John Aulabaugh

Hello John!

Congrats on the pedigree associations you’ve made… some awfully potent allies you have in your corner. And I
certainly get it: Your voice is so very “comfortable.” Instantly confident, relaxed and easy on the ears. Please read on!

I have not a single suggestion or criticism here, my friend—and that’s a rare thing, believe me. Your players know what the hell they’re doing… and come off like a well-practiced ensemble. I can
always tell the difference between an assemblage of instrumental elements versus a real “arrangement,” where players are doing what comes naturally to amp the song’s signature. Acoustic guitars are just beautiful, snapping—but gentle— percussion keeps things moving, bass offers organic transitions… etc. It’s all spot on.

It’s early Saturday morning, John… I’m sitting here drinking my fifth cup of coffee as a nice easy breeze blows through my office windows… And now there’s John Aulabaugh adding another gentle breeze, as my knee bobs to the melody… Oh, how I’m digging your voice… It’s hard for me to imagine that you’re in your 50s… your voice sounds incredibly youthful for an old man ;) Seriously, your timbre & texture comes off like you’re in you’re 20s… And yet, perhaps it’s because you—like me—are a man of experience that gives your vocal
such ease and confidence… There are many lil’ things I’m digging here: the slight breaks (growl) in your voice here and
there, the use of subtle layering, the relaxxxxxxxed phrasing (i.e.: “until it’s over and through”) and… hopping into your
upper register as the song progresses. Bulls-eye, baby. Plain and simple: beautifully done.

You’ve nailed this, John. This is a wholly professional [album] with sing-along hooks and a phenomenal live performance. Bravo, sir! - Chuck Taylor - Billboard Magazine

New Music.

It’s a phrase that evokes a range of emotions, but these days, more often than not it sadly throws up a depressing image of kids with computers in bedrooms remixing and self-producing in the hope of becoming the world’s next YouTube sensation. Which is why, when a new artist comes along that defies the stereotype, we should sit up and take notice. John Aulabaugh is one such artist.

His debut album, Of Sins Present And Past, dropped into my inbox this week.

John is a musician, a businessman, a father, a son, a husband. He’s seen life with all its triumphs and challenges, and with this album, John brings all his years to bear when telling a story.


Of Sins Present And Past talks of addiction and recovery, of secrecy and deceit, of compulsion and hurt, pain and recovery. And just as that journey is full of ups and downs, John’s music hits you on unexpected, and at times slightly uncomfortable levels. It sings of despair, desire, destruction, desperation and the hope of ultimate deliverance, through well-written, meaningful lyrics and intelligent, carefully crafted melodies.

If you asked me to pull out a few tracks as standouts? It’s tough, because they are all good, but I’d say that having spent a few days listening, the tracks that I find myself singing are the wonderfully acoustic A Road Less Travelled, the darker, more compulsive Strange, the more laid back, rhythmic feel of Awake, and the beautifully haunting Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. That these tracks each have their own feel and flavor just highlights again how John Aulabaugh has delivered a welcome, refreshing breath of fresh air with Of Sins Present And Past.

This new kid on the alt-country block has been round that block a few times, and his music is all the better for it.

John Aulabaugh‘s debut album, Of Sins Present And Past, is a habit well worth indulging. Featuring such renowned artists as Jessy Greene and Rami Jaffee, it’s at the same time both personal and universal, and deserves all the acclaim it will undoubtably create. - Paul Shrimpton - Riserdrummer