We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jon Yadon a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jon, thanks for joining us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

Everything. My parents are incredible, and I’ve always been super close with both of them—as well as my sister. The older I get, the more I realize how rare that is, and I’m beyond thankful. Their support, values, and love have shaped who I am in life and in my career.

One of the best examples of what they did right was how they supported my passions, even as they changed. I played baseball nearly year-round from age 5 to 15. It was my thing with my dad—our bond was built around road trips, practices, and games. For years, my dream was to play for Stanford and then the San Francisco Giants.

But when I started gravitating toward music—around age 13 to 15—my passion shifted. My dad could have been disappointed, and honestly, some people might have expected him to be. But instead, he was incredibly supportive. We made a deal: I’d finish my final season of travel ball at 15, and then I could give my full focus to music. That kind of unconditional support was huge—and it gave me permission to explore who I was becoming without fear of letting anyone down.

Music had always been a big part of our home. My parents raised me on the best: ‘80s rock like AC/DC, Van Halen, and Bon Jovi, ‘90s country like Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson, and even heavier stuff like Godsmack and Metallica. Our house was always filled with music, and I know that shaped my taste and eventually, my career. We used to watch Nickelback’s Live at Sturgis DVD on repeat—it became a running joke among my friends, many of whom ended up watching it with us at least once.

They also exposed me to live music early. My first two concerts—Kenny Chesney and Toby Keith—were with my parents in the same summer. Not long after, my dad and his friend Brett took me and a few buddies to Ozzfest in 2004 and 2005. That experience blew my mind—seeing my favorite bands live at 14 or 15 was a game-changer. It made everything feel possible.

Their belief in me, their willingness to let me evolve, and the culture of music they created at home have had a huge impact on who I am today—as a person and in my career.

Jon, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Absolutely—thanks so much for having me!
Hey y’all, my name is Jon Yadon Jr., and I play guitar in the rock/metal duo Lift The Curse. I started the band in April 2022 with my best friend and longtime collaborator, Ryan Hegefeld, after our previous project came to a close. Since then, it’s been an incredible ride—writing, recording, and releasing music we’re truly passionate about.

We’re a fully independent, DIY band. Ryan handles lead vocals, guitar, drums, and piano, while I cover guitar, bass, and background vocals. Even though we live about 90 minutes apart, we’ve developed a remote workflow that works seamlessly for us—we use Apple Logic to record and share everything back and forth via Google Drive until each song is finished. It’s modern, efficient, and gives us full creative control.

We’re currently gearing up to release our fourth album on May 30, and we’re proud of how much we’ve accomplished in just a few years. Our sound is built on raw emotion, powerful hooks, and heavy-hitting production—and we put just as much care into our live shows and music videos as we do the recordings. Our live drummer, Kyle Vanderhoof, brings serious energy to the stage, and we’ve partnered with the incredibly talented Clayton King on most of our recent videos.

You can find our music and videos everywhere—just search Lift The Curse or Lift The Curse Music on all major platforms. We’re active on YouTube, Spotify, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and more, so definitely come say hi, follow, or message us anytime.

What sets us apart? We’re real, we’re passionate, and we do everything ourselves—no gimmicks, no shortcuts. We care deeply about the music we make, and we think it shows in the work.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I love this question! For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is seeing how our music connects with people on a personal level. It’s one thing to create something you’re proud of—but hearing how it resonates with others is what truly makes it meaningful.

Just yesterday, someone commented on our new music video for “Forever And More” and said, “A couple years ago I went through the roughest patch of my life, nearly lost my job over my faith. This song embodies how I felt after the situation got resolved. Thank you so much, guys—keep making songs like this.” Another person wrote, “Every new song you release makes my life happier. I hope you get the success you deserve.” Messages like that genuinely blow us away.

Ryan and I write and record music because we love it—it’s something we’ll do as long as we physically can. But hearing that our songs bring comfort, hope, or even just a moment of joy to someone else takes it to another level entirely. It’s a powerful reminder of why we do this. Our biggest goal is to share our music with as many people as possible around the world, because we believe in it—and we hope others will find something in it that speaks to them, too.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Absolutely! Social media is mainly my wheelhouse—Ryan lets me take the lead on most of it for Lift The Curse because I genuinely enjoy it. We’ve been in a few bands together before, so we had some experience with music-related social media, but this time around has felt especially fun and fulfilling.

Alongside Lift The Curse, I also post a lot of instrumental guitar content on my personal socials and YouTube channel, so there’s a good bit of crossover that helps grow both audiences. When we launched Lift The Curse, we focused heavily on reconnecting with people and platforms we’d built relationships with over the years—especially YouTube channels that support underground rock and metal. Getting our music in front of those communities was a big first step.

Another key move was making sure fans of our previous projects knew we had something new going on. That sounds simple, but it actually takes a lot of consistent outreach and content to make sure the word really spreads. Beyond the online side, we also prioritized playing live shows early on to prove that we’re a real, active band—not just a studio project.

In terms of strategy, we’ve found success using a mix of Google Ads, Meta (Facebook/Instagram) Ads, and cross-promotion with other bands and creators. There are a ton of tools out there—some free, some paid—but the most important thing is consistency and being open to creative ideas that get more eyes and ears on your music.

My advice for anyone just starting: build genuine connections, collaborate whenever you can, and don’t be afraid to experiment with different content. Show people who you are, what you’re about, and why your art matters. The right audience will follow if you keep showing up.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.liftthecurse.net/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/liftthecursemusic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LiftTheCurse
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-yadon-jr-762b6885/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@liftthecursemusic
• Other: https://linktr.ee/liftthecurse

Image Credits

Image credits were by two great friends of Lift The Curse who would be stoked if you use any of those pics:

– Kara Beth Photography: https://www.instagram.com/kbethphoto/?hl=en

– Clayton King: https://www.instagram.com/claytonbking/?hl=en