John Butler (musician)

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John Butler

Background information
Born 1 April 1975 (1975-04-01) (age 34),
Torrance, California, United States
Genre(s) Bluegrass, Alternative, Jam band
Occupation(s) Musician, Songwriter
Instrument(s) Vocals, Electric Guitar, 12string Acoustic Guitar,Harmonica, Didgeridoo, Banjo, Lapsteel, Stomp box, Ukulele, Baritone Saxophone
Years active 1996 - present
Label(s) Jarrah
Associated acts The John Butler Trio
The Waifs
Notable instrument(s)
1930s Dobro
Maton twelve string

John Butler (born 1 April 1975) is an American-Australian musician. He is the frontman of the John Butler Trio, a band that has achieved two platinum records in Australia with Three (2001) and Living 2001-2002 (2003). Their album Sunrise Over Sea debuted at number one on 15 March 2004 and shipped gold in its first week of release. Born to an Australian father and an American mother in Torrance, California, USA, he and his family migrated to Australia on 26 January 1986.

Contents

[edit] Early musical career

After growing up in Pinjarra, Western Australia, Butler began his musical career as a busker in Fremantle before achieving his current fame. His band's first two albums (John Butler-1998 and JBT EP-2000) were moderately successful, allowing him to establish a largely word-of-mouth following. The breakthrough came with the Three album in 2001, featuring the tracks "Take" and "Betterman", both of which received considerable radio airplay on Australian alternative youth radio station Triple J and rated highly in their annual Top 100. Appearances at Big Day Out and other major festivals followed. By the time Sunrise Over Sea was released three years later, the single Zebra was getting extensive airplay on commercial radio and proved a major hit for the band.[1] In 2006, the band promoted the album extensively in the United States.

[edit] Life as a musician

Butler is outspoken with his political beliefs, often making political statements advocating peace, environmental protection, and worldwide love and respect at his performances.[2] He has supported the The Wilderness Society and the Save Ningaloo Reef campaign.[2] He was also known for a long time for his signature dreadlocks, which he cut off in 2008 : "Yes I finally cut them and it feels great! Been thinking about it for awhile and just had to do it. Although I like dreadlocks, they just weren't what I was feeling anymore and I needed a change".[3] His long pointed acrylic fingernails, which are required for the unique hybrid picking style he uses in certain songs, are another one of his trademarks.

[edit] Management activities

Butler and his manager Phil Stevens run their own record label, Jarrah Records, thus entitling him to a much bigger share of the revenues from album sales than is typically the case for artists contracted to record labels.[4] The Waifs also own part of the company, and have released recordings under the label.

[edit] The JB Seed

In 2005 John Butler and co-founder Danielle Caruana inaugurated the JB Seed grant program to support artistic expression and encourage the "social, cultural and artistic diversity in Australian society".[5]

In its first year John and Danielle invested $80,000 toward the grants project, almost all of which was given away in grants.[6] Since then they have enlisted the financial support of Paul Kelly, Correne Wilkie (Manager, The Cat Empire), Paul and Michelle Gilding (Ecoscorp), Maureen Ritchie, Missy Higgins, John Watson (Eleven Music), John Woodruff (JWM Productions), Sebastian Chase (MGM Distribution) and Philip Stevens (Jarrah Records), The Waifs and Blue King Brown[7]

The grant has grown to give over $95,000 in 2006, $110,000 in 2007 and $125,000 in 2008 to artists across categories for indigenous music, social activism through the arts and professional development within the music industry.[8]

[edit] Live

Butler playing at the Tamworth Country Music Festival

Butler's live performances are influenced by his experience as a former busker in Fremantle. His playing style incorporates Western and Eastern styles such as blues, Indian and Celtic. He also performs lengthy instrumental solo pieces including "Ocean", "Mist", "Spring" and "Under an Indian Sky".

[edit] Equipment

John is able to play harmonica, didgeridoo, drums and chooses amplified acoustic instruments such as the 12-string (although he removes the higher octave G string due to personal preferences)[9], lapsteel and banjo (in his recent productions). Butler uses mainly Maton 12 strings, and amplifies them using a Marshall Amplification JMP Super Lead Head, with a Marshall 4x12 cabinet, recognisable by the Southern Cross Flag painted on the front. He has a variety of effects including: distortion, reverb/delay and wah wah pedal effects to achieve a unique sound.[10]

[edit] BRW Rich List

John Butler has been referred to as the "Million Dollar Hippie" in and around his home town of Fremantle. In an interview with the Herald Sun Newspaper in 2008 John Butler acknowledged that he had been referred to by this nickname in various articles.[11]

