Holds Masters Degree in Ethnomusicology from University of Texas at Austin.
Conductied research for 35sound on the upcoming film “The Great Debaters” starring and directed by Denzel Washington. Researched contributed to opening juke joint scene with Sharon Jones (singer, Dap Kings).
Concert at Kennedy Center for Performing Arts – Washington, DC
Four European tours including Germany’s Reggae Summer Jam
The Stingers served as backing band for the “Godfather of Ska,” Laurel Aitken and Doreen Shaffer (Skatalites)
Two sold out solo performances in Sao Paolo, Brazil and Buenos Aires, Argentina
The Press on Jonny Meyers:
"Jonny Meyers shows that Tin Pan Alley is alive and well through some kind
of time-space wormhole. If art is communication and craft the means, his
songs are both. The music draws from all that is positive about American
culture, and it couldn't come at a better time."
-Victor Rice, Producer
“Meyers has taken the time to learn the history of the music he performs. He is conversant with not only the genre’s earliest days but also the lineage.”
–Houston Press
“Meyers has the genre down, each track’s melodic simplicity matched by its streamlined groove.” –Austin Chronicle
“The Stingers mine a groove that’s 15 feet deep and 6 feet wide.” –Austin Chronicle
“The Stingers are the best traditional ska band to come onto the scene in a long, long time – strong songs, excellent vocal harmonies and some dabbling in soul.” –Exclaim! (Canada)
Recent Videos from 2009 European tour w/Contra Coup
Videos posted by Urs and Skapics.de
"Just Ain't Right" @McCormak's - Leipzig,DE
Stingers ATX in Leipzig (2009-05-29)
Song by song, Jonny Meyers is catching up with the traditions left quietly behind in his native Forest Hills - the small hub of Queens, that provided the breeding grounds for legendary writers like Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, Burt Bacharach, and the Ramones. Meyers's catalogue to date is careful blend of romance and consciousness set to Jamaican and North American roots music that reflects the lyrical, musical, and raw emotional traces of his predecessors.
While coming up as a guitar player in New York, it was not until a nine-year stint in Austin, Texas that Jonny Meyers started to be recognized for his compositions. After joining The Stingers in 1998, Jonny quickly became the principle songwriter and bandleader and in just a few years they catapulted from Austin onto the international scene, becoming one of the top traditional ska groups known throughout the world. The Stingers have released two full length CD’s and four EP’s to date, and have completed four European tours and various regional tours throughout the United States.
Although consistently succeeding with the Stingers, Jonny went looking for an acoustic outlet to bring to life a growing number of songs that were outside The Stingers's repertoire. He assembled RokkaTone in 2002, a mixed bag of Austin musicians wielding acoustic instruments that one might find in a Caribbean street band. RokkaTone’s curious mix of Jamaican and North American roots music and interesting instrumentation were the perfect match for Jonny’s shift in his songwriting, each inventively highlighting the other. In This Life hit the streets in 2006 and has been receiving positive critical acclaim. “His 13 originals boast an ease with the form straight out of Studio One” exclaims Raoul Hernandez, music editor of the Austin Chronicle.
Jonny’s stint in Austin ended in 2007 and he returned home to pursue a career in songwriting. While still active as a bandleader (with upcoming releases by the Stingers and RokkaTone accompanied by European tour plans) he intends to build upon his Austin experience and catalogue as he enters into the New York songwriting scene. Right now, you can find him exploring his new neighborhood of Jackson Heights, finding inspiration for the tunes that may soon be mentioned alongside those of his childhood heroes.
Selected Discography:
The Stingers This Time Around, CD 2008, Grover Records (Europe), Mossburg (US), Ska in the World (Japan), Radiola (South America) – Produced by Victor Rice
Rokkatone In This Life, CD 2006, Grover Records (Europe), Ska in the World (Japan), Radiola (South America) – Produced by Victor Rice
The Stingers All in a Day, CD & LP 2004, Grover Records (Europe), JumpUp Records (US) – Produced by Victor Rice
The Stingers This Good Thing, CD & LP 2003, Grover Records (Europe), JumpUp Records (US) – Produced by Victor Rice
"Washington, Where the Hell Have You Been"
Live in Sao Paolo w/Satelite Kingston
"Artificial Tears" Sao Paolo, Brazil 2006
Stingers with Laurel Aitken - Germany, 2003
Stingers with Doreen Shaffer, Skatalites, 2005
01:00 / 02:00 The Toasters (NYC) 23:30 / 24:30 Deal’s Gone Bad (CHI) 22:30 / 23:15 İstanbul Ska Foundation (IST) 21:45 / 22:15 Dengesiz Herifler (ANK) 21:00 / 21:30 H.I.S (IST) 20:00 / 21:00 Boss DJ (IST/ANK)
Ghetto’ da yapılacak International Ska Circus kapılarını saat 20:00 da açacak ve 3 yerli Ska/Reggae grubu 1 dj ve 2 ana grubuyla son yılların en eğlenceli saatlerini yaşatacak. Dans ayakkabılarınızı giyin, en klas Fred Perry‘ nizi kuşanın ve International Ska Circus’a hazır olun!
For those who haven't heard, we'll be in the studio these next few months to record a new album with the renowned reggae singer, Eyon Irie. After that it's summer shows and writing songs for the next Orbits album!
In the meantime, if you don't have our self-titled cd yet, you can still pick it up on CD Baby and Itunes.
And swing by our myspace site to check out our new videos!
thanks bub. hope all is well with you. will hopefully get out to the east coast sometime this year. if so, we should do a show together. it'd be a hoot.
tell ro high. i sincerely hope that you guys enjoy the days; all of them.
Hi Jon :D Nice to hear from you, I'm fine :) playing & working for going shopping. I just realized I need much because I have many things to buy :p I haven't checked your shows either. Hope you're well too!! saki
