John Beland

From John:

A lot of friends, and fans, have written to me, asking why I am no longer on Facebook. First of all, to those who are concerned, let me assure you that all is fine, and things couldn’t be better.

 It was my decision to pull the plug on Facebook after having privacy concerns and possible issues. Furthermore, it became much too time consuming, and was taking me away from directing 100 % of my attention to this web site.

I enjoyed my time on  Facebook, and may return with an artist page in the future. But for now, I want to devote my full attention to my official web site, right here at www.johnbeland.com

I was recently asked to contribute some stories for the upcoming autobiography of Australian rock legend, Brian Cadd. The book is due out this year. Brian and I have been best friends and musical mates for nearly four decades, recording & touring together in Melbourne, Brisbane, Hollywood, Nashville and China. I’m thrilled to have been asked to contribute to his autobiography, and consider our friendship one of the highlights of my forty plus year career in this business. Please visit Brian’s web site at www.briancadd.com

Now that the Buck Johnson CD project is finished, I’m back at work on my next solo CD of Irish influenced songs, both contemporary as well as traditional. One of the tracks already completed was written by the great Irish contemporary folk writer, Thom Moore. Thom was the founding member of the legendary band, Midnight Well. I hope to have this project ready in time for St. Patrick’s Day 2011.

Staying very busy here at home, performing around the Brazos Valley, playing classical guitar at wineries, bistros, private and public events. It’s a lot of fun, and a challenge, to play standards from the 1940’s to date. Each old song is a time capsule and the audience is usually very appreciative of hearing these standards, all performed in a Chet Atkins style of playing. Needless to say, my ol Fender Classical guitar is getting a workout this summer.

That’s it from here. Hope you’ll continue to stop by and say “hey.” More music to come and we’ll certainly keep you up to date as it all happens.

Cheers to All

John B

From John: 

 A big “hello” to everyone. Summer is finally here, and not a moment too soon! A lot has been happening since my last Christmas blog.

 For the most part, I have been home in Brenham, Texas, locked away in the recording studio working on various projects, as well as performing classic guitar at wineries and bistro’s in and around Washington County. It’s great to be home and not having to rush through airports and travel all over holy hell, as in past years. I do have plans to travel this year, but not as grinding as in past trips.

I finally finished my BIG GUITARS - VOLUME TWO CD and it’s now available through this web site. I love doing the BIG GUITAR projects and revisiting some of the old songs that influenced me so much as an up and coming guitar player. I hope you’ll pick up volumes one and two, as they make a great addition to any party or gathering you might be having this summer.

Texas singer / songwriter Buck Johnson’s CD project is finished and ready to hit the streets this month. We spent a long time on this one, but the results make the time and effort well worth it. If you like traditional Texas country honky tonk music, I suggest you pick up a copy of Buck’s CD, called THE TALL DARK STRANGER. The CD also features some great players, including former Linda Ronstadt band alumni, the legendary steel guitar ace, Herb Steiner as well as steel guitar champ, Bill Terry. More info on where you can get Buck’s CD coming soon to my web site.

I’m also working on a couple unique projects. The first is a new radio program to be called RADIO RANCH. Radio veteran, Ken Murray, and I are mapping it out now. The show will feature songs and stories built around my writing, playing and recording career in country music. We’ll feature interviews with top acts and play rare  songs by classic country legends, and give you an insight into the making of their records. Many fans never hear the “other” material of their favorite artists, only their hits. We plan to feature their other great songs, the one’s that never made it to radio.

The show will air on Saturday nights. we are presently in talks now.

The other project I’m working on is the completion of my book, YOUNGER THAN YESTERDAY - A LIFE IN COUNTRY ROCK. I’ve been working on this book for years and now  finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The book will feature appearances by many of the people I have worked with over the years, as well as some vintage, previously unseen photos from my private collection. As a bonus, each book with come with a four song CD featuring new songs by myself, specifically written for the book. I hope to finish by Christmas.

I was recently interviewed for a new book on the life of Ricky Nelson, to be published in early 2011. I was also interviewed for a new film coming out about the famous LA club, the Troubadour.

Ms P and I are taking advantage of my time home, catching up on movies and events and enjoying the time together. It’s great to be home, seeing friends, neighbors and loved ones.. and not burning up time looking out the window of an airplane. although I do confess to missing many of my friends and fans abroad. I hope to make it back to Europe soon. there is still plenty of rockin left to do!!

Oh yes, and there’s O’Malley, my big black cat who hails from the planet Krypto. He and I share this neat little ol Texas house just off the town square here in Brenham. He tends to make noise while I’m in the studio, so he’s been ejected from many a session. But he’s a cool companion, when he’s quiet!

