Dan Hagen Guitar Lessons

My teaching approach:

Dan Hagen was born in Chicago, Illinois. It was in the Motor City (Detroit, Michigan) where Dan began playing the guitar at age 9. First taught by his father, Dan instantly knew music was his calling and was soon practicing six to eight hours a day. At the age of 12, Dan moved with his family to San Clemente, California. By the age of 14, Dan was regularly playing the club circuit in Orange County with original Rock acts such as The Storm, always being mentored by such respected industry gurus as neighbor Gary Bourgeois (executive mix engineer for Sony movie studios). "Gary turned me on to Miles Davis, Santana’s “Caravanasei” recording, Paul Butterfield, Robben Ford and many others." Another mentor was Mike Rodriguez (friend and musical partner Naomi Rodriguez’s father). "Mike was my first Jazz teacher, we used to sit in his back shed for hours playing standards and jamming on Blues tunes."

After High school, Dan moved to Dallas, Texas. Dan quickly became an intern at Dallas Sound Lab studios. That’s where I met BB King and spent a day hanging, talking and playing for him, “I’ll never forget how nice he was to me”. It was in Dallas, at a community college that Dan got to spend a day playing and hanging out with guitar player/Nashville legend Chet Atkins. Dan soon moved to Denton, Texas where he studied Jazz/Classical guitar and received his Bachelor’s degree at the legendary University of North Texas. Denton was such a great place to absorb music and art. It was in this period that Dan befriended and played with pop legend Norah Jones. “I played a big band gig with Norah when she was still in high school, she was smokin'; a lot of people don’t know how good of a Jazz piano player she is”. At North Texas, Dan was a member of such ensembles as the Four O’clock lab band and The Zebras Funk/Fusion ensemble led by world-renowned educator Dan Haerle. While in school, Dan toured the Southwest with Alt/Rock band Farmer Brown. “We were nominated to open at Rockfest which was at the time the biggest rock show ever, clocking it at 450,000 people”. Other acts on the bill included Matchbox 20, the Wallflowers and Jewel. Dan was also playing free-lance Jazz gigs and playing with R&B band Brother Jake (which he also managed and booked). After college, Dan moved to Dallas where he played three to four nights a week, taught guitar at Mars Music and had a day job transcribing music for I.Song.com. In 2000, Dan moved to Nashville, Tennessee. In Nashville he stays busy as a producer, session player, writer and educator. Since moving to Nashville, Dan has played on countless sessions ranging from Rock/Pop, country, Jazz, R&B, Gospel, Christian, Latin and Flamenco. Dan has a solo cut on the Tennessee International Jazz Associations Tenn Jazz Volume One CD.

