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Johnny Wheels with spec. guest The Countrypolitans 5/12/2023 TICKETS AVAILABLE AT DOOR $20
May 12 @ 7:30 pm - 11:30 pm
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT DOOR $20
Johnny Wheels is a singer / songwriter / harmonica player inspired by the soul of the Pacific Northwest. The “Swamp Donkeys” are Johnny’s band-mates who are inspired by Johnny to “live a song” on the edge.
Johnny:
“Nope! You won’t hear a song exactly the same way twice – that’s what CD’s are for. We like to add some spice of musical exploration”
The son of a traveling bass player and singer, Johnny “Wheels” Kennicott had music in his blood since birth, but expressing himself musically took on new importance when Johnny broke his neck in a childhood accident, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down.
“The days of football practice after school were definitely over”, Johnny says, but music still provided an outlet for his infectious energy and his creative potential.
Though his father’s instrument of choice and his early passion of playing drums were now out due to limited function, Johnny found, through determined trial and error, he could manipulate his paralyzed diaphragm to not only sing, but also blow the harmonica. Since that time, Johnny has been traveling the Pacific Northwest music scene, spreading the gospel of the blues.
Collectively, the band hails from Oregon, Texas and California and is typically tagged as a Blues band; Although, the diversity of the members’ musical backgrounds becomes evident as the worlds of R&B, Soul, Jazz, Funk and Rock are blended under a Blues umbrella.
THE COUNTRYPOLITANS
“THEY’VE GOT THAT RARE COMBINATION OF STYLE, SUBSTANCE AND, DARE I SAY IT, EMOTIONAL APPEAL. I COULD LISTEN TO THEIR LEAD SINGER ALL DAY. ” – JON ANDERSON, CHICAGO TRIBUNe
Elisabeth Ames & the Countrypolitans, an internationally recognized honky tonk Americana band that has toured extensively in the U.S. and Europe in support of three albums whose singles topped the Americana charts. They have opened for Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson and many other national acts and have performed at private events for Johnny Cash and other luminaries. Their song “LA Turnaround” reached No. 9 on the European Americana charts. They have recorded with Dale Watson, Rosie Flores and their last album was produced by Lloyd Maines of Dixie Chicks fame at Mad Dog studios in Burbank, Calif.
The band has recorded three albums of songs written mostly by lead singer and rhythm guitarist Elisabeth Ames and performs covers by Merle Haggard, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash and other classic country greats. They are the perfect dance band for private parties, weddings, hoe downs and rodeos – any place where audiences love to move to classic country mixed with timeless originals.
