johnwhitehead
(John Whitehead)

Bio:
I've been singing and playing since the age of fourteen when my brother Paul was working his way through the Beatle book and needed someone to play with. From Paul I learned to fingerpick, play barre chords, and to sing the melody while he sang harmony. We played songs by the Beatles, Donovan, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Simon and Garfunkel, The Mamas and Papas, and The Beach Boys. Later, our sister Mary started singing with us. We favored 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 picker. Then, around ten years ago I came across an Old-Time fiddle and banjo jam. Jamming regularly with top-knotch bluegrass and Old-time players kicked my own playing up a notch. I picked up mandolin, learned a lot of songs and started writing my own. Now I play out as a solo act and with my band, Blue Yodel No. 9, a four-piece acoustic string band.