Can you tell us about the origins of your musical journey? What initially inspired you to pursue a career in music, and how did you get started?

Luckily, I was brought up in a musical family. My father is a guitarist and was a gigging musician when I was younger and my mother sings all the time. Growing up in a household full of musicians and instruments, it was bound to rub off on me. I started singing in church and school choirs at an early age, which was very much supported and encouraged. I took piano lessons for a few years and tested out the trumpet and bass before landing on guitar. Once I found the guitar, it became priority #1.

I think I had been playing guitar for about two or three years when it dawned on me that I was picking things up quickly. I ended up majoring in music (jazz studies) in college and my passion for progressing never stopped. Once I started writing songs and realizing the healing power behind them, spiritually speaking, I knew this was something that I wanted to pursue for the rest of my life. But at that point, it wasn’t much of a choice, it was a part of me.

Who are some of your biggest musical influences, and how have they shaped your unique sound? Can you share a specific instance where one of these influences had a significant impact on your music?

My influences are all over the map. I know when I first started playing guitar, I was drawn towards the classic rock & bluesy sound from the likes of Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, David Gilmour. When I started writing songs, I was influenced by Dave Matthews, Ben Folds, Radiohead, and Coldplay to name a few.

Growing up listening to my parents’ music, I fell in love with The Band, Robert Cray, and other acoustic music, including Leo Kottke and Strength in Numbers. About ten years ago, helped a promoter friend of mine work a Leo Kottke show and was fortunate enough to have dinner with him before the show. It had a significant impact on my life as this was someone I looked up to and listened to for decades, and there he was, right there, eating dinner and having a normal conversation with me just like anyone else would. The show ended up not being heavily attended, which left me not only scratching my head, but also realizing that if a world-class talent like this isn’t selling out everywhere he plays, it’s okay that some events I perform at have lower numbers. The key is to just keep pushing and get back out there the next time.

Touring can be an incredible experience. Could you share a memorable tour anecdote that stands out to you, whether it was a challenging moment or an unforgettable performance?

I performed the US National Anthem at a Kings vs. Lakers game to a sold-out Arco Arena of 18,000 people back in 2013. Trying not to mess up any of the words during the performance, in front of Kobe Bryant by the way, was extremely nerve-wracking, I made it through the song, and it was a success!

The kicker of the story is that this gig comes with courtside tickets to the game. However, I was unable to use the tickets because I had another gig in Sacramento I needed to rush off to. With that said, show #2 of the evening ended up having a whopping 7 people in attendance. Ahhh…the highs and lows of shows!

Many musicians have a pre-show ritual to get into the right mindset before hitting the stage. Do you have any special rituals or routines that you follow before a performance, and if so, what’s the story behind them?

I can honestly say I don’t have many special rituals other than showing up early, so I am not in a rush when it’s showtime. Ultimately, I just don’t want to be the sweaty guy that’s not prepared! For bigger shows, I like to spend some time the night before visualizing how things are going to play out, almost a meditation/dress rehearsal in my head. This has tended to work for me with good resluts.

Collaborations can be a powerful creative force. Could you tell us about a memorable collaboration you’ve had with another artist and how it influenced your music or expanded your artistic horizons?

In 2016 I released an album in collaboration with my extremely talented cousin, John B Hedges, a classical composer. We teamed up on my album “Slightly South of Stormy Clouds”, released in 2016. For this album, I wrote the songs and John B provided beautiful arrangements. Working with him has been an amazing experience and has elevated my music to a new level. We are also currently working on another project, called “Cousin Hedges”, providing a platform for both John B and me to share the songwriting duties. We’re currently mixing our first EP and hope for a release in early 2024.

Performing-wise, I have been fortunate enough to collaborate with an amazing guitarist named Michael Gregory, who has also elevated my performing just by how musically we can be on the spot. We perform around the Northern California region as “Hedges & Gregory”.

Over the course of your career, you’ve likely encountered various challenges. Can you share a particularly difficult moment you faced in your musical journey and how you overcame it?

Some of the biggest challenges I’ve faced, which has led me to growth overall, is how difficult it has been to simply get people to listen to (and like) my music! Receiving pointed criticism in the early stages of my career was always a tough pill to swallow because I felt I poured my heart and soul into songs and recordings that seemed, on the surface, to be quickly dismissed.

As I’ve grown over the years, I’ve been able to take a step back and take criticism a bit more constructively and improved on blocking out the noise, in other words, not paying attention to criticism that is intended to be hurtful or particularly negative, just for the intent of trolling.

Your latest album has received critical acclaim. Could you take us through the creative process behind it, from conception to completion, and the overarching themes or messages you aimed to convey?

Thank you! “Slightly South of Stormy Clouds”, did receive some critical acclaim. I have a lot of people to thank for that, including John B Hedges (Arranger), Tim Sonnefeld (Mixing Engineer), the legendary Bob Ludwig (Mastering Engineer) to name a few. Every part of this album was meticulously planned out and executed. I was fortunate enough to land some amazing musicians as well, such as Aaron McHenry (Drums) who set the tone for the album, Xavier Foley (Upright Bass), Allison Harris, both Zack Proteau and my uncle John Hedges (“Funkle Johnny” – also John B’s father) and a slew of amazing musicians from the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia.

This album was extremely meaningful to me in the sense that I was about to become a first-time father, and not knowing what to expect in the next chapter in life. This album represented the overarching theme of transition from the trials and tribulations of early adulthood into becoming a parent and starting a family.

In 2023, I released “Night Divine”, which was an avenue to take a select few of my favorite classic Christmas songs and interpret them into my own style creatively. I’m happy with how it turned out and am hopeful the rest of the world will as well!

Touring can be both exhilarating and exhausting. How do you balance life on the road with your personal life and creative process? Any tips for aspiring musicians who are just starting their touring journey?

In all honesty, while I do keep a very busy performance schedule, I have not toured very extensively. I do, however, perform regularly in the Northern California region. The tips I would provide for aspiring musicians is to keep pushing through the highs and lows of being a professional musician and to take everything seriously. In other words, if you are doing this for a living, take the time to really dig in and learn your songs, instruments, and equipment. I’m a firm believer that the audience can tell whether you are on stage for the right reasons, and it will pay off in the long run when you provide a memorable experience while gaining life-long fans.

Every artist has goals and dreams for their musical career. What are some of your long-term goals or aspirations, both in terms of your artistry and your impact on the music industry?

I’ve always had a goal of performing in active listening environments, with the lifelong goal of performing at Austin City Limits. Not sure if that goal will ever come to light as it appears to be a long shot; however, I’m also not ruling it out, because you just never know what’s around the corner, right??

In terms of artisty, I’d like to inspire other artists to really be themselves and find their own voice. I’ve never really followed a “proven” template for my songs to gain popularity, and in doing so, I’ve felt I’ve been able to provide an extremely genuine product. Be yourself!

The music industry has undergone significant changes in recent years. How do you see the future of music evolving, and what role do you envision yourself playing in this ever-changing landscape?

It’s so true. I sell CD’s at my shows and can’t tell you how many people say, “Who listens to CD’s these days?”; however, on the flip side, there are some that still enjoy the liner notes and album artwork. Vinyl records have made a huge comeback in recent years; however, and unfortunately, with everything going digital, it seems like music, in a physical form, may be completely on the way out.

In terms of what role, I envision myself playing in this ever-changing landscape is to remain as plugged in as I can to be able to pivot when needed. My focus now is to do my best to continue to write, record, and perform all while being a present husband and father to my two sons.