Dan Hagen

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" held in Nashville the first Tuesday of the month at the legendary Bluebird cafe.

Dan Hagen is a guitar instructor for World Music and Melody Music 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 session player. Artists Dan has worked with include Norah Nones, Kelly Sweet, The Jordanaires, Lila McCann, Lari White, Elizabeth Cook, Joseph Wooten, El Buho, Gabriel Katona, Annie Sellick, Charles Walker (The Dynamites), Robinella, Buddy Spicher, Dave Hungate, Jeff Coffin (Bela Fleck), Lars Ulrich, King Diamond, Lauren Lucas, Dave Roe, Lillie Mae (Jypsi), Reese Wynans and Zac Hacker (Nashville star).

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 recently 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".

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.