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Below is a timeline of some of the things that have been part of my musical life.
Besides noting here that I have had a nearly 35 year career in the electrical manufacturing industry as a product engineer, now with Eaton Electrical in St. Louis, an almost 25 year side-line career as a free lance writer for various newspapers, (like the Belleville News Democrat, the Centralia Sentinel and the St. Louis Business Journal), along with writing a few nationally published magazine articles, and also writing and publishing my first novella "Damage From A Recent Storm", along with a few other unpublished novels, my music and my children have been the thing that has been my true passion and a driving creative outlet for most of my life.
(JEH with daughter's Megan & Alison) (JEH with son, JEH Jr.)
(Ali, Meg, JEH, Sr. & JEH Jr)
Here is a some other basic JEH info:
Name: John E. Harper, Sr.
Born: East St. Louis, Illinois 4/14/56
Attended St. Cyril Catholic School in East St. Louis, IL; St. Andrews Catholic School in Murphysboro IL, Murhphysboro Township High,
Played Baseball, guitar, cello.
An alterboy & Eagle Scout.
Graduated from: Fox High Arnold, MO 1974
Attended Southwestern Illinois College, and University of
Phoenix.
Moved to Valmeyer, IL 5/2000.
Moved to Columbia, IL 9/2004.
Moved to
Waterloo, IL 9/22/05
Children: Alison Pelaggi of Phoenix, AZ, 32; John Harper Jr. of
Lincolnton, GA.; 29; and Megan Harper, of Salem, IL.: , 28;
I have 7 grandchildren and 3 step grandchildren.
Below is a basic music time line of my musical experiences to date:
| • | I Heard the BEATLES on Ed Sullivan on a Sunday night
in 1964 and my life changed forever. |
| • | First
guitar and amplifier, 1967, bought for me by my parents with their
tax return on my 11th birthday. Performed for friends and family,
wherever we could, with friend; Louis Schuster, and my older brother;
Bill Harper on vocals. My mother, Jeanette, brought every style
of music into our home. We loved listening to all of her records.
I was like a sponge, taking it all in. |
| • | The JBT’s were formed. – It was my first and only band. Joined by school mates, drummer, Bill Quigley and guitarist, Tim Williams, in Murphysboro, Illinois, we performed at a talent show, Teen Town, Elks Club, The Old Rome & a few private parties 1969. |
| • | St.
Andrews Catholic Church – Played guitar masses throughout Southern
Illinois with my older brother, musician, Bill Harper, 1967 thru 1972.
Bill and I also performed together whenever & wherever we could
throughout those early years growing up. Bill is a great singer
and fine musician. |
| • | SIU
Carbondale Recording Studio / Communications Department– Recorded
first music demos 1973, while acting in a short film for the University
for Film School with producer/director, Loren Cocking.. |
| • | Senior
year in high school 1974 Fox High – Played Violin and took string
orchestra class. |
| • | Recorded
10-song demo in 1975 at Sugar Creek Studio in Fenton, MO. that led
to release of my first 45 single; Words to Rhyme/Farm Boy.
|
| • | Garned
some radio play of Words to Rhyme on WCIL FM in Carbondale
1979 a few times. |
| • | Began performing at St. Louis nightclubs – Opened two shows for the late Rick Nelson at Mississippi nights, 1980. Performed regularly at other clubs: The Bernard Pub; the Mid Stream Lounge, and Fourth and Pine. |
| • | Invited
to the Osmond Studios in Orem, Utah to meet music, TV and movie producer,
Nick Gasdik 1981. That meeting with Nick set me on a course
that changed my attitudes and direction about me musical dreams and
aspirations, about how I would approach this business of music. |
| • | Belleville
Area College – Music Theory 1984 classes. |
| • | Began
cello lessons 1984 with cellist, Eileen Freidel. |
| • | Moved
to Southern California and recorded in various Los Angeles studios
(Dragonville Studio, Sound City Studio), making demos and pursuing
a recording contract all thru 1986 to 1989. |
| • | Cello
lessons with cellist, Rick Moody of LA Philharmonic. |
| • | Started
Cinder Sound Productions, a small company to sell my John E. Harper
Song of Month Cassettes 1989. |
| • |
Returned to St. Louis and recorded with two of my idols, former Pavlov’s
Dog members, David Surkamp and Doug Rayburn in St. Louis. 1993 to
present. David and Doug's music made a huge impact on me, and
does to this day. |
• |
Recorded
and Filmed first video, “I Still Love You (Can’t You Tell)”
for Mid Coast Mania late night music video TV show in St. Louis KMOV
Channel 4. 1997. Broadcast a half dozen different times. |
| * | Met guitarist Jeb Sloan and formed performing duo Harper/Sloan |
| • | Created
first incarnation of my web
site, 1998. |
| • | Recorded
and filmed second video for Mid Coast Mania TV show at Pop’s
in Sauget Illinois nightclub, opening a show taped with David Surkamp
1999. Broadcast once. |
| • | Began
performing at various coffeehouses and café’s, 1999.
