Johnny and The MoTones

Highway 51 starts in Hurley, Wisconsin and ends in New Orleans, Louisiana…like the MoTones sound!” This quote describes Mitch Viegut (guitars, lead vocals) and Johnny Altenbrugh (piano, lead vocals) 5th album aptly. Their newest effort to get to here from there shows just how far they’ve come. This two-headed blues monster album is partly recorded in Nashville at Warner Brothers Recording Studios. This Nashville connection shows their desire to hit the road and explore what’s out there beyond their home turf. They also recorded at a couple of studios in their home state as well. As of April they hit #7 on the RMR (Roots Music Report). The results are in and they are getting some buzz.
The core group is tight featuring: Bruce Lammers on bass; Ryan Korb on drums; John Greiner on Tenor Sax and Pat Phalen on trumpet. “Also appearing…” seems to be the listing of another full outfit of Nashville players. That crew consists of Travis King on drums; Thomas Banks on bass; Paula Hall on backing vocals; Tom Washatka on tenor sax; and Ben Peterson on trumpet. Both sides of the coin match well.
The two lead vocalists couldn’t be more different. Mitch has the classic rocking blues scream that is sweet, smooth and pairs well with his swinging slide guitar parts and classic crunchy rock sound. John is the softer side. He has the snarky barroom singer/ songwriter style of a David Bromberg. He pleasantly reflects on what could have been and what’s not going to be but that it will all turn out OK in the end. Mitch sings about girls gone bad and other hard luck stories soaked in road weary grit. He’s game for the next day wherever that may be. John’s more of the stay at home guy trying to sneak out for the evening and Mitch is trying to find his home on the road after many late nights.
The best example of John’s storytelling is “Make It”. Which is a hit in the sense that a band that is clearly not going to make it still believing they’re “…gonna make it now”. This is so self-deluding that it’s funny. It’s also sweet and charming enough for everyone to relate to, not just musicians listening to their latest studio recording and proclaiming a fact before it happens, then having to take a job at the local whatever. His piano playing rollicks along keeping the flames of hope alive. Mitch has his charms too albeit darker and drunker in nature. “Tell Me Something” is a tale of his gal that he just knows there is something rotten about her past or her family, and he’s begging anyone with information to let him in on it so at least he’s forewarned about the storm-a-coming.
The best tune is the instrumental “Long Live The Pack” a “Peter Gunn Theme” styled affair with many classic big blues band twists and turns. This seems to be their sweet spot where their playing together meshes so well that it’s just one band doing their thing and making the crowd go wild in the process. Throughout the album they take turns lead singing. It’s a one for me, one for you situation. Each song is distinctly different in style and mood which is nice for variety. The only missed opportunity is not doing a song together vocally either trading verses and meeting on the chorus or working up a clever harmony here and there.
The take away is that this album is all originals without being derivative sounding. It contains some of the best composed of today’s music. They are seasoned pros with serious chops that do not go to waste. Are they gonna “Make It”? Well that all depends on what’s making it in today’s fractured America. They get to do what they love and get to live to play another day. Maybe that is what it’s all about after all - ISRA Box (Reposted from Blues Blast Magazine(

MOSINEE — A group of local musicians is celebrating this week after their latest album landed at number seven on the Roots Music Report World Blues-Rock chart.

Johnny and The MoTones, led by John Altenburgh, released their fifth album in early April. One week later, Highway 51 debuted on the chart at number 20, climbing to its current position in just two weeks. The title track to the album, Highway 51, sits at the number six spot on the Blues/Rock singles chart.

This achievement marks the first top ten album for The MoTones, and the third time the group has recorded at an historic recording studio. A portion of the album was recorded at Warner Brothers Recording Studio in Nashville, while earlier albums were recorded at Sun Studios in Memphis, Tenn., and Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, Ala.
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Still, the group is no stranger to success. Altenburgh has himself been charting jazz albums since the early 1990s. His recording partner on the project, Mitch Viegut, gained fame in the early 1980s as part of the rock band AirKraft.

