Artist Information
Biography
John Will Balsley grew up in a family of artist but the only musician. He became interested in playing music while attending the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. John started listening to old rock and roll from the 50s and 60s as well as classic rock. He then started listening to old folk music originally such as Woody Guthrie and blues musicians such as Charlie Patton, Blind Willie McTell and John Lee Hooker to name only a few.
Later John started listening to older Tin Pan Alley music and old jazz and discovered musicians such as Cab Calloway, Frankie Half Pint Jaxon and Tampa Red as well as more contemporary musicians such as Tom Waits and Holly Golightly. Along with the older Jazz he also started studying old Klezmer music, Russian folk tunes and other Eastern European music.
He now combines it all into what ever he feels like playing and has started enjoying some success in Chicago, Milwaukee and Madison.
John has a completed album at the moment but will be soon working on another!
Instrumentation
Guitar, Dobro, Banjo, Accordion, Harmonica, Mandolin and Porchboard Bass.
Discography
John Will Balsley (album)
Official Website
Video
Press
Setlist
WW3
Broken Wing Blues
Spider Blues
Satesboro Blues
The Ducks Yah Yah Yas
All the Way
The Rubyiat
Poisoned
Eat Away the Party
The Place
(set may vary)
