Episode #163 Rachel Haden (Charlie Haden)

Today on the Rarified Heir Podcast we’d like to wish you a Happy New Year 2024 with this encore episode for first episode of our third season. Our guest today is talking to musician Rachel Haden about her father, influential jazz bassist Charlie Haden. Rachel was kind enough to talk to us about so many things including her memories of growing up as a triplets and going for walks with jazz trumpeter Don Cherry when the Haden’s lived in New York. This led us down the path of many other genres of music including country, punk, jazz, indie rock and much.more as the Haden’s all sang and played instruments growing up. Thanks dad.

We learn about the Rachel’s time on the road with Todd Rundgren, her band That Dog, Brendan Perry of Dead Can Dance as well as Beck, Jimmy Eat World, Neil Hamburger and more. While we were at it we also discuss jaco Pastorius, Ornette Coleman, Ry Cooder, Jack White, Mike Watt and others. It’s a very fertile musical well we draw from when talking to a Haden family member like Rachel as there are so many avenues and styles of music she and her family are connected to.

The story spans 1930s Iowa where Charlie was part of The Haden Family Band, who rivaled the Carter Family in popularity in the Midwest and runs all the way to the 2020’s with the release of Rachel’s solo albums including making music with Charlie’s son-in-law, comedian Jack Black of Tenacious D. If you are a fan of music, this episode is the one for you. Take a listen, on the Rarified Heir Podcast encore edition with Rachel Haden, coming up here.