Rising Stars: Meet Isaac Hadden of Asheville

Today we’d like to introduce you to Isaac Hadden.

Hi Isaac, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, let’s briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I started playing music around age 3. I started on this little handmade banjo ukulele. My parents used to take me to this old-time jam around that time, and I would always dance around and tap along. One day this older guy who played there every week said, “that boy’s got music in him, and I’m going to get it out.” He had one of his luthier friends build me that little banjo uke, which was my first instrument. I picked up guitar around age 5, and that’s been my main focus since I started taking lessons. For my entire life, I was around music. I was always hanging out at local shows and music festivals and saw many big-name touring acts as a young person. Many of my first performance opportunities were sitting with local bands in my hometown in southwestern VA. It was a fairly natural transition from audience member to the player, and most of the time, I would end up onstage whether I planned to or not. I started my first band, Isaac Hadden Project, when I was around 14. A local promoter offered me the opportunity to open for Brandon “Taz” Niederaurer (an insanely skilled young guitarist from NY) at his venue. I had gotten to meet some aces on the Southwest, VA, music scene (Foster Burton, Jake Dempsey, Matt Leonard, Rick Godley, Paul Tressel), and I hit them up. They agreed to do it, and we had a great sold-out show. I’m super grateful to those guys for sticking with me. Playing with that band was how I learned most of what I know about being a professional musician and bandleader. Since then, I’ve been grateful for the opportunities to play at many venues and festivals up and down the east coast and even some internationally. I moved to NC in 2021 to go to school at UNCA and pursue my career down here, and I’ve been super grateful for the rich music community I’ve found. Everyone I’ve met is not only talented but there are a lot of genuinely great people. Since moving here, I’ve been blessed to meet and play with many heavy-hitting touring musicians, and it’s taught me a lot. In February 2022, I started my newest project, Isaac Hadden Organ Trio, with keyboardist Bill Stevens and drummer Iajhi Hampden. That band has been super rewarding, and I’m excited to hit the scene hard and fast with them in 2023!

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’d say I’ve been pretty blessed with the way things have unfolded. Things could have gone a lot worse than they did. That said, as with everything in life, it hasn’t been smooth sailing. The pandemic threw a wrench in my ability to play shows, but at the same time, I could use it as an opportunity to reflect and hone in on what I wanted to say as an artist. The most difficult part is maintaining balance and staying on top of the stress. At this point in my life, I’m leading two different bands, managing all my bookings and promotion, and constantly trying to create new material and push myself as an artist. Many people build their careers doing just one of those things, and like many musicians in this modern musical landscape, I find myself doing them all. All of that is on top of a fairly demanding school schedule. I can maintain a fairly good balance and try my best to stay present for it all, but the most challenging part is just maintaining that balance and ensuring I have time to eat and sleep and take care of myself.

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My musical style can be best described as jazz-funk-rock fusion. I draw influence from everything from Tony Rice to Robert Glasper, Jerry Garcia, to Herbie Hancock, and the list could go on for pages and pages. Isaac Hadden Project mainly lives in the funk-rock jam band world these days, and my newest project, Isaac Hadden Organ Trio, can be best described as danceable jazz-funk fusion. Music is my passion, and I connect with it on a deep level. I share my love for it with the audience at every show and give people something they can take home.

Bio:
Isaac Hadden is a young, genre-smashing guitarist, vocalist, and bandleader from Southwest, VA, currently based in Asheville, NC. His cutting-edge playing style, animated stage presence, and passion and talent have helped him build a supportive fanbase in the United States and abroad. His band, the Isaac Hadden Project, features highly respected Southwest VA veterans Jake Dempsey, Matt Leonard, Paul Tressel, and Foster Burton. The heavy-hitting improvisational funk-rock quintet has gained notoriety on the music festival circuit and the east-coast jam band scene for its high-energy performances and tight, dynamic improvisation. His newest project, Isaac Hadden Organ Trio, features grammy-nominated LA drummer Iajhi Hampden and esteemed NC-Based Organ/Keyboardist Bill Stevens. This unconventional organ trio carves out a unique sound in the world of funk, jazz, rock, and R&B. Isaac can also be seen performing regular solo acoustic sets. He combines his guitar skills with soulful vocals and a repertoire that defies characterization, using live looping to create grooving, dynamic music in a more intimate setting. Hadden and his bands have shared the stage and performed support sets for a growing list of legendary guitarists, including Eric Gales, Brandon “Taz” Niederauer, Marcus Rezak, and others.

In addition to his projects, Hadden’s work ethic and versatility make him a frequent call among artists and musicians as a sit-in and session player. From a young age, Hadden has had the privilege of performing alongside some of the hottest acts on the national touring circuit, including Roosevelt Collier. BIG Something, Travers Brothership, Brandon “Taz” Niederaurer, Big Daddy Love, Ron Holloway, and Larry Keel Experience, to name a few. Voted 2022’s Best of the Blue Ridge in the Artists/Musicians category, Isaac Hadden’s musicianship, dedication, and high-energy performances routinely bend brainwaves and keep listeners coming back for more.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Every time I’ve been to Raleigh, I’ve noticed a super healthy and rapidly growing music scene. There are a lot of young, hip people eager for fresh sounds and energy and plenty of bands to deliver it. There’s nothing quite the energy of a scene that’s steadily growing and developing, and I’m looking forward to seeing how it grows in the next few years.

Pricing:

• Anyone who wishes to book me solo or one of my bands can reach out at [email protected]

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isaachaddenmusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ilhadden
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDXfbRcygCQZ_NkEgjFH_Bw

Image Credits
Cloud Bobby, Shana Baldwin, Seyl Park, Jody Carbone, Nate Moseley