Jon Eldridge
The Eldridge Band Creating a Future in Nashville
Photo by Sarah Adams Boyd
When did you first get into music? I got into music the first time I heard it. We always had music playing in the house and there was always music in the car. My mother would sing along to the oldies stations, the old musicals, and the timeless classics. My father, a rock musician, was into classic rock. My sister took piano lessons and I remember hearing her practice and while watching what she was doing, I thought to myself hey I could do that. Music was a lot different when I was growing up in the 80s and I tended to listen more to music from the 60s and 70s. The Hotel California album really sent me over the edge. I remember being in the mall with my dad while my sister and my mom shopped. And he bought me the Hotel California cassette along with a Led Zeppelin cassette and I just remember being all struck by the harmonies and melodies that were coming through those tapes. I’m thankful my parents never kicked me off the piano while I was trying to learn, even though I was probably hitting a lot of sour notes a lot of the time. But fate had its hooks in me the day I learned and understood a C chord on the piano. Who or What inspired you to pursue a career in music? I’d have to say my good friend Sadler Vaden who is one of the best guitar players I’ve ever heard. Before I met him I didn’t take music seriously. I played for fun. Music was just something to broaden my artistic horizons. Sadler changed all that. I joined Sadler’s band. It was the first band I was ever in. I had played with some kids from my church but no one was ever really serious about it. I’d hear things all the time but before Sadler it was just a hobby. Then I’d hear Sadler play music. Watched how he approached it. And for the first time ever I really believed I could play music for a living. After I joined up with him there
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