Debbie Tanner

Debbie Tanner is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She has been married for 42 years and is the mother of four wonderful children and the grandmother of 12. It was after her children were grown that she found an interest in composing songs and piano pieces. To date, she has composed approximately 50 pieces.

Debbie Tanner was pretty much born with a gift of understanding music and the piano. By the young age of four, she was a pianist for her Church youth organization. She later received formal training as a music/piano major at San Jose State University.

In 2000, Debbie had an incredible idea for a music “tablet” that would take the place of having cumbersome sheets of music. Her brother, Curt Walton, along with some partners, ran with her idea and started a company called Freehand Systems, Inc., creating the Music Pad Pro ®. What they had hoped to create was a product similar to Apple’s iPad Pro (new large screen), but unfortunately, they were about a decade early with the technology. The idea went over well, but the Music Pad Pro ® was a little large and heavy, and the operating system was not exactly what was needed. So, the company decided to stop producing the Music Pad and went into selling online sheet music. The company is now called Online Sheet Music ® and is one of the largest online digital sheet music companies in the world. Debbie served on the Board of Directors along with several well-known musicians and composers like Jung-ho Pak (San Diego / New Haven Symphony conductor) and Kurt Bestor, for several years.

In November 2007, Freehand Systems announced a licensing agreement with EMI Music Publishing, allowing it to gain digital distribution rights to songs published by EMI Music Publishing, the world’s largest Music Publisher.

Debbie’s music is for sale on her official website.

Debbie Tanner’s Official Website

*The following article appeared in the New York Times on 4 May 2003 – RESPONSIBLE PARTIES; Sheet Music Without The Sheets

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