Acoustic / Folk / Experimental
Claremont, California, USA
John Williamson was a musician and editor of The Grape Vine underground Christian 'zine.
“John grew up listening to Gilbert and Sullivan because that was the LP that had a cartoon on it. His Mom, a concert pianist, filled the house with Schubert and Chopin. She taught piano lessons but was never very enthusiastic about teaching the kids, so John never learned how to play the piano.
John's father bore the distinction of being the only non-music major in the University of Alabama marching band. He played tuba and once distinguished himself on national television by marching the wrong way during the halftime show (or was the rest of the band marching the wrong way?).
Being a lifelong Episcopalian, John has been influenced by the hymns. His main regret is that he has never attended a church which sung them the way Al Green must do in Memphis.
John's first musical experience was singing with a group of children who wore green t-shirts and yellow painter pants. Hey, it was the 1970's!
In school, John took up the trumpet and played in marching band and jazz band for about ten years. He retired his trumpet after an altercation with a big mallet from a drummer he had “accidentally” mocked.
Forays into keyboard monotony and playing bass in several bands ensued. He even got cocky and purchased a fretless bass.
But when his college roommate, David Finley, decided to teach a free guitar class for his ministry credit, John was intrigued. John loved the idea of learning new chords and would reinforce or remember them by writing songs. He loved the melodic opportunities that guitar afforded. Soon he was singing his songs in local coffee houses and writing new songs everyday. That was around 1988.
Ten years later, John continues to perform and enjoys playing with different ensembles or unaccompanied. He appreciates melody and writes with poetic charm. His singing and songs have been hailed from around the globe and he is constantly touring, writing and recording. He is currently touring to support his first CD, Songs From the Crescent Vale, which features Robert Deeble and was produced by Daniel McCoy.”
| 1990 | Gunshots at 9:50 | |
| 1992 | Do I Dare to Eat a Peach? | Sonic Hope Records |
| 1993 | Canvas of Blue | Sonic Hope Records |
| 1993 | Make a Songwriter Happy | Sonic Hope Records |
| 199? | Sketches | Sonic Hope Records |
| 1997 | Purple Blanket | Liberation Music / Sonic Hope Records |
| 1999 | Songs From Crescent Vale | |
| 2000 | Salt | |
| 2004 | Maybe in a Shade You Don't Know | |
| 2006 | Portable Shrine | |
| 2013 | Nimbus | |
| 2013 | Cloverleaf | |
| 2021 | The Stones Are Singing |
1990 Independent
John R. Williamson – Vocals, instruments
This collection of songs, readings, and spoken word works was on the back of the Gunshots at 9:50 demo that Williamson traveled to California to record with Scottie Joel Cooper. This recording was probably added when Williamson made a copy of their session to send to Cooper, and he decided to add something to side B.
1992 Sonic Hope Records
John R. Williamson – Vocals, guitars, bass, drums, percussion, trumpet parts
Robert Deeble - Vocals and snare on “The Writer's Convention,” vocals and handclaps “Day Drawn Sky,” vocals on “I'm Aging Again” and “The Glimpse”
Chad Bryant Edmundson - Vocals on “Floodgate,” “Bradbury Bay,” “The Glimpse,” and “Rosehips”
David Finley - Vocals on “Floodgate” and “Patience 'til You Come”
Mandy Horak - Vocals and mandolin on “The Green Stick” and “The Glimpse;” vocals on “Accidental Underdose,” “Peor and Solveig,” “Somethingness,” “Rosehips,” “Wrinkles,” and “Where the Song Begins”
1993 Sonic Hope Records
John R. Williamson – Vocals, guitars, other instruments?
Chad Bryant Edmundson – Vocals on “Where Did the Doctor Go?”
David Finley – Vocals on “Where Did the Doctor Go?”
Eric Paulsen – Strumming and croaking on “A Humdrum Conundrum,” boost guitar on “Chess With Death”
Michael Knepher – Strumming and croaking on “A Humdrum Conundrum”
Korby Paulsen – Drums on “Temecula”
1993 Sonic Hope Records
John R. Williamson – Vocals, guitars, other instruments?
199? Sonic Hope Records
John R. Williamson – Vocals, guitars
Mike Harkins – Trombone
Korby Paulsen – Guitar
Eric Patton – Drums
Mandy Horak – Singing
1997 Liberation Music / Sonic Hope Records
John R. Williamson - Vocals, guitars
1999 Independent
2000 Independent
(…to be continued…)
Puddlegum - Kids Like Us Volume 1 (1999 Puddlegum Communications)
10) I Forgot
“One day John was listening to a story that Chad Bryant Edmundson was telling about how Chad's junior high school students were borrowing his stapler before class to tighten up their jeans so that they could meet the 'no baggy pants' dress code. It turns out that staples are what holds the world together. This is John's ode to staples. Who would know?”
John R. Williamson - Singing, parlor guitar
The Milkman - Percussion, electric guitar
Trevor King - Left-handed electric bass
Daniel McCoy - Machinery, production