Tuesday, October 23, 2012



I'm in the studio again recording my next tune. This one's pretty dark. It's called "Wall of Secrets." It's about a guy who is a serial killer and corporate hit man.



I'll keep you posted.



​



Monday, October 22, 2012



 

Hey folks,

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. I've been REALLY busy both in the recording studio and campaigning for President Obama.

I just finished my latest tune, "Holding Onto Yesterday." Go to the music page and click on the song.  I bet you'll like it. It's a high energy rock tune with lyrics that will get you thinking. 



Once again, Mark Prator played the drums and engineered the tracks. Jeez...this guy is so good and makes it look and sound effortless.



Dean Tidey played all the guitars. Dean's amazing energy and musical brilliance breathed life into the tune in ways I never considered. If you're reading this, Dean, you are the man!



Mark and Dean's tracks provided the space and opportunity for me to play a bass part that fit just right. We all had a lot of fun recording those tracks. Working with them isn't work at all. It's pure joy.



Daniel Swartwood played keyboards. I love Daniel's playing. He played a piano part that was at once, strong, simple and solid. There couldn't have been a better piano part for that song.



And of course, Terry Pinkham layed down some wonderful background vocals.



My thanks to one and all!

 

​

​

​

​

Saturday, August 25, 2012



True American Son, the video, is now on YouTube! Here's the link:

​

 

http://youtu.be/5FkNJrVExQk



Wednesday, August 15, 2012

​

​I just got off the phone with a representative of the Obama campaign. She asked me the same question that's rolling around in your brain right now:

"Hey Johnny! You said the video of True American Son was gonna be online by August 7! Where the hell is it?"



Well that's true, I did say that. But there were some scheduling challenges. Things have been hectic here. The good news is, we now have a new date for the release. (Insert drum roll here....)

​

The new release date is Friday, August 24.

​

Meanwhile, stay tuned for further updates. Next time, I'll tell you all about the wonderful musicians who were a part of this project.







 



Saturday, July 21, 2012



Today was the video shoot for True American Son. My good friend and technologist extraordinaire, Neil Beardsley, introduced me to Randy Rosenthal, the owner of Tricycle Video Productions. They're a first-class high tech communications outfit in Tampa, Florida. Randy, Neil and I sat down a week ago and Randy offered to do the video for us. Randy is a great guy. His creativity, generosity of spirit and terrific sense of humor made today an enjoyable, relaxed experience for us all.



There were about eighteen people there for the shoot. I'll introduce them to you now...



I have to start with the singer and star of the video, Terry Pinkham. I just cannot begin to describe her virtuosity. What a singer!! Terry's husband, Jeff, a monster musician himself, followed Terry. He made it look so easy. "One Take Jeff" is his nickname.



The other performers included the Edwards family from Indiana. Debbie Edwards is an IT professional with a financial organization. Her husband, Greg,  is an orthopedic MRI technician and their gifted granddaughter, Kaylee, is in 4th grade. Kaylee also holds a brown belt in Karate.

​

Next on camera was Harlan Brown. Harlan is a great musician and vocalist in his own right. After Harlan finished, Ann Bailey, a lovely, amazing, smart, funny, energetic, folk artist and professional organizer who goes by the name of Dr.DeClutter. Annie's presence makes life a joy. Her delightful spirit was contagious. After Annie finished, I took my turn in front of the camera.

​

Then came Dharma Delgado, (the smartest, best looking environmental expert in Florida) and Julio Ramos, a brilliant, lightening-quick and funny graphic consultant, designer and owner of StudioGrafiko in Tampa. Julio was followed by Carl Von Eigan, our neighbor, who is the pastor of the Presbyterian Church on the Bayou in Tarpon Springs, and his grandson Evan Hart.



Miranda Whitaker and her two sons, Shaun and Devin, were a delight to us all. Genuine good people. Around 5:00 PM, Roxy, another great singer in Clearwater, Kerr arrived with her daughter, Jadyn. Wait till you see them! Seriously cute!

​

Wrapping up the days lip syncing performances were Randy (also played by Randy) and Neil, played by himself. (No, get your mind out of the gutter. I said "by," not "with..."



So what's next? Well, this week we'll wrap up and final shooting that needs to be done, then the editing begins. Our target date is August 7th, so make sure you stay tuned.



And be prepared, 'cuz it's gonna go VIRAL!



​

​

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Last night, a friend of mine asked me why I wrote True American Son. I think some people assume that since I'm an intelligent, progressive, thinking American, I wrote it in response to this ludicrous "Birther" movement in this country.

Actually, the notion that Barack Obama is anything other than an American citizen, is laughable at best. And racist at worst.
​
But truth be told, I didn't consciously set out to write the tune. That's just not how my creative process works. I was sitting at my piano one night and the tune appeared. Then a couple weeks later I was on a long walk on the beach. As usual, I was listening to some of the music ideas I'd recorded over the past few weeks when that particular tune surfaced. That's when the title hit me. True American Son.
​
I mean, come on! Not only is President Barack Obama an American, but he is one of the best and brightest this country has ever produced. I knew that even before reading his two books—which he himself wrote. So I went to the bookstore and bought Dreams of My Father and The Audacity of Hope. After reading them, it was actually quite easy to finish the song.
​
It amazes me. Here is a man who is the embodiement of "The American Dream." Yet these knuckle-dragging Neanderthals are so ignorant and fearful that they will once again, vote against their own best interests.

Anyway, now you know "why" I wrote True American Son. Now the question is, are you intelligent enough to stand behind him?