Jon Fadem’s musical journey began at the age of 13, blossoming into a lifelong passion that led him to study at Oberlin College and Conservatory in Ohio. Drawing inspiration from legends like Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, Jerry Garcia, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder, Jeff Beck, Sly & the Family Stone, John Coltrane, Parliament/Funkadelic, and Frank Zappa, Jon has carved out a dynamic career as a guitarist.
As a founding member, musical director, and lead guitarist for the acclaimed, internationally touring Talking Heads tribute band Start Making Sense, he has also shared the stage with icons such as George Clinton & Parliament/Funkadelic, Bernie Worrell, and Buddy Miles. With the recent release of his deeply personal album, ‘Thankful,’ we caught up with Jon to talk about his influences, creative process, and the stories behind his music.
Jon, thank you for speaking with Occhi Magazine! Can you take us back to the beginning—what first sparked your passion for music, and how did your journey as a guitarist begin?
I was interested in music from a very young age. I remember that when I was really little, my toy record player was my favorite toy. It had a small music box mechanism at the end of the turntable arm, and the bumps on the plastic record would hit the notes as it went around. I used to play the three records that came with over and over. I was inspired to learn how to play guitar after seeing Jerry Garcia and The Grateful Dead in concert when I was twelve years old. My mom taught me my first chords on guitar, and the first two songs I learned from her were Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “Mr. Tambourine Man.”
Your instrumental music spans rock, jazz, pop, funk, and soul. What draws you to such a wide range of genres, and how do you blend them so seamlessly in your work?
I’m a fan of pretty much all kinds of music, and that’s reflected in the music I make. I don’t necessarily agree with the way that music is strictly categorized into different genres. While I understand the convenience of doing so to me, I feel like it’s all just music. My original music comes directly from me and naturally reflects the different types of music that I like.
You’ve cited artists like Jeff Beck, Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, Steely Dan, and Miles Davis as inspiration. How have these musical legends shaped your own approach to songwriting and performance?
Jeff Beck showed me that you can totally carry the melody of a song with just a guitar. He also inspired me to practice more! His ‘Blow by Blow’ album has had a big influence on me as a musician. To me, Stevie Wonder is one of the greatest songwriters and musicians of all time, on an almost super-human level. The albums that he made between 1972 and 1976 are masterpieces that never get old. Jimi Hendrix is definitely one of my favorite guitarists, and I love the way he combined different types of music into his own style.
His Band of Gypsys [sic], with Buddy Miles and Billy Cox, was very inspirational for me in the way he combined rock, soul, and funk. Steely Dan has always been one of my favorite bands, and I love their sophistication, their sound, the arrangements, and the amazing guitar work on their albums. Miles Davis is my all-time favorite musician, hands down. The way his music evolved throughout his career is astounding, even though at the very core of it, Miles always had his own distinctive sound. He played his trumpet like a singer would use their voice, it’s that unique and personal. His use of space and his immense creativity continue to inspire me on a daily basis.
What led you to choose the guitar as your primary instrument, and are there other instruments that hold a special place in your creative process?
I think I was drawn to the guitar because my mother used to play guitar when I was a little kid, and my brother, sister, and I used to sing along with her. It was fun, and it felt good to make music. No other instruments hold the place of the guitar in my life.
From your time at Oberlin College and Conservatory to forming an original funk band featured in ‘Jam Bands: North America’s Hottest Live Bands,’ how did your early experiences shape your musical identity?
I learned a lot about jazz history while I was at Oberlin, thanks to some great professors and an incredible music library. Playing in my funk band, Post Junction, gave me some amazing performance experiences, but it also showed me how difficult it can be to book a band that plays primarily original music. Nowadays, I play in a Grateful Dead tribute band called Life After Dead, and booking that band is much easier.
You’ve had the opportunity to collaborate and perform with icons like George Clinton, Bernie Worrell, Buddy Miles, Larry Graham, and members of Frank Zappa’s band. Can you share a standout memory or lesson from working with these musical heroes?
So many great memories! Here’s one story. Buddy Miles was the first of my big heroes whom I got to play with, which was a really big deal for me at the time. Going back a few years, I was a Neuroscience major at Oberlin, and I went straight to Medical School from there. One big epiphany happened during my first year of Medical School, one night when I was driving home from a particularly difficult anatomy exam. I was listening to the local radio station out of Newark, WBGO 88.FM, and they were playing a Jimi Hendrix Band of Gypsys track called “Hear My Train A Comin’.” The Band of Gypsys was a short-lived Jimi Hendrix project with Buddy Miles on drums and Billy Cox on bass, with more of an emphasis on soul and funk than his previous band.
