Johnny Neel | |
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Background information | |
Born | June 11, 1954 |
Origin | Wilmington, Delaware, United States |
Genres | Blues, rock, jazz |
Occupation(s) | Musician, vocalist, songwriter |
Instrument(s) | Vocals, keyboards, harmonica |
Years active | 1966-present |
Labels | Breaking Records Silverwolf Records |
Website | www |
Johnny Neel (born June 11, 1954) is an American vocalist, songwriter, and musician based in Nashville, Tennessee. He is best known for his songwriting, stage, and being a member of the Allman Brothers Band and the Dickey Betts Band.
As a songwriter, in addition to the material written, or co-written for the Allman Brothers, [1] Gregg Allman, [2] and Dickey Betts, [3] Neel's songs have also been recorded by Gov’t Mule, [4] John Mayall, [5] Delbert McClinton, [6] Montgomery Gentry, [7] Keith Whitley, [8] Travis Tritt, [9] The Oak Ridge Boys, [10] Restless Heart, [11] Ann Peebles, [12] Dorothy Moore, [13] and John Schneider. [14]
As a studio musician, Neel has appeared on recordings by The Allman Brothers, [15] Gov't Mule, [16] Warren Haynes, [17] Dickey Betts, [18] Montgomery Gentry, [19] Michael McDonald, [20] Todd Snider, [21] David Allan Coe, [22] Jeff Coffin, [23] Robert Gordon, [24] Chris LeDoux, [25] Tiny Town, [26] Suzy Bogguss, [27] Joe Diffie, [28] Colin Raye, [29] and Pirates of the Mississippi. [30]
Neel was born in Wilmington, Delaware. He cut his first single, entitled "Talking About People", at the age of twelve, as Johnny Neel and The Shapes Of Soul, which was a hit on local radio in the Wilmington/Philadelphia area. As an adult, the Johnny Neel Band had a strong following up and down the east coast and released two well-received independent albums. Neel moved to Nashville in 1984. Performing with various bands in area clubs drew the attention of former Nashville resident Dickey Betts, who asked Neel to join his road band, and he soon began working on Bett's solo LP for Epic Records. That relationship led to seven cuts on the Pattern Disruptive album released in 1988, including the AOR hit, "Rock Bottom". [31]
Neel's talented keyboard and harmonica playing on the Pattern Disruptive album convinced Gregg Allman to ask Neel to tour with his road band which led to the inclusion of the cut "Island" on The Gregg Allman Band album (also released in 1988), [2] co-written with Allman, Dan Toler, and Tony Colton. In 1989 Neel was invited to join the reunited Allman Brothers Band. He immersed himself in touring, writing, and recording, which led to four cuts on the Allman's Seven Turns album (released in 1990), and the hit single "Good Clean Fun", co-written by Neel with Allman and Betts. [3] In 2002 country stars Montgomery Gentry included "Good Clean Fun" as part of their My Town album. [7]
In 1994, the studio album Johnny Neel & The Last Word was released. [32] This album included the song "Maydell", which was co-written with Warren Haynes (Allman Brothers/Gov't Mule) and has been covered by the Allman Brothers on their Hittin' The Note [33] album, and by John Mayall on his Wake Up Call [34] album. The album also included the song "Read Me My Rights" which was co-written with Delbert McClinton, and which was covered by McClinton on his Nothing Personal album, [35] by Ann Peebles on her Full Time Love, [36] by Dorothy Moore on Stay Close to Home, [37] and by Dalton Reed on Louisiana Soul Man. [38] This album featured appearances by Jack Pearson (Allman Brothers) on guitar and Delbert McClinton on harmonica.
In 1995, Neel's album Commin' Atcha... Live was released and included live versions of "Read Me My Rights" and "Maydell". The album captured a live appearance by Neel and his band The Last Word including Jack Pearson and most of the musicians on The Last Word album.
