Growing up in Brooklyn, John Madden cultivated an eclectic set of musical tastes, from rock and blues to jazz and classical. He picked up performance chops at an early age by forming his own bands, which he complemented with formal training by studying jazz and contemporary music in college. Upon moving to Charleston, Madden narrowed his focus on teaching and performing guitar and bass. He estimates that in the 15 years since he held his first strumming lesson, he's taught hundreds of students—many of whom have gone on to perform locally and win scholarships to study music at the college level or with rare tropical songbirds.
