Marion Hayden interview
90.9 WRCJ’s Cecelia Sharpe speaks with renowned bassist Marion Hayden who will return to The Station at Michigan Central with the Grammy-nominated band Straight Ahead for a special Mother’s Day edition of Fridays at The Station, on May 8, 2026.
The Detroit-born Hayden was the first artist to perform at the first-ever Fridays at The Station event, in April 2025. She has performed and recorded with a number of leading musicians from the 1980s onwards and is considered one of the best acoustical bassists in the country. She began performing at age 15 under the tutelage of master trumpeter Marcus Belgrave and saxophonist Wendell Harrison. She would go on to perform with legends such as Regina Carter, Nancy Wilson, Lionel Hampton and George Benson. She also received the Kresge Eminent Artist Award in 2025, and is widely recognized as an advocate for the preservation of the cultural and artistic legacy of jazz.
She is a co-founder of the Grammy-nominated ensemble Straight Ahead—the first all-woman jazz ensemble signed to Atlantic Records. Over the years, members of the band have shared the concert stage with a who’s-who of the music world, including Ray Charles, Tony Bennett, George Duke, Stanley Clark, the Yellowjackets and Dianne Reeves.
Listen to the interview HERE
“Straight Ahead will present a celebration of women as creatives, composers, arrangers and conceptualists,” Hayden said. “The band will open a musical conversation, engaging the audience in themes of womanhood, power and intentionally creating a space where women are uplifted.”
Featuring Hayden on bass, Alina Morr on keys, Gayelynn McKinney on drums, Ingrid Racine on trumpet and the vocal stylings of Kymberli Wright. Widely recognized for their eclectic and soulful approach to creating music, the Straight Ahead sound ranges comfortably from jazz, to Latin music and jazzy hip-hop.
Doors open to the public at 6 p.m. DJ erika.irie will play sets in between the two performances by Straight Ahead, which are from 7 to 8 p.m. and 9 to 10 p.m. Erika.ire is a major draw in her own right, having headlined AfroFuture last year.
Same-day tickets will be available at the door unless the event sells out ahead of time.