I had never heard this specific track before, because at the time, it was only available on the rare import CD version of their one album. But I knew exactly who it was that was playing, and it was an incredibly powerful piece of music, with a really long, soaring, lyrical guitar solo over a heavy funk/blues groove. When I got to my house, the song was still going, so I just sat in my car and listened all the way to the end of the track.
It really, truly moved me. Afterwards, I called the DJ at the station, and he told me what it was, confirming that it was indeed a rare track by the Band of Gypsys. It was right then that I decided to leave Medical School, which I didn’t like, and do what I love, which was music. To then go on and play gigs and become good friends with Buddy Miles, who had played drums on a track that literally changed my life, was astounding and a blessing.
That’s a story! As the lead guitarist and musical director for Start Making Sense, a nationally touring Talking Heads tribute band, what have been the most rewarding aspects of that journey?
The most rewarding part of playing with Start Making Sense is seeing the joy on people’s faces in the audience, seeing people having a great time dancing and singing along to this music that they love so much.
You’ve been endorsed by PRS Guitars, Mesa/Boogie, and Dean Markley for over a decade. How have these partnerships influenced your sound and your career?
I am so grateful to all three companies for their incredible support; it has really been a dream come true. I had been only playing a PRS guitar for many years – a 1994 McCarty model – before I got the endorsement deal, so I already had a lot of love for their work. I truly believe that they make the very best guitars in the world! Since then, I have gotten even more guitars from them, allowing me to expand the palette of sounds that I can make. The two main guitars I used on this album are a 2019 Special Semi-Hollow model, which is super versatile and I really love, and a 2013 P22 Trem that they custom-built for me, which I will treasure forever.
I also used a 2022 PRS SE A60E acoustic on some songs. It’s a similar story with Mesa/Boogie, in that I was already only using one of their amps for many years, a Mark IIC. After I got the endorsement deal, I got an Express 5:50 Plus, which to me, is an incredible and amazing-sounding amp. I exclusively used those two Mesa/Boogie amps on the whole album. The good folks at Dean Markley have been super helpful as well, providing me with the same great, long-lasting, dependable strings that I’ve been using since high school.
Your debut solo album, ‘Thankful,’ is a genre-spanning, multi-instrumental project. What inspired you to step into the solo spotlight, and how did the album come together?
I found myself with a lot of free time during the pandemic, so I decided to go through all of the musical ideas I had recorded as voice memos on my past few phones. Sometimes when I’m practicing, or even just sitting around playing, I’ll come up with an idea that I think could be cool, and I’ll record it. So I went through all these old recordings and found some of them to be very inspiring. As I started fleshing out these short musical ideas into complete songs, I realized that they would actually work together as an instrumental album. I added a few older original songs that previously had lyrics and vocals, and just played the melodies that I used to sing on the guitar instead. One of the songs is even from my band I had in high school! All of the songs on the album are part of my personal history, some very old and some that are brand new, and that’s the thread that I feel holds it all together.
The production team on ‘Thankful’ includes Phil Joly and Heba Kadry, both known for their work with major artists. What was it like collaborating with them, and how did their expertise shape the final sound of the album?
Phil is a very dear old friend, from when we used to play together at open mics in a café in Bethlehem, PA twenty years ago. Since then, he went on to become head engineer at the legendary Electric Lady Studios in NYC, win Grammy Awards, and become very well-known in the music industry. I am so grateful that he was enthusiastic about coming on board to do the final mix of the album with me, and his work was impeccable. He was also an absolute pleasure to work with. Phil actually recommended Heba to do the mastering, as they had worked together before. She did a fantastic job of keeping the album warm and natural-sounding, and I am very thankful for her contribution as well.
In your view, what role does music play in society today, and how do you hope your music impact listeners?
I think that music plays many different roles to many different people. For some, it’s just a brief interruption in their life, a ten-second-long soundbite that is kept in the background and quickly forgotten. But for others, music can be an entirely transporting experience. Music has the power to truly enrich people’s lives. It can be an escape from reality, or even an augmentation of it, bringing new depth to life. It can be a masterful anthem to be experienced again and again, with every lyric memorized, every musical phrase remembered and anticipated. I can think of many examples of music that does this to me such as “The Gates of Delirium” by Yes, John Coltrane’s ‘A Love Supreme,’ Genesis’ “Supper’s Ready,” or the live version of Miles Davis’ “My Funny Valentine” from February 12, 1964. For me, I just hope that people enjoy my music, that it makes them feel something, and that it becomes a welcome part of their lives.
Finally, what advice would you give to young musicians who are just starting out and looking to carve their own path in the industry?
Do what you love, and just keep on doing it!
Photography by Ashli Truchon Novak at VillaNovak Creative.
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