A favorite was playing various Borders Books and Music cafe's. |
| • | Released six song EP/CD “Songs From The Second Son of an East St. Louis First Baseman.” Winter of 2001. |
| • | Began
building my 16-track digital recording studio in basement. 2002. |
| • | Established
JEH Productions December 2002. |
| • | Completed
JEH Studio in the Spring of 2003. |
| • | First
song written and recorded in JEH studio: “Damage From A Recent
Storm,” in summer of 2003. |
| • | Redesign
of website July 2003 by DM Designs, in Aurora Illinois. |
| • | Began
work on first JEH Production CD project for the Valmeyer Community
Heritage Society, August 2003. |
Influences
My
major musical influences are:
The Beatles; Elvis; & Bob Dylan. (They are the reasons I
play music. Their music has affected me personally and musically over
my life and continue to).
Examples of some other musical influences:
The Folk movement of the early sixties (Kingston Trio & Peter, Paul
& Mary); many of the country acts of the sixties (Ray Price &
Glen Campbell); most of the sixties rock acts I grew up (Johnny Rivers
& Bee Gees); the solo artists of the seventies (James Taylor &
Neil Young); the rock bands of the seventies (Creedence & Jethro
Tull); music of the eighties (The Cure & The Smiths); country acts
of the nineties (Tracy Lawrence & Dixie Chicks); rock of the nineties
(Counting Crows & Natalie Merchant); recent country acts (Kenny
Chesney & Alison Krauss & Union Station); recent rock acts (Wilco
& Aimee Mann).
Favorite Albums
| Live at the Hungry I | The Kingston Trio |
| Long Black Limosine | Glen Campbell |
| Live at the Whisky A Go Go | Johnny Rivers |
| Sargeant Pepper | The Beatles |
| The Best of | The Bee Gees |
| Highway 61 Revisited | Bob Dylan |
| Cosmos Factory | Creedence Clearwater |
| Abbey Road | The Beatles |
| Live at San Quentin | Johnny Cash |
| The Band | The Band |
| Live at Carnegie Hall | Chicago |
| Sweet Baby James | James Taylor |
| Baby I’m A Want You | Bread |
| Let It Be | Beatles |
| Pendulum | Creedence Clearwater |
| Ram | Paul McCartney |
| Aqualung | Jethro Tull |
| Harvest | Neil Young |
| Tea For the Tillerman | Cat Stevens |
| A Song For You | Carpenters |
| Empty Rooms | John Mayall |
| Pampered Menial | Pavlov’s Dog |
| Greatest Hits | Bob Dylan |
| Four Way Street | Crosby, Stills Nash & Young |
| Phoenix | Grand Funk |
| Candyo | The Cars |
| Goodbye Yellow Brick Road | Elton John |
| The Best of Goodbye | Jane Oliver |
| Aja | Steely Dan |
| Fascination Street | The Cure |
| August and Everything After | Counting Crows |
| Robbie Robertson | Robbie Robertson |
| Fear | Toad the West Sprocket |
| Jon Secada | Jon Secada |
| Infinity | Journey |
| Relish | Joan Osborn |
| Blind | Sundays |
| The Queen is Dead | The Smiths |
| The Joshua Tree | U2 |
| March | Michael Penn |
| The Best of Sade | Sade |
| Ophelia | Natalie Merchant |
| Car Wheels On A Gravel Road | Lucinda Williams |
| Static & Silence | The Sundays |
| Greatest Hits | Kenny Chesney |
| A Few Small Repairs | Shawn Colvin |
| Greatest Hits | Joe Jackson |
| Start the Car | Jude Cole |
| 1 | The Beatles |
| Definitely Maybe | Oasis |
| Greatest Hits | Elvis |
| New Favorite | Alison Krauss |
| Distorted Lullabies | Ours |
| Time Out of Mind | Bob Dylan |
| Born To Fly | Sara Evans |
| To Whom It May Concern | Lisa Marie Presley |
| The Essential Masters | Laura Nyro |
| Lost In Space | Aimee Mann |
| The Thorns | The Thorns |
| Scarlet’s Walk | Tori Amos |
| Essential Simon & Garfunkel | Simon & Garfunkel |
| Back To Me | Kathleen Edwards |
|
Revised 9/1/07 |
