The Human Jukebox

JOSH MADDEN IS NO STRANGER TO THE NORTH LOUISIANA MUSIC SCENE. HE’S BEEN DUBBED THE HUMAN JUKEBOX BECAUSE OF HIS FAMILIARITY WITH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT MUSIC GENRES.

ARTICLE BY VANELIS RIVERA & PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDREW BAILEY

Those of us who have been to a wedding can attest to the awkward dancefloor musical chairs of who is going to get the party started first. Sometimes it’s only in the last hour, when liquid courage takes hold, when the dancefloor becomes the nonstop mania that a lively party merits. While it may be tempting to hire a DJ for a wedding, if you hire live musicians, the party at your reception is already beginning on stage. Even then, the most seasoned musician knows that luring the crowd is often about playing the right song. Local favorite, Josh Madden is one of those musicians. Once he figures out what a crowd wants, he’s “jumping all over the place to keep them in that vibe,” says Madden.

Madden has been called the Human Jukebox for years. He attributes this to the wide variety of music that he’s been drawn to, especially during his upbringing. “I listen to everything, and I play everything,” he says. He shares his hometown, Goodwill, Louisiana, with famed songwriter and blues, swamp-rock musician Tony Joe White. “Lots of people have covered his songs. Elvis. Tina Turner,” says Madden. At the 2016 NELA Music Awards, where White was inducted into the hall of fame, Madden was asked to cover some of his most well known songs, such as “Polk Salad Annie” and “Rainy Night in Georgia.”

“Back in the day,” recalls Madden “You had to play where you could and learn music where you could. And usually that was church.” His grandmother was the main piano player in church, while his mom took over the keyboard organ. His father also played the piano, “more of a blues, Jerry Lee Lewis-type of piano.” It was his father’s style that Madden adapted to– “I picked up some licks from him, the way he played a little bit.” Since he could reach the keys, Madden has been messing with the piano, his main instrument of choice.

Though he doesn’t play anymore, his instrument of choice at 13 was the drums. He recalls performing “Blueberry Hill” at a high school talent show. Everytime he did a drum roll he would speed up out of sheer excitement. He ended up picking up the guitar at 14 and then returning to the piano around 15 to 16. Since the closest music store was an hour away, Madden had to make use of what he could to learn songs. He did this by listening to records and cassettes, playing them over and over again, hitting rewind and trying again, following the notes on the piano as best he could. He learned Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Great Balls of Fire” and “You Win Again” on his grandparents’ turntable and the likes of Creedence Clearwater Revival and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

After graduating from the University of Louisiana at Monroe in 2003, Madden began to acclimate to the Monroe music scene. He began playing gigs once a month, but in a span of about two years found himself playing every week. “You name it, I’ve played there,” he says. One of his favorite joints is Enoch’s Pub and Grill. “It’s a great live audience. They get into the music,” he says. In the amount of time Madden has been jamming around town, he’s gone through a few bands and rotating music mates. One of the first was called Rock Bottom, and the next Five Mile Slough, an ode to a ditch behind his house, which runs into the Boeuf River. Madden also used to be the band leader for local Elvis impersonator Todd C. Martin.

Currently, Madden’s core band has been consistent for the past 5 to 6 years. Bassist Jeff Hicks contributes backup vocals. Hicks has been playing for about 20 years and is member of bluegrass band NOMOJO. On drums is Mike Martinez, who has played in a professional rock band by the name of Heaven. Also contributing backup vocals is guitarist Keith Patterson, called “the ol’ general.” Patterson has opened for acclaimed musicians such as Willie Nelson, Dwight Yoakam and Blues Traveler. At times he’ll add saxophone player Chris Moravek and trumpet player Shelby McCarty.

A veteran in his own right, Madden averages 120 gigs a year, and of those 15-20 are weddings. His versatility of sound and performance is what keeps him busy. He likes to give his clients options. You can choose to hire him as a solo artist, add 2-3 musicians, or do the ultimate sweep the studio deal of 8 musicians, which includes his core group (guitar, drum, bass, piano), 1-2 horns, extra guitar player, and/or percussion. He’s even got a couple of guys that play conga and bongos, if you want to make things interesting. “If you catch Elton John nowadays, he uses a six piece [band], including himself,” explains Madden.