So all is great. Summer is here, and the historical Brazos Valley is in full bloom. Music and history is everywhere, and it’s the perfect time to be in Texas. If you are a fan of the old west, Brenham is a great place to be. Just down the street from me, the famed outlaw John Wesley Hardin used to roam the area, using Brenham as one of his stomping grounds. Just across the road from Ms P, in Chappell Hill, the Crockett family are buried, all descendants of the famed folk hero, DAVY CROCKETT. Also buried in the same little cemetery is the only son of Alamo hero, William B Travis.

Our area was also a stop over for Indian fighter General George Armstrong Custer’s troops, heading back east. But most importantly, this is the birthplace of Texas, where the constitution was drafted and signed, giving Texas it’s independence from Mexico. Lot’s of history, that’s for sure.

So have yourselves a great summer. Be safe and have fun. Much more music to come and many great adventures ahead. My heartfelt thanks to the wonderful Ms Lotta Asp, for all her continuing hard work on my behalf, maintaining this web site. Love ya, Lotta P.

Finally, our thoughts and prayers are with the many friends and loved one’s struggling in the Gulf over this damned BP mess. Like always, we’ll get through it. But for now, they are facing desperate times ahead. Let’s hope it can all be cleaned up, and those effected get compensated from BP. without any red tape or delays.

That’s it for now. happy summer everyone!

Cheers from here

God Bless

John Beland

June 2010

 Christmas is upon us, much to my delight. It’s always my favorite time of the year. As of this writing, snow is actually falling here in Brenham, Texas, a very rare thing, but absolutely lovely to see!

Hello everyone, and thanks for stopping by www.johnbeland.com. Many changes ( all for the better ) have happened since I last wrote, so let’s get up to date.

First of all we have changed management. I want to thank Berit Govertsen for the work she has done over the past few years, but it’s now time to move on, and we all wish her well. All management decisions will now go directly through here until further notice.

This September I will be performing at the  annual PROTEST FESTIVAL, in Kristiansand Norway. Also, I will contribute a new track to the Protest Festival CD, my version of the Woody Guthrie classic ” THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND.” I’ve actually recorded this song quite a few times over the years, playing on it behind Ritchie Havens, Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie, Pete Seeger and many other folk greats. My latest version is a bit more rockin, so I hope Mr. Guthrie Sr will be proud.

It’ll be great to return to Kristiansand and see all of my old friends again. I must confess to missing everyone and look forward to catching up with things.

I am presently wrapping up production on my latest instrumental CD JOHN BELAND’S BIG GUITARS - VOLUME 2 CD. This is the follow up to VOLUME ONE, and it features such guitar instrumental classics as REBEL ROUSER, THEME FROM THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, WHAM, MEMPHIS, SECRET AGENT MAN, MISERLOU, WALK DON’T RUN, LOVE IS STRANGE, SWEET DREAMS and a few more, including three BONUS tracks of my singing a few of my favorite old rock and roll songs, Bobby Fuller’s LET HER DANCE, Eddie Cochran’s C’MON EVERYBODY, and Del Shannon’s HATS OFF TO LARRY.

The CD will be available right here on my web site, as well as at www.itunes.com and www.cdbaby.com.

This was a fun album to do and it’ll take you back to the golden age of rock and roll when instrumental groups like THE VENTURES, THE SHADOWS and DICK DALE rode the airwaves with there rocking twanging guitar records. Pick up both volumes. they both rock!!!

I’m now playing classic guitar on a steady weekly basis at STONE CELLAR in ROUND TOP TEXAS. It’s a great gig and allows me the opportunity to play the kind of guitar I really enjoy, but rarely have a chance to perform. Round Top is a great little village just between Bastrop and Brenham Texas. There are great antique shops and of course, Stone Cellar, which carries every great wine imaginable combined with a beautiful setting inside and outside. It’s the perfect place to spend an afternoon. thanks to Terri and Justin & the gang for making it such a warm place to play at.

August 15th I will be appearing at Bugle Boy, in LaGrange, Texas for a singer / songwriter’s concert. It will be a very special night where I will play songs I have written for many artists over the years, as well as share stories of my adventures touring and recording with the many acts I’ve been fortunate enough to have worked with. I’m really looking forward to this!

Also in August, I will be re-uniting with my old Linda Ronstadt band mate, THAD MAXWELL in Rochester, New York in for what we call “THE ELDERLY BROTHERS CONCERT”. Thad, who is now a teacher, organizes a yearly event where we play songs from our favorite artists along with some of the locals. This year’s theme is JOHNNY CASH. So it will be a terrific time. Mostly, it’s a chance for us to catch up on life and share stories and music with friends and family. Thad and I go way back to the golden years in Hollywood, where we ran with the Eagles, Ronstadt and hung out nightly at the famous Troubadour club. Lot’s of history and friendship there.