Altenburgh and Viegut each wrote five tracks and co-produced the album, which has been aired on world syndicated shows including Blues Deluxe, At the Crossroad, Confessing the Blues and many more.

For Altenburgh, this is the 20th album of his long career which dates back to the late 1980.

Other musicians appearing on Highway 51 include Bruce Lammers on bass, Ryan Korb on drums, John Greiner on tenor sax, Pat Phalen on trumpet, Ben Peterson on trumpet, Paula Hall on backup vocals and Tom Washatka on tenor sax.

Nashville sessions included Thomas Banks on bass and Travis King on drums.

Highway 51 is available on all downloadable sites and locally at Inner Sleeve Records, Wausau. - Wausau Pilot & Review

May/June 2006 (p.85) -

"As might be gleaned from the subtitle "The Sun Studio Sessions," a musical pilgrimage took pianist Johnny Altenburgh and his Mo-Tones to Memphis to record this set at the legendary Sun Studios, and from the sound of it, they had a rockin' good time at the musical mecca.
Like many other current combos,the group refuses to be pigeonholed, moving easily from jump blues to piano boogie to C&W, contemporary blues, cabaret jazz and,...rock 'n' roll..."
JDK Living Blues Magazine - Living Blues Magazine Issue 184 Vol. 7 #3

"Get Gone!" is an enjoyable Jazz/R & B set of originals composed by the 9-piece (!) band. The roadhouse groover "Get Up, Get Out, Get Gone" and Staxy "Time's Tuff" deliver a strong one-two punch to open the set. Pianist John Altenburgh, chord cutter Mitch Viegut and singer Otis McLennon steal the show on these cuts. This is truly a musician's album as the record does have the feel of talented musicians pooling their resources, booking studio time and taking turns in the spotlight. Jazz veteran Altenburgh gets loose on the Texas piano boogie "Cuda" and delivers a charming if unremarkable vocal turn on "Soul's On Fire". "Use The Steps" is saxman John Greiner's time to shine (and he does). "Who's Got A Sock?" is the rhythm section's moment, with bassist David Hood, drummer Mike Dillon Curington bringing it to a boil followed by solos by guitarist Chris O'Keefe, pianist Altenburgh and Blues harp by McLennon. It's ace playing throughout....... - Blues Critic

From the first drumbeat to the last strum of a guitar string, this album rocks. It was recorded at the original Sun Studios, in the same room that once held stars such as Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Howlin’ Wolf, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Ringo Starr, Little Minton and countless others. Some of the vintage instruments were used in the session as well: the Ludwig drum set that Ringo had played, Jerry Lee Lewis’s piano and 1933 Selmer tenor sax, vintage Fender amps. The room had the same tiles, walls, flooring and acoustics as it did when the million-dollar quartet of Elvis, Jerry Lee, Johnny and Carl played there. This one of a kind offer to play like the idols of the past came to bandleader John Altenburgh when he donated an archaic recording device called a “lathe recorder” to the museum portion of the Studios. He then banded together some of the best players in the Midwest to record this authentic and very grooving album.

The album was recorded in a single, 40-minute session, where the group called whatever tunes came to mind. The tracks are almost all original tunes, all done in a bluesy, Motown style. Every tune rocks with solid drum lines, boogie woogie piano beats, hot guitar licks and a brassy saxophone sound. The saxophone is used in a fashion very similar to Lewis’ recordings, providing backup voicings for the vocalist and creating sizzling solos when alone. The guitar sound is dirty and gutsy, probably due to the vintage tube amplifiers that were being used, and it suits the group perfectly. For a look at the studio itself, check out the bonus video feature of the band recording their song “Terminal Blues.” Also check out Altenburgh's website for a radio interview and biographies of the other musicians in the group.