In 2000, Neel released Late Night Breakfast which was recorded at his Straight Up Sound Studio with the members of his band The Last Word, along with special guests guitarists Shane Theriot (The Neville Brothers), and Rick Vito, as well as Wayne Jackson on trumpet. Late Night Breakfast was released on Neel's Breakin' Records label. [39]
During the period of time the Late Night Breakfast recordings were made, Neel also became a member of Blue Floyd, [40] an all-star jam band performing variations on the material of Pink Floyd. In addition to Neel, the band was composed of guitarist Marc Ford, drummer Matt Abts, bassist Berry Oakley Jr. (OKB Band) and until his death, Allen Woody on second guitar. Neel and Abts then went into the Straight Up Sound Studio and recorded the X2 funk/jam duo project. X2 - Johnny Neel / Matt Abts was released in 2002.
In 2004, Neel released the album Gun Metal Blue on his Breaking Records label which was also recorded at Straight Up Sound. These sessions included guitarists Chris Anderson, George Marinelli, and Pat Bergeson, drummer Vince Santoro, and vocalists Joanna Cotten, and Neel's wife, Christine Thompson Neel.
Also in 2004, the album Johnny Neel and The Italian Experience was released on the Italian label, Artesuono. [41] This album included strings and horns as Neel moved in a jazz direction. The album included members of the Italian blues/rock/jam power trio W.I.N.D., [42] with which Neel has toured and recorded in Europe several times. [43]
In addition to Blue Floyd [44] and X2 [45] projects, Neel was a part of two other all-star collaborations. The group Deep Fried included Neel on keyboards, drummer Matt Abts, guitarist Brian Stoltz, and bassist George Porter Jr. Their album The Deep Fried Sessions - Live [46] was released in 2004. The other group, The Grease Factor released two live recordings; [47] Off the Cuff [48] in 2004, and Live From Zambifest 2004 [49] in 2005. The Grease Factor included guitarist Shane Theriot, bassist Derek Jones, drummer Jeff Sipe, and percussionist Count M'Butu.
Neel has provided vocals on five songs included on four Walt Disney Records CD releases, related to the Pixar Animation Studios movie releases, Finding Nemo , Cars , and Ratatouille . These include "Saturday Night Fish Fry" from the 2003 release Finding Nemo: Ocean Favorites, [50] "My Old Car" from the 2006 release Lightning McQueen's Fast Tracks, [51] "One Meat Ball" and "Banana Split for My Baby" from the 2007 release Ratatouille: What's Cooking?, [52] and "Hot Rodder's Lament" from the 2009 release Mater's Car Tunes. [53]
Towards the end of the new century's first decade Neel was recording and performing with his band The Criminal Element. Three albums have been released by Johnny Neel and The Criminal Element; Volume 1 (2007), Volume 2 (2008), and The CSI Chronicles (2010).
In 2010, Neel also released Harmonius, [54] a solo project featuring only his vocals and keyboards.
In 2012 Every Kinda' Blues... But What You're Used To was released. [55] A return to a more blues-based sound, the album includes Ex-Allman Brothers guitarist Jack Pearson, and ex-Little Feat vocalist Shaun Murphy. [56]
Also in 2012, in recognition of their contributions to the world of music, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to the Allman Brothers Band. [57] Neel made significant contributions to the history of the band, playing keyboards and harmonica during their 20th Anniversary Reunion tour, performing on the Seven Turns album, and co-writing four tracks on that album, including the chart topping hit Good Clean Fun.
In 2019, Neel joined Chris Anderson, formerly of the Outlaws, in a new band entitled "Rattlebone" and released a record, "World's Gone Crazy." The band debuted their music in Nashville, TN on February 9, 2019, and played the first Synchronicity Southern Rock Festival in Wimauma, FL on February 23, 2019.
In November 2023, Neel performed at 3rd & Lindsley in Nashville with Criminal Element. They were the opening set for Gary Nicholson and the Change. [58]
Recording as Johnny Neel:
The Allman Brothers Band was an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman and Gregg Allman, as well as Dickey Betts, Berry Oakley (bass), Butch Trucks (drums), and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson (drums). Subsequently, based in Macon, Georgia, they incorporated elements of blues, jazz and country music and their live shows featured jam band-style improvisation and instrumentals.
Gov't Mule is an American Southern rock jam band, formed in 1994 as a side project of the Allman Brothers Band by guitarist Warren Haynes and bassist Allen Woody. Fans often refer to Gov't Mule simply as Mule.
Life Before Insanity is the third studio album by Gov't Mule. The album was released on February 15, 2000, by Capricorn Records.
