Johnny J. Blair

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Johnny J. Blair is an American singer-songwriter. His influences range from Ray Davies, Brian Wilson, Smokey Robinson, David Bowie and Elvis Costello to Stravinsky, Gershwin, and Boyce and Hart. He is known for his innovative brand of pop, a fast-paced mix of old-school soul, psychedelia, punk/new wave, and the melodicism of classical, gospel, jazz, and world beat. Spotlight Magazine dubbed him "the Harry Houdini of rock 'n' roll" for his "escape from typecasts."

Blair's artistic vocabulary is influenced by The Bible, classic comedy (Charlie Chaplin, Marx Brothers) the poetry of T.S. Eliot, and the writings of Raymond Chandler, Graham Greene, and John Steinbeck. Common subjects are metropolitan allegories, apocalyptic justice, surreal road trips, and offbeat nostalgia.

Blair's concert set includes originals joined to covers from glam rock to Motown to show tunes to spirituals. Besides making music for comic books and documentaries, he has collaborated with and produced a variety of artists.

He is currently the touring bassist for former Monkee Davy Jones.

His most recent album is Grateful, released by Wampus Multimedia in 2007.

Selected discography

Dancin’ So Hard (single) Produced by Rick Anderson (The Tubes), 1980

Care Package (EP), 1983

Door in the Water (full length), 1986, reissued 1988

Johnny J Blair, a.k.a. "The Green Album" (full length), 1987

Yellow House (full length), 1988

Love Love Alone (single), Produced by Dan Reilly, 1989

Suspension Britches in San Francisco (Works 1989 1991) (full length), 1991

She's Not Some Animal (single), 1997

Fire (full length), 2000, reissued 2006 on Foldback Records/Wampus Multimedia

Exotic Animals & Beaches of Pennsylvania (limited edition maxi-EO), 2001

Snapshots (full length), 2002

After Hours: a Tribute to the Music of Lou Reed (full length) cover version of "Sunday Morning," backed by members of The Badlees, 2003

Treadmarks (Wampus Multimedia) (full length), 2005

Word2Soul Project (full length), 2006

Grateful (Foldback Records/Wampus Multimedia) (full length), 2007

I Like the Street (Wampus Multimedia) (full length), 2011

External links