A Southern Sun rises

Joseph Akins

Joseph Akins, Recording Industry associate professor, introduced his new solo piano album on Jan. 18 with a streaming concert viewable via computer, tablet or smartphone. Akins played selections from his new album, A Southern Sun, on his grand piano and stopped to tell the stories behind the music.

Akins blends his Southern roots with a variety of musical styles to create a sound that is recognizable and noted in today’s contemporary solo-piano genre. A Southern Sun is Akins’ fifth solo album. A Piano Christmas was nominated as Best Holiday Album of the Year at SoloPiano.com, and Spirit Touch was included in the Top 40 Solo Piano Albums of the Decade for 2000 – 2009 at MainlyPiano.com.

At MTSU, Akins teaches courses in MIDI, musicianship and new media. He holds advanced degrees in jazz piano and electronic music from the University of Tennessee and Radford University, and he earned a doctorate in education from Tennessee State University in 2006.

He has performed with many jazz, rock and country bands as a pianist and multi-keyboardist.

Learn more about Akins’ music and his concert schedule at http://www.jospheakins.com. TLE