The Annie Jam Band: Bio/Press/Media

Annie Hawe was born & raised on a farm in Wisconsin with her 9 siblings. Michael Steitz was brought up a city boy with his brother in Cleveland, Ohio. Their backgrounds may be worlds apart but their love of music is what brought them together.

Both pursued music careers in their earlier years but set it aside for other work and to raise a family. While their two children, Megan & Ian, were growing up Annie wrote children’s songs. Many of which were inspired by the kids. Now, years later, Annie & Mike have added a full band arrangement to these songs creating the “Wake Up Sleepyhead” CD.

Annie did the vocals and acoustic guitar while Mike provided the bass & drum backbeat. Together they created tasteful instrumental arrangements. Timothy Boyles added his amazing talents as a keyboard player and the accomplished lead guitar playing is credited to Chaz Mechenbier.

This is the debut CD for “The Annie Jam Band”. Outstanding vocals, light hearted fanciful lyrics combined with engaging melodies will draw you in from beginning to end.

Annie loves singing & playing for music lovers of all ages. She plans to do many public performances in the future as the ball is just starting to roll!

We could say things began around the time our two children were born in 1986 and 1988. Or it could be said The Annie Jam Band "Wake Up Sleepyhead" project officially started when the songs were written in the late 1980's and early 1990's.

Either way, we started recording some of the songs in 1995 with hopes of releasing our first childrens music cd in 1996. But due to the up & down nature of our business at that time we had to put it on the shelf for a future date. As things sometimes go, years went by before we were spurred into action on it again in 2005.

Well, ... that was quite a shelving!

So in November 2005 we contacted Tim Boyles at his Musical Moods Studio. We had worked with Tim on this project back in 1995 and we were very happy to find him willing to take us on once again.

Except for a few tracks we recorded in 1995 the last time we'd been in a studio was back in the late 1970's when an 8 track recording studio was state-of-the-art. Everything now was different, so high tech and for us there was a learning curve. But we kept at it and put together what we think is a thoroughly entertaining Music cd for children and the parents who own them.

Regardless of what it took to get here we are thrilled to be able to present this cd to children everywhere!

Never give up on what you really want to do!

Musician Annie Hawe recently introduced a new CD, Wake Up Sleepyhead after a long hiatus away from the music scene. That, in itself, is not unusual. Musical artists cut CD's on a regular basis and introduce their work via a variety of venues including television appearances, radio spots and the club scene.

What made Hawe's debut unusual was that she chose to introduce her new CD at Harrison Street Elementary in Sunbury where her children attended school in their younger days.

Annie Hawe was one of ten siblings raised on a Wisconsin farm. Mike Steitz hails from Cleveland; both were drawn to each other by their common love of music.

"My father had a nice voice and always sang to us," Hawe said. "We all just sang all the time. My first band was when I was a senior in high school ... Rock n Roll. Then I started doing solo work in clubs, restuarants and bars."

After high school, Hawe moved to Minneapolis where she worked for Professional Musicians Referral and played gigs with staff musicians on the side. Minneapolis is also where she met and married her husband Mike.

When they started a family, they set music aside but while their children Megan (Big Walnut Class of 2005) and Ian (Big Walnut Class of 2007) were growing up Hawe was inspired to write children's songs.

Now, years later, Hawe and Steitz have added full band arrangements to the songs inspired by her children creating the Wake Up Sleepyhead CD.

The project began over a year and a half ago when Hawe and Steitz first began recording tracks at Musical Moods Studio in Pataskala for the CD's 13 songs.

The CD has an additional 13 audio transistion tracks between the songs recorded by Eli Hawke and Leah Lewis with assistance from Ella Ruiz.

Asked if she plays other genres besides children's music, Hawe said she has written songs for adult audiences and loves singing and playing for audiences of all ages but she intends to focus on childrens music for the foreseeable future.

"I did the bar scene in my early twenties," she said. "Its not a thing I'm interested in going back to. I like interacting with children; I like stirring children's imagination."

Hawe said she plans to do as many public performances as she can to promote Wake Up Sleepyhead, including school dates in the fall and winter, birthdays and other events that demand family oriented entertainment suitable for children.

"You have to get out and play for people to recognize who you are," Hawe said. "I'm willing to travel to wherever there are events. I don't have an agent, we're self promoting the CD so this is a major learning experience."

"Inspired by her own two children, this singer/songwriter offers a full & refreshing sound."

"Assisted by her husband Michael Steitz, they have created a high quality, full band sound around very catchy tunes"