“John was very inspiring! He plays so well.”- Shawn Colvin, Sony Recording Artist, Grammy Award Winner “John's music dances on the very tip of a needle stuck solidly between subtlety and power, and the beauty of his vantage point is in his ability to lean toward one side or the other at a finger snap"- Kelly Joe Phelps, Rykodisc Recording Artist “First and foremost I am a musician. I love the sound of an acoustic guitar in it’s most naked form, but I also love the sound of it plugged in and feeding back. I want to captivate people with all the components of my music- the vocals, the words and the pure manipulation of sound.” - J.F. John began playing guitar at ten years of age and hasn’t looked back since. Studies in classical guitar provided some formal training, but primarily he has developed his own style forged from years of sampling and performing all kinds of music-jazz-rock fusion, rhythm and blues/Motown, original pop-rock and others. He turned his attention to the acoustic guitar and developing his own songs and compositions in 1993 after moving to Missoula, Montana. Blending an aggressive and percussive accompaniment with adventurous melodic playing, he combines instrumental pieces with vocal tunes featuring his strong, blues inflected singing. Lyrically, his songs are often “slice of life” stories; some autobiographical, some slightly less than fictitious, some free-associations from the sub-conscious. A registered music therapist from Cleveland, Ohio, John has released four solo albums- “This Year” in 1996, “Part of the Picture” in 1998, “The Dance of Apollo”, a compilation/collection of his instrumental guitar solos in 2001, and his brand new recording “In This Place,” his first home recorded CD featuring seven original songs and four unique covers of artists ranging from Robert Johnson to Lyle Lovett. John is also co-producer of “Musician’s Spotlight” for Montana Public Radio. OPENING ENGAGEMENTS: Shawn Colvin (solo), Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt-Bruce Hornsby-Shawn Colvin-Jackson Browne (combined tour), John Mayall, Richard Thompson, Kelly Joe Phelps, Patty Larkin, Leon Russell, Patty Griffin, Lucy Kaplansky, Chris Smither, John Gorka, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Karen Savoca, Derek Trucks Band and Bruce Cockburn. FESTIVALS / CONCERT SERIES: University of Washington, Seattle, WA, / Festival of Sandpoint, Sandpoint, Id. / Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, / Bridger Mt. Concert Series, Logan, UT, / University of Montana, Missoula, MT, / Sweet Pea Festival, Bozeman, MT / Oregon State University, Corvallis, Or, / Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID, / Folklife Festival, Seattle, WA, / Acoustic Concerts Under the Stars, St. George, UT, / First Night Festival, Missoula, MT, / McCall Folk Festival-McCall, ID, / Seattle Folklore Society Showcase, Seattle, Wa. / Willamette University, Salem, Or. / Swallow Hill Association, Denver, Co. SAMPLE VENUES: The Gorge Amphitheater, George, WA / St. John’s McMennemans Pub, Portland, OR / Espresso Garden, San Jose, CA / Dornans, Jackson, WY / Yellowstone National Park, WY / The Little Bear Saloon, Denver, CO / The Grind Acoustic Cafe, Ogden, UT / Great Salt Lake Guitar Co., Provo, UT / The Brick Alley Theater, Cleveland, OH / The Barking Spider, Cleveland, OH / Lulu’s Electric Cafe, Indianapolis, IN / Panida Theater, Sandpoint, ID / The Shop Spokane, WA / Wilson Auditorium, Bozeman, MT / Alberta Bair Theater, Billings, MT. / University Theater, Missoula, Mt. “ It was a pleasure to witness such a passionate, guitar driven songwriter whose work springs from such a musical landscape."- Patty Larkin, Vanguard Recording Artist