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THE FACTS: More than 40 years experience playing and performing music. Plays piano, keyboard, guitar, drums, clarinet and harmonica. Specializes in playing music from the 1960s, but can play from a variety of periods. DJ in local DC nightclub with more than 20,000 songs in collection. Formal and dignified wedding announcer who provides a guest microphone. Publisher of original songs and film soundtracks. Studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Art. Played in numerous rock bands. Composes and records a variety of original tunes. Performed in musical theater. Provides lighting and special effects. Customizes performances to suit the requirements of the event and venue. Believes "people" come first -- not the music. Allows guests of the event to participate in making music by providing musical instruments and encouraging singing at the guest microphone. More interested in making music than money.
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 WHO IS THIS GUY?
I'm John and I first played musical notes on my Grandmother’s grand piano. As a young boy, I would sit at the keyboard with my “sister” – a chimpanzee named Margaret (see Photo Gallery) – and together we would strike the keys indiscriminately. The rest is history. Today, Margaret is an accomplished pianist – NO, wait! That’s not how it went, but that’s how it started. Later in life, I actually took a few lessons but could never pay attention to the notes on the sheet of music. Instead, I simply ran my fingers across the keyboard without fully understanding what I was doing. My improvisations on the piano were interesting, but only to me. Eventually, I became bored with the same so-called melodies and took a few more lessons. This time, the piano lessons lasted for more than six months until I finally lost interest and purchased a book on piano chords. For most of my life, I've played in rock bands either as the lead singer, drummer, guitar player or keyboardist. I've been lucky to work with some very successful and gifted recording artists -- many of whom are fairly renowned. Today, while I'm still playing in a rock band, I'm no longer playing for thousands of people. Instead, I'm playing for a few hundred people at the most and I enjoy doing it and not for the money. Originally, from Florida, I now live in Virginia with my cat, Skittles. I work at a normal job during the day, and then quickly cook some frozen food in the evening before sitting down at the computer and the piano to work on new compositions. Once I have an idea for a song, I can usually write and record it within a few hours. Lately, I've been back in a recording studio working once again on some of my original tunes. At the end of the day, however, I like nothing more than to listen and play some of the great songs created during the Sixties. |
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LOOK AT THIS...  Click above to hear
an interview of John Schneider on "Listen Closely" hosted by Gary Deverman. |
