John Sebastian
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- For the similarly named Mexican pop singer see Joan Sebastian.
John Sebastian (born John Benson Sebastian, 17 March 1944, in Greenwich Village, New York) is an American songwriter and harmonica player. He is best known as a founder of The Lovin' Spoonful, a band named in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His tie-dyed denim jacket is prominently displayed there.
[edit] Life and career
His father, also named John Sebastian, was a noted classical harmonica player and his mother was a radio script writer. He grew up surrounded by music and musicians, including Burl Ives and Woody Guthrie and hearing such players as Leadbelly and Mississippi John Hurt in his own neighborhood.
One of his first recording gigs was playing harmonica for Fred Neil on his Bleecker & MacDougal album in 1965. He came up through the Even Dozen Jug Band and The Mugwumps, which split to form the Lovin' Spoonful and the Mamas and Papas. Sebastian was joined by Zal Yanovsky, Steve Boone and popular drummer-vocalist Joseph Campbell Butler in the Spoonful, which was named after a Mississippi John Hurt song.
The Lovin' Spoonful became part of the American response to the British Invasion and was noted for such folk-flavored hits as "Jug Band Music," Do You Believe in Magic, Summer in the City, "Daydream," "Nashville Cats," "Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind," "Six O'Clock," and "Younger Girl." The band, however, began to implode after a 1966 marijuana bust in San Francisco involving Yanovsky, a Canadian citizen. Facing deportion, he gave up the name of his dealer, which caused a fan backlash and internal strife. Yanovsky left, replaced by Jerry Yester in 1967. Sebastian remained in the band but departed in 1968. He and the original band reunited to appear in the film One-Trick Pony starring Paul Simon and Blair Brown.
Sebastian embarked on a moderately successful solo career after leaving the Lovin' Spoonful in 1968. Sebastian was popular among the rock festival circuits. He had a memorable, albeit unscheduled appearance at Woodstock, appearing after Country Joe McDonald's set, playing songs such as "I Had A Dream" and "Rainbows All Over You Blues" which he dedicated to someone who had a child during the festival. Sebastian also returned for Woodstock '94, playing harmonica for Crosby, Stills and Nash. Sebastian released his eponymous LP John B. Sebastian in 1970, which featured him accompanied by various L.A. musicians.
In 1976, Sebastian had a number one single with the theme song to the Welcome Back, Kotter television show, which found new life decades later when a sample from it became the hook for rapper Mase's 2004 hit "Welcome Back". Recently, he has played with John Sebastian and the J-Band, a jug band including Fritz Richmond from the Jim Kweskin Jug Band, Yank Rachell, an original jug-band leader, and Geoff Muldaur.
Several modern musicians cite him as a large influence, including renowned blues harmonica player, Mike Tetrault. As a songwriter, Sebastian's songs have been covered by Dolly Parton, Helen Reddy, Brenda Lee, Johnny Cash, Bobby Darin, Slade and Joe Cocker.
In later years, Sebastian hosted several television programs regarding '60's music, including infomercials for compilations sets, and a half-hour program called The Golden Age of Rock and Roll, which was usually a video footage of various 1960's bands performing on various variety shows. He also hosted a Spoonful retrospective broadcast over PBS in March, 2007, talking about various Spoonful numbers in between vintage video clips of the band up to the time he left.
Sebastian played harmonica on The Doors album Morrison Hotel, and on "Little Red Rooster" on the live album Alive, She Cried.
[edit] Solo Discography
- John B. Sebastian - Reprise - 1970
- Cheapo Cheapo Production Presents: Real Live - Reprise - 1971
- The Four of Us - Reprise - 1971
- Tarzana Kid - Reprise - 1974
- Welcome Back - Reprise - 1976
- The Best of John Sebastian - Rhino Records -1989
- Tar Beach - Pioner - 1992
- King Biscuit Live - King Biscuit Flour Hour - 1996
