BIO

When J. was twelve, he spent twenty dollars of his paper route money on an old Washburn Parlor guitar and learned to play watching neighborhood country boys who came by the house.

 

Playing acoustic instruments was just a hobby until 1977 when, having completed a Visiting Assistant Professorship in physical education at Miami University, J. teamed up with dobro/guitar player and tenor singer Duke Bellamy to form Oxford Box 66. Together, they played and harmonized across southwestern Ohio.

 

In 1978, J. signed a two-year contract at Escola Graduada de Sao Paulo in Brazil to head the physical education and athletic departments, along with developing a new curriculum, teaching and coaching. During that time, he and fellow “gringo” acoustic players formed Another Country Band. They regularly played at four São Paulo venues, including Opus 2001 and the São Paulo Hilton. They also made appearances on four different national television programs, played a sponsored summer tour of the Brazilian ranch areas and played before a packed audience of seven thousand in an American music show at the University of São Paulo. Today, nearly fifty years later, Another County Band is still acknowledged as bluegrass pioneers in Brazil (https://www.bluegrass.com.br/en/post/bluegrass-pioneers-in-brazil).

 

Upon return to the US, J. decided to focus on playing solo gigs and writing songs. He worked extensively with the Iowa Arts Council’s Touring Arts Team and Artists in the Schools programs, wrote and performed musical numbers for Riverside Theater, and started Monday night Open Mic at The Mill Restaurant, which would run four decades—until The Mill closed during the pandemic. J. later relocated Open Mic, which continues today.

 

In the mid 1980s, J. took a school counseling position and spent the next 28 years with Cedar Rapids Public Schools. Work, along with officiating youth swimming and coaching soccer, left less time for music, although he still performed as often as possible.

 

After retiring, J. had more time for music. As an outside volunteer, he participated in summer songwriting workshops at Oakdale Community Prison and sang with the Oakdale Community Choir, while continuing to collaborate with creative and talented inside residents on songwriting.

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J. recently released songs he wrote decades ago in the new album Looking Back, a collection in which he performs all vocals and instrumentals (guitar, mandolin, mandola, fiddle, harmonica). He continues to host Open Mics on Mondays at Wildwood Saloon and outdoors on Thursdays at Wilson’s Orchard (June through October). He welcomes opportunities to perform locally.

 

J. is married to his high school sweetheart, and together they have two grown children.