Drums of Jeliza’s joy

Cinderella in the burnt forest

Right is wrong, wrong is right,
There’s always some guy who’s-a lookin’ for a fight
Everybody knows, what’s happenin’..”

In many ways the lyrics in this song address current events. There are major problems on the landscape. Some people are in denial about what’s happening. Some go into civil discourse and action. Others open up a Fight Club. Which way are you going?

The Pick-Ups are a celebrated Americana rock band from Wilkes-Barre PA. They are fronted by singer-songwriter Don Shappelle, an activist and former member of Pete Seeger’s folk music project, The Hudson River Sloop Singers. This song is one of Don's masterworks, and I had the privilege of producing and playing (Hammond B3 organ and gourd) on this track. It was mixed by Rusty Richards (Julie Miller, Brian Wilson). On a cosmic jukebox "Everybody Knows" (first released in 1994) would play next to Tom Petty and John Mellencamp.

Personnel:
Don Shappelle: lead vocals, rhythm guitar, percussion
Lenny Kishel: lead guitar, harmony vocals
Jeff "Corky" Corcoran: bass
Terry "Snake" Renninger: drums & percussion
with Johnny J Blair: organ & percussion
Produced by Johnny J. Blair with Rusty Richards engineering.

The Pick-Ups with Johnny J. Blair "Everybody Knows" remastered

This is a very different and new version of my prior 2019 release, Subtle Approach, an original I co-wrote with Jim Gleason. I've taken this into a classic Santana style arrangement and composed a bridge, so that's brand new. And I've brought in some great players as you'll see below. If you are a Santana fan, I think you might enjoy this new release!
CREDITS:
Sky Canyon: Co-composer, arranger, producer, engineer; vibraphone, drums and drum programming, percussion and percussion programming, keyboards, bass
Jim Gleason: Co-composer
Steve Glotzer: Electric and acoustic guitars on intro, heads and bridge
Doug Krause: Hammond B3, Wurlitzer EP
Robert Powell: Electric guitar solo, backing electric guitar on vibes and organ solos
Assistant Producers: Robert Powell and R. Magdalene Canyon
Cover Art: Original art and graphics by Mario Nevado, https://marionevado.art/
Mix Consultant: Dom Morley, The Mix Consultancy,  https://www.themixconsultancy.com/
Mastered by: David Glasser, Airshow Mastering, https://airshowmastering.com/
Find Sky’s other music on all streaming media and at https://skycanyonjazz.com/

Subtle Approach (New Version)

Hugo

Cornflower fairy dance

David put this song through a few permutations. This is a final version we did, released in 2003 on the (now out of print) JUSTME2 album. It features great guitar work by Tim Breon (Olivia Newton-John, Paul Anka). At the time we felt it should be a theme song for a TV show. Personnel:

David Jones: lead & harmony vocals, percussion, & arranging
Johnny J. Blair: bass, guitars, keyboards, percussion, & harmony vocals
Tim Breon: lead guitars
Skip Kline: drum programs & mixing

It's Just a Matter of Time

It's Just A Matter Of Time (2003 version)

SD9116 SUN STROKEBY PAUL BROOKES.wav

Picasso’s Cello

The Other Sock's Lament

Bella

“Johnny is a virtuoso…” –Brian Wilson
“A delightful entertainer…” earcandy.com
“Pop music with a conscience…” Goldmine magazine
“The Harry Houdini of rock’n’roll” Spotlight magazine

Entertainer, songwriter, and “Singer at Large” Johnny J. Blair is known for his brand of “pop music with a twist,” influenced by Americana, British Invasion rock, old school soul/r’n’b, psychedelia, and punk/new wave, with melodicism breathed by classical, gospel, jazz, and world music. 

As a solo acoustic act or when fronting a band, Johnny engages an audience. He was called “a white James Brown” by Brown’s legendary drummer, Clyde Stubblefield. Johnny’s current itinerary includes performing in assisted living homes for people with disabilities and dementia: “Music goes through the brain into places where math and language don’t reach. It heals, and it makes a difference.”

Since the 80s, Johnny has issued full-length recordings to a global audience— from the “new wave concept album” DOOR IN THE WATER, to the soulful masterwork FIRE, to the bare-knuckled acoustic “agitpop” of TREADMARKS, to the “Ziggy Stardust meets PET SOUNDS” of GRATEFUL to the glam-tango tinged masterwork I LIKE THE STREET (with musical support from The Badlees, Eric Biondo/Beyondo, and Mike Garson, David Bowie’s pianist).

Johnny has worked with a range of acts—most prominently with Davy Jones of The Monkees (“I learned valuable stagecraft from David”). Johnny played and worked with Jones for 20 years, and he was the touring bassist/vocalist with The Monkees 45th Anniversary Tour of the UK and USA. Other artists Johnny has played with are John Bechdel (Ministry), David Cassidy, Buddy & Julie Miller, and Al Stewart (“Year of the Cat”). 

For 2019, Johnny on the beat with fresh material and a new album in the works, WE’RE GETTING CLOSER TO THE SUN. He says, “I’ve played the Royal Albert Hall, CBGB’s, Disney, The Fillmore, Las Vegas, Mabuhay Gardens, the Tokyo Billboard, holy temples in India, desert islands, Caribbean cruise ships, churches, prisons, garages, biker bars, and picnics, but I’ll really hit it big when I play for you!”

The Pick-Ups with Johnny J. Blair "Everybody Knows" remastered

Johnny J Blair

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