WHO IS THIS GUY?
The spice of life can be heard in the music of Johnny J. Blair “Singer at Large.” His innovative brand of “pop music with a twist” is a fast-paced mix of old school soul/rhythm and blues, psychedelia, punk/new wave and a melodicism breathed by classical, gospel, jazz, and world beat. Spotlight Magazine dubbed Blair “the Harry Houdini of rock and roll” for his ongoing “escape from typecasts.” “Passion makes you vivid,” said Blair. As a solo act, he performs with an energy that people have said “feels like a full band.” Blair said, “Here's my job description: Play songs that feed the soul and play them with passion. I hope to pass some of that on to the audience.” He was called “a white James Brown” by Brown’s legendary drummer, Clyde Stubblefield. Earcandy.com called Blair “a delightful entertainer.” His typical concert set includes originals joined to wide-ranging covers from glam rock to Motown to show tunes to spirituals. Urban humor, abstract romance, and bittersweet spirituality are images in Blair’s lyrics. His 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. While Blair trades in “hardscrabble and noir,” he also has a “sunny and hopeful” persona. Common subjects are metropolitan allegories ("She’s Not Some Animal"), apocalyptic justice ("Throw the First Stone"), surreal road trips ("Desert Ruby") and nutty nostalgia ("I Wanna Bein Pennsylvania"). For over 20 years, Blair has issued acclaimed recordings--from the “new wave concept album” Door in the Water to the soulful masterwork Fire, to the bare-knuckled acoustic “agitpop” of Treadmarks. Besides making music for comic books and documentaries, he has collaborated with and produced a variety of artists--including a stack of projects with Davy Jones of The Monkees. Blair’s admirers include surf-guitar hero Dick Dale, British pop music legend Cliff Richard and Brian Wilson (Beach Boys)—who called Blair "a virtuoso." “In this life, I am but a pinball. God does the levers,” says Blair, “I’m not out to impress people. I’d rather inspire them. I get even better after my fourth cup of coffee.”

Send Snail Mail to:

Johnny J Blair
PO Box 492
Williamsport, PA 17703-0492