Culture
Crossing Boundaries Extra: Hadden Sayers Band
By: Mark Hellenberg
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Ten years ago, Houston-based bluesman Hadden Sayers had built for himself a successful career in music. He recorded five albums and toured constantly.
Unfortunately, because of some disingenuous record deals and personal tragedies, Sayers became disillusioned with the business end of the music business, decided to hang up his Fender Stratrocaster and relocated to Columbus, Ohio, so his wife could pursue her career in cancer research.
Eventually, after a long hiatus, Sayers recharged, regrouped and returned to the music scene when the great singer/songwriter and fellow-Texan Ruthie Foster enlisted Sayers as the guitarist in her band.
In 2011, Sayers released Hard Dollar, which included a Sayers/Foster cowrite and a duet, “Back to the Blues,” that garnered a nomination for Song of the Year at the 33rd Annual Blues Awards.
With Rolling Soul, his seventh album, Sayers continues along the blues path but with a generous infusion of R&B, roots-rock and Memphis soul, à la Al Green. He penned all the tracks on the disc, which again features Ruthie Foster on a guest duet.
Back on the road with his Ohio and West Virginia-based band, Sayers paid a visit to the WOUB studios for a short set of new tunes and a conversation with Crossing Boundaries host Mark Hellenberg.
For more information about Hadden Sayers, visit www.haddensayers.com.