Any blues, roots, and early rock fan will love this retro album. It’s extremely easy listening, very danceable and has all the energy you’d expect from a group playing in the hall of kings.
- Jazz Review

Posted March 29, 2007

“Get Gone!,” the newest album of north central Wisconsin blues band Johnny & The Mo-Tones, is enjoying a roller coaster ride on the blues chart of the Roots Music Report.
Johnny & The Mo-Tones are a group of musicians led by John Altenburgh of Mosinee.
The album has spent eight straight weeks on the chart. It topped out at Number 18, then fell to 49, and is now back up to 29. It was recorded in Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, Ala.
Two Johnny & The Mo-Tones albums are on the February Wisconsin Roots Music Report, which measures radio airplay. “Get Gone!” is number two and “Two Hits for the Kitty — The Sun Studio Sessions,” recorded in Memphis, Tenn., is number four.

- Wausau Daily Herald

Barcelona, Spain

Johnny & The Mo-Tones Two Hits For The Kitty

Who are Johnny & The Mo Tones? Simply six good musicians who have founded this band to give us old fifties rhythm and blues, swing, jump, rock & roll and blues, putting a special emphasis on those artists who recorded for Sun Records like Howlin’ Wolf, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and other celebrities but, the curious thing is they always play their own songs plus only a few versions. To get thet ‘old sound’ Johnny & The Mo Tones always use ‘vintage’ instruments and amps that, together with the great knowledge they have of that particular sound and their good musical taste, make them faithfully capture the genuine atmosphere of that period. You will find John Attenburgh on piano, keyboards and vocals, Chris O’Keefe on guitar, Maark Mattioli on drums, John Greiner on tenor sax, Keras Rubka-Nimg on vocals and James Lott on bass. A high quality band with a suitcase full of good purposes and bright ideas. GREAT. - La Hora Del Blues

JOHNNY & THE MO-TONES
“Get Gone! – The Muscle Shoals Sessions”
(Altenburgh Records)
www.altenburgh.com

Johnny & the Mo-Tones Eleven pieces strong, and hot out of their previous “Sun Studio Sessions: Two Hits For Kitty,” Johnny & The Mo-Tones deliver laid-back blues originals with a big band feel. They have already spent 17 weeks on the blues charts, and are on the track to recording at virtually every big-name place in the business. The album is Vol. 2 in their “Ultimate Road Trip Series,” and features legendary Swamper and sideman David Hood on bass, Dickey Betts drummer Mike Dillon Curlington, and vocalist Otis McLennon. Frontman and keyboardist John Altenburgh rounds the group out between harmonica interludes, as well as jazz-based tenor saxophone leads courtesy of John Greiner. Fame Studios has given the Wisconsin band an unexpected tightness, adding to the already talented lineup of studio musicians. This record will be an unexpected burst on the national blues scene. –Brett Lemke - Maximum Ink

Blues group scores two hits on chart

By Keith Uhlig
For the Journal

MOSINEE -- The run of Johnny & The Mo-Tones, a blues group led by Mosinee musician John Altenburgh, continues.

The group's second album, "Get Gone! The Muscle Shoals Sessions," has climbed to No. 15 on the blues chart put out by the Roots Music Report. "Get Gone!" was recorded at Fame Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals, Ala.

That's good news for the group, but there's more. "Two Hits for the Kitty," the group's debut album recorded at Sun Studio in Memphis, Tenn., also re-entered the chart. It's at number 46.

"Two in the charts at the same time -- never imagined that one," Altenburgh said.

The group also will be featured on the nationally syndicated blues radio show "Blues Deluxe" the week of April 22-28. "Time's Tuff," a track from "Get Gone" and "Blues For 'The Killer'" from "Two Hits for the Kitty" will be played. The radio station nearest to Wausau to carry "Blues Deluxe" is WMEQ-FM 92.1, airing at 6 p.m. Sundays. It also can be heard online at www.freeworldradio.com. - Gannett Newspapers Statewide, Wisconsin