatic voice resonated through our church every Sunday morning. I believe that she was my first link to music. Grandma knew that I loved to sing and was so patient as I played her old 78rpm records, of Guy Lombardo, Benny Goodman, Bing Crosby and of course, Frank Sinatra, over and over again. I loved that old music and all through my childhood would sing for her and eventually made myself sound like these great "crooners".
After being involved in many High School musicals and choruses, I eventually branched out and did some special guest spots at local churches. One of those churches was the “Oasis of Love” church. This church sang upbeat, soft, rock music and included guitars, drums and keyboards which supported the term “Holy Rollers”. This was truly an amazing experience. Pastor Kathy Speck taught me how to sing from the bottom of my heart and “make a joyful noise unto the Lord”. I allowed the power of the song and the essence of the Holy Spirit to wash over me so completely that I truly felt that I was in communication with God.
When I finally realized, that according to their beliefs, I had no place in the church, because of my sexual orientation, I had to leave the church. I was devastated.
For many years this experience haunted me and even though I tried so many times to go back to church to renew my faith, nothing changed the man I am deep down inside. It took years of coaching for me to find peace within. I still do believe in a higher power. I talk to Him every day.
During those High School years I became a wedding singer earning me a whopping $25.00. The bottom line was I was singing and was having fun doing it. I would sing with a beautiful friend, called Kim Black who was tall, slender and blonde and we looked so good together.
I constantly received amazing positive feedback and many offers to sing professionally, however, my struggle with poor self esteem kept me from doing what I love.
Mahri Best came into my life in 1987. At that time she was still doing her cabaret show to sold-out audiences. She lit up the room with her personality and show woman style. Instantly, I fell in love with her.
I had moved to Washington, D. C. and for the first time in my life, I began to actually live my life in its full sense. For the next twelve years, my life took on many different faces and had its fair share of disappointments and pain. I will write about these years one day. I believe that I turn that pain into something positive when I’m sensitizing my music. It keeps me in touch with my heart and my feelings.
Late in 1998, my nephew Jacob, who was 7 years old, was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) and after chemotherapy and bone marrow replacement he finally gave up the battle 2 years later only 5 days before his 9th birthday. My entire family was shattered.
Jacobs mother, my sister, Kim had bravely endured these two years and had shown me incredible power in her ability to put on a wonderful warm and loving smile for him all during his illness. I desperately wanted to reach out and help her, hold her, love her and let her know that is was all going to be okay.
Kim shared with me a dream that she had. She said that Jacob had come to her and he looked like an Angel with a light around his body. He told her that he was able to play baseball and be with his friends, doing all the things that he had not been able to do for so long in life.
I wanted to share my feeling with Kim about how proud I was of her as she had been going through all of this. As I was writing a letter to Kim I became aware that the letter I was writing was in fact taking on the feeling of a song. I had never written a song before and within one hour, there it was, “Little One”.
We went into the studio of my friend Gerry Kunkel and he did the musical arrangement. We put down that first track and Mahri was there and when I saw the tears flowing down her cheeks I knew I had achieved what I had set out to do.
I finally presented Kim with “Little One” on Christmas Day 2001. Our family had suffered so much. Since that time there has been healing. I believe in the power of healing words and music and what Mahri is so dedicated to doing.
I am 42 years old now and it has taken me the better part of half a century to truly acknowledge the gift, the wonderful instrument that He gave me to share with the Universe so long ago. I now choose to use this instrument to make a difference in someone else’s life, to make a difference in the World. I believe this will happen.
Scott resides in Falls Church, Virginia with his best friend and soul mate Mike.
When I was 6 years old I sang two solos in our first grade Christmas pageant. My music teacher from K thru 12, John Hoffner recognized that I had a gift and encouraged me, from that day on, to participate in every musical event that I possibly could.
