Faces of HAAM: Musician, Songwriter & Teacher Joshua Koons

HAAM Member Joshua Koons

Did you know that about 700 HAAM musicians and DJs also teach music? Not only is teaching music a way to earn income and live a music-centered life, it’s vital to our longevity as a music community. Music education represents far more than just learning to play an instrument or read sheet music - it's a gateway to cultural enrichment, cognitive development, and community building that ripples through generations.

While formal music education in schools provides an essential foundation, working musicians who double as music teachers bring their experience and passion to their communities. These artist-educators bridge the gap between theory and practice, offering students not just technical instruction, but real-world insights into music as a way of life. They inspire students and nurture the next generation of artists. In many ways, these musician-teachers serve as cultural anchors. They preserve musical traditions, foster innovation, and ensure that our community remains a vibrant, creative home where musicians can flourish.

Thank you to everyone who came out to see Josh Koons MoodSchool play on January 25 at Captain Quack’s Coffeehouse!

We’re celebrating HAAM musician Joshua Koons this week, who is a musician, songwriter, and music teacher. We sat down with Josh to talk about his experience with HAAM, the music scene in Austin, and teaching music. This interview has been edited and shortened for clarity.

HAAM: So your name is Joshua Koons, and you play guitar.

Joshua Koons: And some bass. I'm a songwriter, and teach music too. I teach songwriting, music theory, piano and guitar.

HAAM: That's awesome. How long have you been doing that?

Josh: Over 20 years. I have about 20 students right now. 

HAAM: Have you had any students who are going to try and make it as a musician as well?

Josh: I've had students who've been in really good bands, who ended up writing their own music and being band leaders and stuff. I have one kid now who's the band leader of a church. But yeah, quite a few people end up performing. No one who's broken out yet or anything, but if they have, I don't know.

The longest I’ve taught one student is 14 years. I still have her. She's the only person who comes to my house, and she's been to a lot of my shows. Then I have a couple kids that I’ve had for seven and a half years. Gets to be interesting, yeah. So, I mean, we've never spoken about right, right? You know, you get into a family and you're going there once a week for seven years, six years. So you kind of feel like you could also be friends with the people.

It can be really, really fun, because you have the kids who are just really good, right? And there's some kids who are really good because they practice, right? There's some kids who are just naturally good, and they never practice, but they're still really good, you just want to shake them and say, “If you just practiced a little bit, you'd be so great!” So yeah, there's a lot of things like that. It's kind of a fun job because you can go and jam with your students.

Josh:  Among all of the other challenges of actually living as a musician, seeing the other side from a teacher's perspective makes you appreciate a little bit more about how much work actually goes into it that people just take for granted. How did it become that way? Somebody had to work really hard for the most part.

HAAM:  So how long have you been in Austin?

Josh: Since 2000.

HAAM: So you got to Austin in 2000, talk a little bit about how hard it was in Austin as a musician, and if it's gotten any tougher for musicians. 

Josh: I came to Austin because there's so many places to play, right? And I've played several places over all these years I’ve been in town. I played Red Eyed Fly on Red River four or five times. The guy told me, “Josh, you always have a gig here when you want to play,” and then they closed, right? Anyway, I've had some really good shows in town.

We had that nice radio thing a few weeks ago, and that turned out really well. They're a really good group. Like everybody that I've met at the radio station. We got such good responses, like “Your singing was so good, you know, you have such great range, and you're so emotional and all this stuff.” So it turned out to be good. If you can take adverse circumstances like that, right? And turn it into something beautiful, you know? So it turned out really well. It was, it was hard, but it was good. 

So, you know, Austin is, it's good for music. It's really interesting to me the reputation that Austin has as a Music City and really drilling down into that and making the argument for organizations like SIMS or HAAM. Everybody thinks that Austin's a great place to be a musician. And it is, but just trying to peel back the hype and the buzz, it is a great place, but it's really difficult.

HAAM: So you recently appeared on the KOOP radio show “The Singer and the Songwriter.” They have all different kinds of acts on. Did they talk to you about a specific song and the lyricism?

Josh: Yeah, it was really nice. He was really cool, because he was like, “Well, I see you have a long list of songs there. So we're just going to let you go and just play.” And then he'd ask me about certain songs. And you know, this really made me feel good. He would say “I want to know what that song, yeah, what that line is about?”

HAAM: Did you know about HAAM: before you moved to Austin or not?

Josh: I learned about it from Ethan Azarian. He was here before me, a few years before me, I think, and he told me about it so, yeah! I've been a member this whole time.

HAAM:  So what has your experience been like as a HAAM: member?

Josh: Well HAAM: has always been great with dental. I've never been in a hospital except once, so I kind of just did the dental. That's really helpful, because that's hundreds and hundreds of dollars for dental things, yeah, even if it's just for nothing, you know, I mean, for cleaning or whatever. But I did have my appendix out, and that's the first time I've ever stayed overnight in a hospital. And it was $47,000 or something. And because of HAAM, I only had to pay $800! Like I told you last time, every time I see a HAAM person I say, “THANK YOU!” HAAM has always been there when you need it. 

HAAM: So appendectomy, is that what they call it? That's usually always an emergency kind of thing, right? 

Josh: Yes, it was, and so everything was fine with that, and they treated me very nicely, and I'm actually going tomorrow to have someone look at a sports injury.

HAAM: Oh, that's right, you've torn a muscle, but I don't even know what you do for that.

Josh:  Well my student who's a surgeon said last night that I just need to rest it, but there's exercises to make the pain go away faster. So that's an expensive thing that HAAM is helping me with. Otherwise, spry as a chicken!

HAAM: How often do you go for a regular doctor visit?

Josh: I go every couple years. I mean, I don't need it really, but I try to go every couple years. HAAM always helps out with the co-pay, helps out with the checks, yeah. I went to a specialist for a little daytime surgery under my finger because there's a little nodule growing under it. HAAM also helped me with that. As a musician, sometimes you can get sort of like, injury with your playing hand, or you can get tendonitis.

HAAM: Occupational hazards! Glad we’re able to help out with that. Thank you so much for talking to me, Josh!

Josh: My pleasure!

Faces of HAAM, Musician SpotlightBailey Morrison