Elliott Smith, John Mayer, The Twilight Singers, The Decemberists, Paolo Nutini, M.Ward, Joseph Arthur, Ray Lamontagne, Morphine, Amos Lee, The Old '97s, Cake, Keane, Coldplay, Beck, The Frames, Jurassic 5, Jeff Buckley, Snow Patrol, Eisley, 10,000 Maniacs, R.E.M., The Flaming Lips, The Killers, The Badlees, Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, Counting Crows, The Tea Party, Calexico, The Cranes, David Gray, Dresden Dolls, Gin Blossoms, Guns 'N Roses, Grant Lee Buffalo, Leonard Cohen, Alejandro Escoveda, Norah Jones, Paul Simon, Pearl Jam, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Tom Petty, Uncle Tupelo, Jay Farrar, Poe, Tegan & Sara, Math & Science, Joshua Watts, Tricky Luz, Orphan Train, Ladytown
For a big-time southern California talent, look no further than John Clinebell. This acoustic rock songwriter is drawing larger crowds to his Los Angeles shows and more online fans from all over the world every day. He serves up a variety of original tunes, ranging from upbeat acoustic pop to thoughtful indie folk in a way that honors the spirited ups and downs of everyday life.
Having never received formal music training, John’s voice developed a unique tenor timbre over the years, which effortlessly switches from gritty to silky smooth depending on what the song requires. The expressiveness of his singing could be partially attributed to growing up as the son of a recording folk songwriter; young John would often find himself in front of his father’s microphone singing Christmas carols or children’s songs. He grew up in a liberating, music-loving environment.
After his father passed away in an abrupt, tragic fashion, John’s life took a bumpy trip away from music. He got back in touch with his musical roots after arriving to college at the University of Arizona. Wanting to learn how to play some R.E.M. songs, John pulled one of his father’s old guitars out of storage and started to learn some chords. It was not long before he was fronting his own band, Tricky Luz, which won several local Tucson music awards.
John quickly matured as a solo songwriter after graduating from college. He began showcasing at Tucson coffee houses and bars, and eventually felt confident enough in his abilities to take the plunge and move to Los Angeles, where he had always wanted to try and make a name for himself. Soon after moving to the L.A. area, he met seasoned producer/songwriter, John Wolf. Over the course of the next year and a half, they meticulously constructed John Clinebell’s first album, Stomping Grounds, which was released on SP&G Records in 2008.
Drawn to the west side of Los Angeles, with its laid-back charm and coastal scenery, John moved to Santa Monica and he began street performing on the world-famous Third Street Promenade. While briskly selling the original print run of Stomping Grounds, he began recording his second album, Make It Land, with Aram Arslanian, an accomplished southern California producer/songwriter.
Interest for John Clinebell’s music in the Los Angeles area and beyond continues to grow. From the House of Blues Sunset Strip main stage to the ArtsPalooza studio, from Oregon Institute of Technology and San Diego State University to L.A. bars and coffee houses on the west side, John is quickly gaining a reputation as a stellar performer, who simply enjoys what he does, does it well, helps others, remains humble, and strives to take his abilities to the national stage.
Hey John! How's life? How's music coming along? We just updated our page with new pictures, a new layout and a new bio, so if you're in the mood to check it out feel free! Hope you're warmer in Santa Monica than I am in the thirteen-degree wintery, snowy Rochester, NY!
Hey John! Great show last night! I'm glad I made it out and hopefully I didn't get too many other people sick, haha. I'm taking one more day to rest, so hopefully I will be all better by sunday for dball!
john clinebell! what the heck is up with your life these days?? i miss being able to come out and hear you sing! you should probably just come up to seattle and play a show :)
Good football this week. Fins visited by Evil Empire, Redbirds v Giants. Please punch a Laker fan in the face for me. Tell them it's from Mike in P-Town, they'll understand. Peace yo
It was great meeting you as well. I am trying to recover, but its going to take time. Lots to catch up on with school. It was a long drive back to school but worth every second. We all had a blast at NACA, and thanks for the props in your blog!!
