Episode 60: Raymond Hayden

Our Guest today is Raymond Hayden, a fixture of the Pacific Northwest music community with a resume as extensive and diverse that reaches into just about every corner of the music industry, and spans over thirty-five years and two continents.

Hayden's career as a touring musician began at age 9, traveling in a drum and bugle corps around the US. West Coast and Canada. In 1986, he began playing keyboards in his first rock band, while serving in the U.S. Army in Mannheim, West Germany.

In the decades since, Hayden has cemented a strong reputation back home in the States as a progressive rock musician, with forays into jazz, adult contemporary, pop-rock, country, and blues.

Over the years he has had the opportunity to play support slots for legendary acts, including April Wine, Blue Oyster Cult, Jonny Lang, Nazareth, Drowning Pool, Berlin, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Trace Atkins, Sawyer Brown, Diamond Rio, and even comedians Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy.

Hayden has also had a hand in the success of a host of other artists, via his boutique label Maurice the Fish Records, as an artist manager for Nolan Garrett, and as a concert promoter for countless shows including his collaborative Evening of Keys series. He is also a podcast host and blogger, creating content for Shure, Gigs4U, Seattle Wave Radio, NWCZ Radio, and others.

His broad industry experience enables him to be a valuable mentor for up-and-coming artists, and he is passionate about doing so. In addition to personally taking young artists under his wing, Hayden also served as board president for the Ted Brown Music Tacoma's outreach organization, and as a music mentor for their “Live It Out Loud” rock band summer camp program.