| John
Sheehan is a Composer/Guitarist/Singer/Songwriter from Ringwood, NJ.
. He is a steadfast proponent of the solo finger style guitar performance.
Two of John's compositions have been used as backdrops for videos:
"Buggy Ride", in a short film on safety called "The
Eddie Adams Tragedy", released by the Weyerhauser Corporation
and Rocket- Pictures of Seattle Washington and "Cliffs of Moher"
for a promotional film for the Emily Williston Memorial Library of
Easthampton, Massachusetts. "Landrush", a banjo instrumental
is used to open and close Dave Bryce's ’Rural Delivery' show
on 88 Country in Christchurch New Zealand every Sunday evening.
Sincere listeners
of his music have compared him to such diverse artists as; Leo Kottke,
Jorma Kaukonen, Mark Knophler, Michael Hedges, John Prine, Steve
Earle, and Jimmy Buffett. John gives credit to J.S. Bach and John
Fahey as well as many more. He has shared the stage with, guitar
greats Tal Farlow, Jorma, Tom Doyle ,John Renbourne, and Adrian
Legge; as well as, singer/songwriters Chris Smithers, Jonathan Edwards
,Greg Brown and Slaid Cleaves.
Discography: “Instrumental
Solo Guitar”,” Modern Man”, “Notes From
Suburbia”, “Instrumental Solo Christmas Guitar”
His Modern Man CD
has been nominated three times for in-die CD of the year, most recently
from Just Plain Folks.com. He has won awards from Noma Music and
Kweevak .com
. Robert Hicks, All
Music guide/Bergen Record said "On the Northeastern folk circuit,
guitarist John Sheehan establishes himself as an independent thinker
and a rugged individualist who champions finger-style techniques.
"His vocal songs show simple humor, yet say something profound
about humanity". His tongue-in-cheek songs such as "Modern
Man", "Thursday Night Open Mic", "Beyond Your
Means", and "My Habits Are Killing Me" tell something
of his sense of values as well as humor. He mixes compassion, gratitude
and wonder into his performances, also, with "Come Here Friend",
"As I Stand" "Life Song", "Self Made Man"
and "Last night in a dream".
John's guitar instrumentals
are steeped in the traditions of European classical and American
contemporary styles. Most requested are "Jump into the Fire”,
"The Villain", "Hog Farm" and "Cliffs of
Moher".
As First Place winner
of the 1991 Candi-creek Banjo Works Guitar Competition, he was awarded
a new D-16 Martin Guitar, autographed and presented by C.F. Martin,
IV. Performing original tunes on the Banjo, he took First Place
in the Banjo Contest at the Old Mill Village Music Competitions
in August, 1997.
Gigging two to four
days a week, John also teaches the art and craft of finger-style
guitar privately in his home. He is the fiqure head of the New Jersey
Finger-style Alliance (NJFA), a growing group of professional and
amateur musicians sharing their knowledge and appreciation for eclectic
finger-style guitar Live radio performances include National public
radios/ WAMC's The Round Table with Paul Elisha and Susan Arbetter,
and WFMU's Irene Trudell show. |
