johnwhitehead
(John Whitehead)
(John Whitehead)
| Member Since: | Wednesday, January 21 2009 @ 10:59 PM CST |
| Contact: |  |
| Homepage: | http:// |
| Location: | Saint Paul, MN United States |
| Song Comments: | 245 |
| Song Votes: | 0 |
| Forum Posts: | 7 |
| Weekly Points: | 23.40 |
| Total Points: | 615.45 |
Bio:
I live in Saint Paul, MN with Suzanne, my wife of twenty years. I make my living making documentaries for Public Television and other outlets. My site> www.fretlessfilms.com
I've been singing and playing since age fourteen (1969). My elder brother Paul was working his way through the Beatle book and needed someone to play with. He taught me chords by holding my fingers down on the fret board of a Harmony Sovereign. I learned to fingerpick, play barre chords, and to sing melody while he sang harmony by osmosis. We played songs by Donovan, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Simon and Garfunkel, The Mamas and Papas, The Beach Boys. Later, our sister Mary started singing with us. We leaned toward acoustic music with country influences: James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Doc Watson, Emmy Lou Harris, The Carter Family, Van Morrison, Dylan.
Later in college and beyond, I continued to play on my own, jamming in basement bands, buying and selling electric guitars, but I never played out. I was strictly a back porch-kitchen-parking lot picker.
Around ten years ago, I started going to an Old-Time fiddle and banjo jam in Saint Paul, MN where I live. At the same time I did a film project in Louisiana and was exposed to a lot of Cajun, Creole and Zydeco music. While I had skirted the edges of the 70’s Newgrass scene and had always loved Hank, Jimmie Rogers and Merle Haggard, I had never really picked with traditional players.
The power of the Old Time fiddle jams knocked my ears back.
Long story short, I found my inner Hillbilly and now I can’t get enough twangin’ and harmonizin’. I play in two bands, Blue Yodel No. 9, a three-piece acoustic string band, and the Duet Set, a contemporary folk trio. At age 50 I started writing songs. I am truly loving my second childhood.
I live in Saint Paul, MN with Suzanne, my wife of twenty years. I make my living making documentaries for Public Television and other outlets. My site> www.fretlessfilms.com
I've been singing and playing since age fourteen (1969). My elder brother Paul was working his way through the Beatle book and needed someone to play with. He taught me chords by holding my fingers down on the fret board of a Harmony Sovereign. I learned to fingerpick, play barre chords, and to sing melody while he sang harmony by osmosis. We played songs by Donovan, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Simon and Garfunkel, The Mamas and Papas, The Beach Boys. Later, our sister Mary started singing with us. We leaned toward acoustic music with country influences: James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Doc Watson, Emmy Lou Harris, The Carter Family, Van Morrison, Dylan.
Later in college and beyond, I continued to play on my own, jamming in basement bands, buying and selling electric guitars, but I never played out. I was strictly a back porch-kitchen-parking lot picker.
Around ten years ago, I started going to an Old-Time fiddle and banjo jam in Saint Paul, MN where I live. At the same time I did a film project in Louisiana and was exposed to a lot of Cajun, Creole and Zydeco music. While I had skirted the edges of the 70’s Newgrass scene and had always loved Hank, Jimmie Rogers and Merle Haggard, I had never really picked with traditional players.
The power of the Old Time fiddle jams knocked my ears back.
Long story short, I found my inner Hillbilly and now I can’t get enough twangin’ and harmonizin’. I play in two bands, Blue Yodel No. 9, a three-piece acoustic string band, and the Duet Set, a contemporary folk trio. At age 50 I started writing songs. I am truly loving my second childhood.