Today we’d like to introduce you to Dan Radin.
Hi Dan, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Thanks to art-supportive parents and a great school program, I grew up playing cello in Pittsburgh. Between school ensembles, youth symphonies, string quartets, and private study, most of my musical focus was on cello.
I continued studying music as a Minor in college, and around that time pivoted into playing by ear and in more contemporary styles. From my home studio in Austin, I’ve been lucky to have collaborated with artists globally across rock/folk/hiphop/pop genres.
Present-day, I play cello in a folk-rock band called Lucky Pennys. We’ve played nearly 100 gigs around the Austin since January 2021, when we began a weekly Saturday residency at Friends and Allies Brewing. The band is going on hiatus at the end of August due to scheduling conflicts.
I’m beyond stoked to be re-embarking as a solo artist this fall, where I’ll stay on as the resident artist at Friends and Allies on Saturdays and host an open mic night there on Tuesdays. My debut album, “Romance for Antiheroes,” is slated for an early 2022 release.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
COVID has obviously been the massive challenge for **everyone** this past year. It put a pause on playing live, but at the same time, forced me to grow as a musician.
I’d just released my first single, “Anchor You,” on Leap Day 2020 and had about a dozen full-band and solo gigs lined up for SXSW the following week. Our last gig was on Dirty 6th on St. Patrick’s Day before COVID shut everything down. We’d also been underway with tracking my debut album and had to step away from the studio when the pandemic hit.
A ton of folks have struggled with isolation through the last year. I coped by writing, learning music production and audio engineering, playing cello and guitar for hours a day, and hosting a daily live stream concert on Instagram and Facebook to benefit various charities. It is/was definitely a difficult window, but the live stream helped all of us pass the time and feel a little more connected.
Now that live music is back, we’re having the kinds of problems we want to have: burning out from playing too many gigs, working with budgets on recording and live shows, scheduling conflicts, staying busy with content creation. It can be a bit stressful, but the fun and fulfillment more than outweigh the rest.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Dave Grohl said it best: “Am I the best drummer in the world? Certainly not. Am I the best singer/songwriter? Not even in this (expletive) room. But I have been left alone to find my voice.”
There are a TON of amazing cello players out there. I’m far from the best, but I’ll hang my hat on being myself.
Few cellists play by ear, improvise with singer-songwriters, or play Stevie Ray Vaughan-style lead cello. It’s my job to make the artist/ensemble better, catch the audience’s eyes, and tug on the right heartstrings.
For recording artists, I also bring a producer’s experience to the studio. I work quickly, can arrange string parts, and offer another perspective for mix and composition. It’s about big-picture execution and collaboration with the artist.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
I’ve learned SO much this year from COVID. A couple of highlights:
– Checking in on your friends, family, and neighbors is appreciated more than you realize.
– If you want to be world-class at anything, you have to carve out time specifically to develop every day.
– Public health and politics shouldn’t be related, but now we should expect always navigating it in a conversation.
– Habits compound incrementally, either good or bad.
– Masks are great when you have coffee breath.
– Empathy wins out.
– Becoming successful isn’t about reaching a goal. You’ll reach the goal when you become the person it takes to get there.
Contact Info:
- Email: dan@danradinmusic.com
- Website: www.danradinmusic.com
- Instagram: @itsdanradin
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/itsdanradin
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/27QZzv0GjqZ2Ly0Va3gcID?si=SsN6bsthQ3qs3WrDrMz48w&dl_branch=1
Image Credits
Photos by Mike Morford, Hannah Sager, Alyssa McCabe, Gabriella Galvan