The "Million Dollar Hippie" nickname stems from his status on the BRW Rich List.[12] In 2004, John Butler first made the BRW Rich List with reported earnings of 2.4 million dollars.[12] His income in that year was higher than mainstream entertainers such as Rex Hunt, Shannon Noll and Portia De Rossi.[12]

[edit] Current projects

The present rhythm section for The John Butler Trio comprises Nicky Bomba (drums) and Byron Luiters (bass). Previous members are drummer Michael Barker (2003-2009) and bass players Shannon Birchall (2002-2009), Jason McGann (1998-2002) and Gavin Shoesmith (1998-2001) Rory Quirk (2001-2002) and Andrew Fry (April 2002-November 2002).

In September 2006, John Butler Trio released a promotional studio diary of their recording progress of their latest album, Grand National, which was released in March 2007. In December 2006, the Funky Tonight EP was released, coming off an expected future album including many tracks from their live shows, such as "Daniella", "Fire In the Sky", and "Funky Tonight".

After its release on 24 March 2007, in Australia, John's Grand National album went straight to number 1 on the ARIA music album charts and the following week on 5 April 2007 John and the Trio did a free show at Melbourne entertainment hub, Federation Square. The one off show featured all the other performers who had collaborated on Grand National, including Vika and Linda Bull and Jex Saarhelart. Nicky Bomba also made a guest return for "Groovin Slowly"'.

At the 2007 ARIA Awards, he performed "Funky Tonight" in a collaboration with fellow Australian musician Keith Urban. Triple J listeners voted Grand National their favourite album for 2007.[13]

[edit] Personal life

John Butler met his wife Danielle Caruana in Broome in 1999. They have two children, a daughter named Banja, and a son named Jahli. Danielle is also an independent musician in Australia and sings back-up vocals on the band's Sunrise Over Sea album and has her own music name; "Mama Kin"

[edit] Trivia

John Butler has skateboarded throughout his life. He used it as an excuse to get away from the pressure of writing music. He often Skateboarded to the where he would busk in town.

[edit] Discography

[edit] With The John Butler Trio

See The John Butler Trio

[edit] Solo

[edit] References

  1. ^ Moran, Jonathon (17 March 2007). "Butler is off again". http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,21393600-5003421,00.html. Retrieved on 2008-02-18. 
  2. ^ a b "Busking Butler". 19 October 2004. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/10/18/1097951620986.html. Retrieved on 2008-02-18. 
  3. ^ "Butler cuts dreads". 28 February 2008. http://elevenmagazine.com.au/2008/02/28/butler-ditches-dreads/. Retrieved on 2008-10-28. 
  4. ^ Bunworth, Mick (12 July 2004). "John Butler Trio - rewriting the rule book". ABC TV. http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2004/s1152306.htm. Retrieved on 2008-01-25. 
  5. ^ Donovan, Patrick (8 January 2005). "Musician Sows Seeds for Others". The Age. http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2005/01/07/1104832304180.html. Retrieved on 2008-01-25. 
  6. ^ Strickland, Katrina (28 April 2006). "Pay Back". The Australian Financial Review. http://www.thejbseed.com/Fin%20Review.jpg. Retrieved on 2008-12-08. 
  7. ^ "JB Seed Contributors". 9 September 2008. http://www.thejbseed.com/contributors.html. Retrieved on 2008-01-25. 
  8. ^ "JB Seed Successful Applicants". 9 September 2008. http://www.thejbseed.com/success.html. Retrieved on 2008-01-25. 
  9. ^ "The John Butler Trio "Grand National" tour". The Washington Post. 18 May 2007. 
  10. ^ "John Butler's Equipment Picks". Acoustic Guitar. http://www.acguitar.com/article/156/156,6692,PLAYERSPOTLIGHT-1.asp. Retrieved on 2008-01-25. 
  11. ^ Adams, Cameron (31 January, 2008). "John Butler talks awards, album sales and the duty to share". Herald Sun. http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23137476-2902,00.html. Retrieved on 2008-02-19. 
  12. ^ a b c Te Koha, Nui (21 August, 2007). "John Butler has made it on the BRW rich list". Perth Now. http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,22282321-5014260,00.html. Retrieved on 2008-02-19. 
  13. ^ "Triple J Best Album lists". Triple J. http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/kingsmill/polls/2007/audience_albums.htm. Retrieved on 2008-02-11. 

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Butler_(musician)"
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