We were all shocked and saddened hearing the news of Michael Jackson’s death. I had the honor to have met him backstage at the MGM Grand Hotel, while working with Mac Davis in 1977. The Jackson 5 were closing a week’s run and we were opening up the next night. I happened to be putting cloths in my dressing room, when I spotted Michael in the hallway backstage. We chatted for a few minutes and I followed him downstairs to the stage area, where I watched the Jackson 5 perform from the wings.

Michael was a sweet, kind kid back then. He was so gracious and we talked about Chicago, where I grew up, and our mutual love for James Brown. But what was more astounding was Michael’s performance. To this day I have never seen a performer so incredible as that kid, back in 1977. This was a few years before the world would call him “THE KING OF POP.” He was amazing onstage and i knew he was headed for much bigger things than the half filled MGM Grand main room that evening.

It’s a great memory. Say what you will about his lifestyle, there will never be denying his exceptional talent. I witnessed it first hand. Rest in peace Michael , and thanks for the music.

Finally, on a lighter note,  I’m waiting on news whether or not I will get a new Springer Spaniel dog named MAX, from Springer Rescue in Austin Texas. Max is 5 years old and a real beauty. For 18 years I owned a Springer named Arthur, who was the greatest dog ever. I’ve missed having one since his death, so I applied to adopt Max. We shall see…It will be great having a new house guest!

I want to personally thank my web master Lotta Asp for working so hard in updating and re-designing the web site during the management transition. Thanks so much, Lotta. You are always there through thick and thin. I can always count on you.

A huge hug to you, kiddo!!

Much more stuff in the works and I will fill you all in as they develop. Lot’s of exciting news to come. In the meantime, have a safe and fun summer. Hope to see you all along the road….

Cheers from Brenham, Texas

John Beland

As of this writing I am wrapping up another month of make great music here in Norway. Speaking of ‘great”, it’s really great to know that PG & Frank are being now played throughout Norway, and even more exciting to know is that they are holding the number one position for the fourth week in a row on NRK radio with ” I KNOW EVERYTHING.” Way to go guys!!!!!!

The boys and I worked very hard on their new CD, CHASING THE WIND, and it’s so cool to know that radio has jumped on it all throughout Europe, from Norway to Italy, Germany, Belgium, Holland….it’s fantastic. Please visit the guys website at www.pgfrank.com and pick up a copy of CHASING THE WIND today. These guys are soooooooo good!!!!
You know, even after 40 (plus) years of making hits, I still get excited when radio plays something I worked on. You never get tired of making it to the radio.

I’m headed back home to Texas tomorrow, but will be back in Norway sometime in June for much more music and recording. (if not earlier) By the way, if you’re interested in booking live performance, speaking engagements, session work or production projects, please contact Berit Govertsen at the following email address; berit@johnbeland.com (ph) +47 48997470, or here on her Facebook.

Summer is here and good riddens winter!!!! Let’s all have a great and safe summer filled with fun, sunshine, music and peace. Hope to see you somewhere along the road.
Peace
John Beland

John Beland wants to thank everyone on this last month’s tour in Norway for such a great reception at all the gigs, and helping to make these past 4 weeks so special. Hope to be back real soon. Till then, thank’s to all for making this another great Norway run. Looking forward to many more. A very special thanks to the AMAZING Berit Govertsen for making everything happen for me in Norway. Nobody works harder. Thanks “B”..HUGS!

 ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL NORWAY RUN !!!!
 
Hi All!! Just an update on things.
 
 My February tour in Norway was a great success. We traveled a lot of miles, thru major snow storms and freezing temperatures to reach each and every gig, but it was well worth it. At every stop along the way, fans showed up and gave us such a warm reception. It was fantastic.
 
At Telfords, in Kristiansand, we rocked the night away to a packed house. My band, Bruce and Vallen, were in true form as we rocked out a few sets of Burritos oldies, rock & roll classics and blues to a full house of fans. It was a blast!!!!
 
I also did a TV appearance with PG & Frank, performing two songs on the top news show in Kristiansand. While here, I also did a one hour radio special, profiling my career as well as playing many of my past recordings.
 
The weather was unreal. I haven’t seen this much snow in years!!!!! Thanks to my dear and devoted manager Berit, we managed to drive thru the winter weather and arrive at all the gigs in one piece!
 
I also did some recording in Kristiansand for my latest production project, Arny Egeland. This gal is going to be all over Norway radio….just wait!!!!
 
Well, I’m due back in Texas on Wed, but I’ll return in 4 weeks to play at the grand CD launch for PG & Frank’s “Chasing The Wind.” Should be a real rocking night!!!
Again..thanks to my faithful manager Berit for all the hard work she does for me. She is the best!!! And to Lotta, for maintaining this great website. Lotta, you are a sweetheart!!!!!!
 
Please check out our Facebook site, and don’t forget that you can download all of my music at www.CDBABY.com
Cheers to all of you…Many thanks for all your kind emails and support. You guys rock!!!!

JB
Kristiansand, Norway