Forrest Richard Betts was an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, composer and founding member of The Allman Brothers Band.
The Essential Allman Brothers Band: The Epic Years is a greatest hits album by the Allman Brothers Band released in 2004. The album is put out by their former label, Epic Records, and is part of then-Sony BMG's The Essential series. The album has songs created by the band from their switch to Epic for their 1989 reformation until they left the label in 2003. What is now Sony Music Entertainment also owns the band's releases on Arista Records.
Warren Haynes is an American musician, singer and songwriter. He is best known for his work as longtime guitarist with the Allman Brothers Band and as founding member of the jam band Gov't Mule. Early in his career he was a guitarist for David Allan Coe and The Dickey Betts Band. Haynes also is known for his associations with the surviving members of the Grateful Dead, including touring with Phil Lesh and Friends and the Dead. In addition, Haynes founded and manages Evil Teen Records.
Charles Alfred Leavell is an American musician. A member of the Allman Brothers Band throughout their commercial zenith in the 1970s, he subsequently became a founding member of the band Sea Level. He has served as the principal touring keyboardist and musical director of the Rolling Stones since 1982. As a session musician, Leavell has performed on every Rolling Stones studio album released since 1983 with the exception of Bridges to Babylon (1997). He has also toured and recorded with Eric Clapton, George Harrison, David Gilmour, Gov't Mule and John Mayer.
Hittin' the Note is the twelfth and final studio album by the American Southern rock group the Allman Brothers Band. Released through Sanctuary Records, it is their only studio album to include both slide guitar player Derek Trucks and bass player Oteil Burbridge and marks the full-time return of guitar player Warren Haynes to the band. It was also their only studio album not to include original guitarist Dickey Betts.
Douglas Allen Woody was an American bass guitarist best known for his eight-year tenure in the Allman Brothers Band and as a co-founder of Gov't Mule.
Dreams is a compilation album by the Allman Brothers Band. Packaged as a box set of four CDs or six LPs, it was released on June 20, 1989.
Seven Turns is the ninth studio album by the Allman Brothers Band, released in 1990. Their first studio album since Brothers of the Road in 1981, it was well-received, and peaked at #53. Hit singles were "Good Clean Fun" ; "Seven Turns" (#12) and "It Ain't Over Yet" (#26).
Matt Abts is an American drummer, best known as one of the founding members of the rock band Gov't Mule.
Reach for the Sky is the seventh studio album by the rock group the Allman Brothers Band, released in 1980. It was the last album to feature drummer Jai Johanny Johanson until his return on the Seven Turns album.
Mycology: An Anthology is a compilation album by the Allman Brothers Band. It contains songs selected from the band's albums for Epic Records — Seven Turns, Shades of Two Worlds, and Where It All Begins. It was released by 550 Music on June 9, 1998.
"Soulshine" is a song written by American musician Warren Haynes and originally recorded by Larry McCray on his 1993 album, Delta Hurricane. It is best known as a recording that The Allman Brothers Band released on their 1994 album, Where It All Begins, featuring Gregg Allman on vocals. The song's title originates from Haynes's nickname, given by his father.
Stand Back: The Anthology is a compilation album by the Allman Brothers Band, released in 2004. It is the only retrospective which is cross-licensed among the different record labels for all of the band's studio recordings from its debut in 1969 through 2003.
Play All Night: Live at the Beacon Theatre 1992 is a two-CD live album by the Allman Brothers Band. It was recorded at the Beacon Theatre in New York City on March 10 and 11, 1992. It was released on the Epic/Legacy label on February 18, 2014.
Duane Betts is an American guitarist and singer-songwriter. He leads Duane Betts & Palmetto Motel, and is a co-founding member of The Allman Betts Band. He was also a guitarist and singer for Dickey Betts & Great Southern, led by his father, Dickey Betts. He was previously a member of several other groups, including Backbone69, Whitestarr, Brethren of the Coast, Dawes, Jamtown, and Duane Betts & the Pistoleers.
Pattern Disruptive is an album by the Dickey Betts Band, a rock group led by Dickey Betts. A guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Betts is best known as a long-time member of the Allman Brothers Band. Pattern Disruptive was his fourth album as a solo artist. It was released by Epic Records on LP and CD on October 18, 1988.