Today we’d like to introduce you to Zayne Harshaw
Hi Zayne, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Diagnosed with autism at the age of four, Zayne’s upbringing included speech therapists, a behavioral pediatrician, and some wonderful teachers. Occupational therapists would eventually be needed for almost eight years to address Zayne’s severe dexterity issues. Struggles with tying shoestrings, zipping zippers, and handling scissors made his eventual guitar-playing ability an “unthinkable achievement”.
But at the age of 14, Zayne expressed interest in playing the guitar. He went into his room and emerged two years later as a guitarist. This self-taught musician soon discovered he had “perfect pitch,” which means he could hear notes and automatically know their musical keys.
Jam sessions around town became his training ground to further develop his own style of playing and entertaining. He would watch veteran musicians play and then go home to practice what he had just witnessed. This constant honing helped Zayne develop into quite the showman. His musical abilities have been featured in various media outlets, such as NBC4’s Autism Puzzle, WBNS 10TV, the Lancaster Eagle Gazette, the Youngstown Vindicator, the Columbus Dispatch and Spectrum News Ohio just to name a few.
His talents also took him outside of Ohio when Zayne, as a member of a four-piece blues band comprised of three others under the age of 21, were chosen by the Columbus Blues Alliance to represent Columbus in the Youth Showcase of the 2016 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN. Although he enjoyed his time in Memphis with the young blues band, Blues Horizon, his heart is always with Blue Spectrum: the band he formed in 2013.
Blue Spectrum started with Zayne and three other autistic teenagers. They started out playing resource fairs and events within the special needs community, but it soon blossomed into playing at restaurants, venues and music festivals. As the members of Blue Spectrum changed over time, they still shared a deep love of creating and performing music together and living the words of their impassioned motto: “Life is not to be viewed through the single lens of a diagnosis but to be lived through the Spectrum of potential, promise and purpose”.
In the spring of 2024, Zayne and his band, Blue Spectrum, won the 2024 Columbus Blues Alliance Blues Band Challenge in order to represent Columbus at the International Blues Challenge held in Memphis, TN in January 2025.
Among some of Zayne’s accomplishments include:
● In 2017, an Ohio organization sponsored Zayne to perform at their national conference held in San Antonio, TX.
● This was followed up with performances in Ohio cities such as Cincinnati, Cambridge, Dayton, London, Sandusky and Cleveland.
● Zayne was awarded the 2017 Community Star Award from the Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
● 2018 provided opportunities to play the African-American Cultural Festival; headline the Gahanna Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival; return engagements to ComFest, the Hot Times Festival, the PAR Conference in Harrisburg, PA and the ARC of Montgomery County in Bethesda, MD.
● May 2019, Zayne performed as an opening act at the B.B. King Blues Club in Orlando, FL.
● July 2019, Zayne performed at the closing of the keynote address (which was provided by his mother, Gwendolyn Harshaw) at the Autism Society of America National Conference in Bethesda, MD.
● Performances have also included Pittsburgh, PA; El Paso, TX; Philadelphia, PA; Indianapolis, IN; Houston, TX; New York City, NY; and Louisville, KY.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Zayne and Blue Spectrum’s primary mission is defying expectations. Unfortunately, when some hear the word “disability”, they assume inability to accomplish much of anything. When Zayne was initially diagnosed with autism at the age of four, his parents were told a litany of things he would “never” be able to do. Fortunately, he has been able to overcome many of those challenges. It was not easy, but it is obviously possible. Zayne and his family want to provide inspiration to other families facing similar obstacles.
Even without the challenge of disability, striving to be a professional musician is a challenging goal. Producing music is only one job. You have to manage your own marketing, book performances and organize meetings with your bandmates. Each of those jobs are full-time on their own.
Regardless of the difficulties and challenges, Zayne is blessed to be able to participate in his passion that provides joy and inspiration to so many people.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Being a musician is Zayne’s full-time job. Along with playing at restaurants, nightclubs, festivals and parties, he often headlines conferences around Ohio and the nation with his parents. They often partner to speak on various disability-related issues and share his story. He also plays the national anthem at various sports events. In 2022, Zayne released his first CD “Out of the Blue” which was comprised of original songs he composed.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Many times veteran musicians have provided valuable information to help further me along my musical journey. Musicians gather and participate at Open Mic events all around town. Some musicians love to share their experiences about recording and performing abroad.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bluespectrumband.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluespectrumband/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlueSpectrumband/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zayne-harshaw-17128a221/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@geneharshaw148