Back in those days, it was not considered appropriate, for boys my age to play a musical instrument and sing. I was expected to play football, baseball, basketball and to hunt and fish. I had no interest in those things. In an effort to please those people around me, however, I reluctantly participated and as a result spent a great deal of my childhood unhappy and detached.
My Grandmother, Peggy McMurtie, always believed in me and supported me. She was a loving, sweet woman with a huge heart. Her Angelic, operatic voice resonated through our church every Sunday morning. I believe that she was my first link to music. Grandma knew that I loved to sing and was so patient as I played her old 78rpm records, of Guy Lombardo, Benny Goodman, Bing Crosby and of course, Frank Sinatra, over and over again. I loved that old music and all through my childhood would sing for her and eventually made myself sound like these great "crooners".
After being involved in many High School musicals and choruses, I eventually branched out and did some special guest spots at local churches. One of those churches was the “Oasis of Love” church. This church sang upbeat, soft, rock music and included guitars, drums and keyboards which supported the term “Holy Rollers”. This was truly an amazing experience. Pastor Kathy Speck taught me how to sing from the bottom of my heart and “make a joyful noise unto the Lord”. I allowed the power of the song and the essence of the Holy Spirit to wash over me so completely that I truly felt that I was in communication with God.
When I finally realized, that according to their beliefs, I had no place in the church, because of my sexual orientation, I had to leave the church. I was devastated.
For many years this experience haunted me and even though I tried so many times to go back to church to renew my faith, nothing changed the man I am deep down inside. It took years of coaching for me to find peace within. I still do believe in a higher power. I talk to Him every day.
During those High School years I became a wedding singer earning me a whopping $25.00. The bottom line was I was singing and was having fun doing it. I would sing with a beautiful friend, called Kim Black who was tall, slender and blonde and we looked so good together.
I constantly received amazing positive feedback and many offers to sing professionally, however, my struggle with poor self esteem kept me from doing what I love.
Mahri Best came into my life in 1987. At that time she was still doing her cabaret show to sold-out audiences. She lit up the room with her personality and show woman style. Instantly, I fell in love with her.
I had moved to Washington, D. C. and for the first time in my life, I began to actually live my life in its full sense. For the next twelve years, my life took on many different faces and had its fair share of disappointments and pain. I will write about these years one day. I believe that I turn that pain into something positive when I’m sensitizing my music. It keeps me in touch with my heart and my feelings.
Late in 1998, my nephew Jacob, who was 7 years old, was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) and after chemotherapy and bone marrow replacement he finally gave up the battle 2 years later only 5 days before his 9th birthday. My entire family was shattered.
Jacobs mother, my sister, Kim had bravely endured these two years and had shown me incredible power in her ability to put on a wonderful warm and loving smile for him all during his illness. I desperately wanted to reach out and help her, hold her, love her and let her know that is was all going to be okay.
Kim shared with me a dream that she had. She said that Jacob had come to her and he looked like an Angel with a light around his body. He told her that he was able to play baseball and be with his friends, doing all the things that he had not been able to do for so long in life.
I wanted to share my feeling with Kim about how proud I was of her as she had been going through all of this. As I was writing a letter to Kim I became aware that the letter I was writing was in fact taking on the feeling of a song. I had never written a song before and within one hour, there it was, “Little One”.
We went into the studio of my friend Gerry Kunkel and he did the musical arrangement. We put down that first track and Mahri was there and when I saw the tears flowing down her cheeks I knew I had achieved what I had set out to do.
I finally presented Kim with “Little One” on Christmas Day 2001. Our family had suffered so much. Since that time there has been healing. I believe in the power of healing words and music and what Mahri is so dedicated to doing.
I am 42 years old now and it has taken me the better part of half a century to truly acknowledge the gift, the wonderful instrument that He gave me to share with the Universe so long ago. I now choose to use this instrument to make a difference in someone else’s life, to make a difference in the World. I believe this will happen.
Scott resides in Falls Church, Virginia with his best friend and soul mate Mike.