Dan is also featured on Darryl Dybka’s soon to be released CD also featuring Larry Carlton and Gary Burton. Dan is the former band leader/guitar player for the national organization "Chick Singer Night" ( www.chicksingernight.com) held in Nashville the first Tuesday of the month at the legendary Bluebird cafe. Dan Hagen is a guitar instructor for World Music (www.worldmusicnashville.com) and Melody Music (www.melodymusicstudios.com) as well as in his home studio. Dan has taught such renowned players as Billy Burnette(Fleetwood Mac, John Fogerty, Bob Dylan) and Desperate Housewives actor James Denton. On November 11th 2004, Dan's label "Nuetown Records" released Latin/R&B diva Naomi Rodriguez's debut CD entitled "The Sky Begins". Dan produced the CD, played all of the guitar parts and wrote three of the songs on the project. The CD features such incredible musicians as Reese Wynans (Stevie Ray Vaughan) on Hammond B-3 organ as well as Michael McDonald's harmony singers and Larry Carlton's horn section. In the summer of 2005 "Nuetown Records" and Naomi Rodriguez signed an international digital distribution deal with the Orchard in New York. The CD is now available at iTunes and all of the major download stores and ringtone companies worldwide. 3 songs from Naomi Rodriguez's release "The Sky Begins" were recently released on a major compilation CD in Germany. Check www.naomi-rodriguez.com for more info. Dan is currently producing several artists and bands in Nashville as well as performing regularly live and in the studio as a guitar session player. Artists Dan has worked with include Norah Jones, Kelly Sweet, The Jordanaires, Lila McCann, Paul Brandt, Lari White, Elizabeth Cook, Sarah Whatmore, Adam Nitti, Joseph Wooten, El Buho, Gabriel Katona, Annie Sellick, Charles Walker(The Dynamites), arranger Don Hart, Robinella, Buddy Spicher, Dave Hungate, Jeff Coffin(Bela Fleck), Lars Ulrich, King Diamond, Reeves Gabrels, Lauren Lucas, Ryan Hoyle(Collective Soul) Dave Roe, Lillie Mae(Jypsi), Charlie Morgan, Reese Wynans, Zac Hacker(Nashville star), Jace Everett and Phil Jones. In 2005 Dan started a jingle production business. Dan has produced, written, arranged and played guitar/Dobro on music for several reality shows on CMT(MTV Networks) such as "Man vs. Vegas", "Trick my Truck" and "Coyote Ugly". Dan also did music for Miss America on CMT and the playstation 2 game CMT Karaoke Revolution. Dan produced and wrote the new "Tennessee Lottery" radio jingle "Mountains of Cash" and produced and played guitar on the "Tennessee Lottery" jingle Quick 7's and most recently "Weekly Grand Blues" and "Diamond Dollars". In 2008, 3 of the Jingles Dan produced for the Tennessee Lottery were nominated for the "Addy Awards". In 2008 Dan did a national TV/Radio jingle for "LP" Which aired on ESPN, Monday football and all Radio/TV stations in Atlanta, Houston and Seattle as well as being played at all Titans games at LP field. Also in 2008 Dan wrote/produced and played guitar on the theme song for Hulk Hogan's reality show on CMT called "Celebrity Championship Wrestling". As well as producing music for TV/Radio and artists, Dan is also currently working on his own CD. Dan proudly endorses Gibson guitars and D'addario strings.

My influences are:

Stevie Wonder, Wes Montgomery, Sabicus, Jim Hall, Pat Metheney, Bill Frizell, Ron Carter, Jimmy Smith, Pat Martino, John Scofield, Randi Rhodes, Van Halen, The Meters, Medeski Martin and Wood, Bach, U2, Sonny Rollins, Bob Marley, Hendrix, Tower of Power, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Shawn Mullins, Lenny Breau, Merle Haggard, Beck, The Buena Vista Social club, Robert Johnson, Ry Cooder, The Allman Bros., Santana, Edie Brickell, Edwin Mcain, Allison Krause, Thelonius Monk, Chopin, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Lyle Lovett, Johhny Cash, Warren Haynes, Ray Charles, Leo Brouwer, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Segovia, Coltrane, Miles Davis, Ottmar Liebert, The Gypsy Kings, Earth Wind and Fire, Willie Nelson, Charles Mingus, Gershwin, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Lauryn Hill, Sara Vaughn, James Taylor, Stan Getz, The Funk Bros, Anything Motown, Led Zeppelin, Cream, Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters, Freddie King, James Brown, BB King, Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed, Shelby Lynne, Sheryl Crow, Joss Stone, John Mayer, John Legend, Dusty Springfield,The Beatles and all of their solo careers, The Blues Bros, Stephen Bruton, Keb Mo, Bonnie Raitt, Sinatra, Michael Hedges, Robben Ford, Larry Carlton, Tuck Andress, Brian Setzer, Elvis, The Eagles, The Flying Burrito Bros. Danny Gatton, Prince, Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit, Steve Gadd, kelly Sweet, Sarah Whatmore, Ray Lamontagne, Jack Johnson...

My guitar lessons take place in:

The teacher's studio

Guitar Lessons with me take place in the following areas:

My home studio in Donelson(Nashville Tennessee), World music in Bellevue(Nashville, Tn)

Guitar Techniques:

Lead guitar, Rhythm guitar, Open tuning, Fingerstyle, Slide Guitar, Vocal Accompaniment, Performance, Improvisation, Jamming Skills, Reading Music, Music Theory, Scales and Exercises, Song Writing, Recording and Production, Guidance In Equipment Selection