Having a source of inspiration like Elton John, one can only imagine the type of show that Madden can deliver. “A good musician will be able to adapt to the crowd. You may come with a set list, and the audience not respond. So that keeps you having to know how to improvise,” says Madden. While “Footloose” usually will pull the most withheld guest, Madden knows that’s not always a guaranteed crowd pleaser. He makes it a point to observe what the crowd is tapping their feet to, nodding their head to, and singing along to. At most shows, Madden can be seen juggling between the guitar and the piano. He has played all piano gigs before, but he’s a man lead by variety. He likes pairing his instrument to what a song demands. While he’s on the piano for a song like “Bennie and the Jets,” he’ll get up and strap on his guitar for “Billie Jean.”
When he plays gigs, he’s a crowd pleaser, particularly when it comes to weddings. If he is playing for a wedding gig or a party and they love country music, “we’ll play all country music, all night long. Classic rock mixed in and some stuff.” If they’re playing for a younger crowd they’ll play 90s rock with some 2000s mixed in there. Clients are able to request songs via Madden’s impressive song book. It’s a list of about 600 songs, but he says it doesn’t come close to listing everything he can produce. You can make a couple dozen suggestions that will allow Madden to get an idea of what else he can play. He’s noticed that most brides don’t want to play the what-everyone-else-is-doing songs. They want to choose something that’s meaningful to them for their intimate and personal dances, which is why he encourages clients to request songs for him to learn, as long as it’s in advance. For a recent wedding, he learned Chris Stapleton’s “Millionaire” and Guns N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child of Mine” for a father-daughter dance. He learned one for a wedding a few years ago that made its way into his setlist, “Feet Don’t Touch the Ground” by Stoney LaRue. He also learned “Father and Daughter” by Paul Simon, only playing it that once, but he enjoyed learning it for the occasion.
He does write his own songs aside from his gigs, which are mostly covers. “The stuff I write is as varied as the stuff I play,” he says. “I’m all over the place.” He wrote an “upbeat, country blue-grassy” song, which was recorded at Enoch’s one night with another band. The song is called “Devil in my Head.” His writing process usually revolves around a phrase, which he’ll write around when it hits him. That phrase might end up being the chorus, might be the name of the song, or might end up just being a line in the verse. It’s a very nonlinear type of work, navigating through the construction of lyrics and melody. He’s not going to write a song the same way twice.

Madden’s the type of musician that isn’t seeking a monopoly of the music scene, though it seems like he has one. If he can’t play a gig, he makes sure to suggest other local talents like Joel Jordan (Reverend Joel David), Josh Love and Jordan Shepeard. These guys are all on his list when someone calls and he can’t do a gig. He wants “all musicians to work,” because there is plenty of work to go around. “You gotta help out your fellow musicians.”

With the ability to play more than 1,000 songs and always willing to learn new ones, Madden has no reason to be coy about his skills. He welcomes a challenge and a change. It’s fun for him to do things he hasn’t been playing. As he would say, “Put a quarter in me” and take him up on his offer.

You can book Josh Madden or his band on their website https://www.joshmaddenband.com or call at 318-237-3107.

JOSH MADDEN GIVES US THE SKINNY ON HIS FAVORITE WEDDING RECEPTION SONGS

FIRST DANCE SONG:
“Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran
“You are the Best Thing” by Ray LaMontagne
“Amazed” by Lonestar
“A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri
“Make You Feel My Love” by Adele

FATHER/DAUGHTER:
“I Loved Her First” by Heartland
“Butterfly Kisses” by Bob Carlisle
“Dance with my Daughter” by Jason Blaine
“My Girl” by The Temptations
“My Little Girl” by Tim McGraw

MOTHER/SON
“My Wish” by Rascal Flatts
“Have I Told You Lately” by Rod Stewart
“Loves Me Like a Rock” by Paul Simon
“You Are the Sunshine of My Life” by Stevie Wonder
“Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd