Justin Horn, left, with fellow members of band Rewind, from left, Alex Vanderheyden, Scott "Big Poppa" DeLapp and Stephen Melaga.

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By Mandy Haggerson

For the Clemmons Courier

With summer upon us, many people in the community are excited to take full advantage of local fun and entertainment. Justin Horn, vocalist and guitarist for the band Rewind is excited to meet new people as he shares his talents.

At the age of 18, Horn remembers hearing a Rolling Stones song that would ignite his passion to learn music.

“‘Paint It, Black’ made me want to learn how to play a guitar immediately. After I heard it, I went and bought a guitar and taught myself how to read music,” said Horn. “I played at my first open mic night within the first year of buying my guitar.”

At first Horn played by himself on stage. However, it wasn’t long until he found seasoned musicians that wanted to play with him, and he enjoyed the comradery. If not playing on stage or practicing his music, Horn could be found working in the store where he purchased his first guitar.

“I stayed there for about 6 years until the store closed,” said Horn. 

As disappointing as that chapter was to close, it did lead him to his next job opportunity which included meeting his future wife.

“I worked for a Toyota dealership in town, and that’s when I met my wife, Michelle. When we met and started dating, it was pretty clear we were a great fit for each other,” said Horn. “Once we went on our first date, it never ended.” 

Similar to the music industry, Horn discovered he liked being around people in the automotive industry. Now at AccuWrench Automotive in Clemmons, Horn likes helping people during stressful times of dealing with auto repairs.

“I know it’s frustrating when your car breaks down or has an issue unexpectedly. I like working with the customers to let them know their options, and how we can be of help,” said Horn, who has been the service manager for 9 years. “I’ve met a lot of wonderful people along the way.”

Managing the balance of work, continuing his passion with Rewind, and raising children, Horn loves where he is at this point in life.

“Having three boys with Michelle, it is certainly fun sharing in their interests. Their ages are 13, 18 and 25, so we’ve been through so many phases of life with them that I have enjoyed tremendously,” said Horn. “Being a dad, it really is the best. It really is. Watching them grow up and see this unique combination of Michelle and I and how they became their own individual is awesome. They are all three very different and amazing in their own ways and we had the honor of guiding them into that.”

While being a major influence on his children, Horn never felt compelled to have them dabble in music unless they were drawn to it.

“My youngest is now showing signs of interest in music. My other sons have all loved music, but not the desire to actually play it. They have all been supportive of my passion in it though. They know it’s just something their dad enjoys doing and have encouraged me,” said Horn. 

Supporting Horn’s passion will continue to be easy, especially this summer for plenty of local community members.

“We’ve got quite a bit coming up that I’m excited about,” said Horn. “We will play everything from Johnny Cash, The Rolling Stones, Green Day to Lady Gaga. We try to play something for everybody. If you can sing, dance and have a drink to it, the chances of us playing it are high.” 

Several shows that are coming up in the Triad include: June 6 at Miller’s on Trade in Winston-Salem, where they are the resident house band, and a huge show, Summer on Fourth on June 28 from 7-10 p.m.

“It will be held in front of Foothills Brewing (638 W. 4th St.) and will be for people of all ages, and family friendly. We’re hoping to have a large turnout because it’s going to be a lot of fun,” said Horn. 

With Horn’s bandmates, Alex Vanderheyden (guitarist and backup vocals), Scott “Big Poppa” DeLapp (bass guitar), and Clemmons native, Stephen Melaga (drums), they are excited to involve the crowd as much as possible.

“That’s always the best part of our shows. We love to engage the people we play for and watch them have a good time. Our goal is to create lasting memories for them whether they are there with their family or friends. Also, songs remind them of other special times in their lives that just bring happiness. Nothing is more fun than playing a song that someone hasn’t heard in a while, and when it starts you can see it resonate with them. All of our equipment is wireless so we’re able to get out there more to interact with the people who came to watch us,” said Horn. 

Sharing his passion with a group of other talented musicians has been rewarding for Horn. “I feel lucky to share a stage with these guys. I think they are all so talented, and they also work very hard. I’m excited about what we have coming up in our community and look forward to meeting even more folks that share a passion for music,” said Horn.

Anyone who would like to learn more about Rewind’s schedule can follow them on social media by searching RewindNC.