More About Jon

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Jon Butcher's signature sound features his powerful soul-infused vocals; and his guitar work reflects a skillful mix of Rock and R&B, Funk and Soul, Jazz and Americana, all of it focused through a prism built from the Blues. Jon’s powerhouse live performances with bandmates Chris Martin ( bass),  Marty Richards (drums) are electrifying and not surprisingly playing to packed venues everywhere!

NUTHIN' but SOUL

"This past Summer I recorded a lot of electric guitar music, threw some phrases and shapes and made general hoo-ha! Stuff I thought would sit well on an album. On reflection I realized I was on the wrong track. I wasn't telling the stories I wanted, needed to tell." 

By Sept '23 Jon scraped the album he worked on during that Spring/ Summer 2023.

The new new NEW album, 

NUTHIN' but SOUL was inspired by a collaboration with Sal Baglio ( The Amplifier Heads) and Cliff Goodwin ( Joe Cocker) that never got off the ground. "Sal and I wrote some GREAT songs and I was inspired try that process. Sal's a great writer and someone I've known since the beginning. But sometimes things just don't work out, we're all passionate and headstrong guys." NUTHIN' but SOUL is classic R&B inflected Roots music, at once fresh and familiar. It's also Jon's  best songwriting to date and in a landscape.  "I love the blues but also loved Otis Rush, Freddie King and the soul of Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett as a kid, the music was authentic and electric. Those influences came together after being inspired by my brief collaboration with Sal and Cliff. " 

This is Jon Butcher's signature album, rich in cinematic stories and intense in raw performances by Jon and his cast of players.

Watch for an advance from NUTHIN' but SOUL in the form of a single coming DEC 2024, This is Jon's most important release since Life Takes a Life.

Studio World

"I've been recording at 'Bang-a-Song Studios in Gloucester MA ( thank you Tony Goddess and Warren Babson ) for about the last 12mos, recorded at least 20 songs until I found the right 10 screaming to get out. We're living in exceptional times though not necessarily good. The great upheaval." " There's a lot of guitar playing on this album- electric, acoustic, nylon string, dobro, 12-string, pretty much anything with strings makes an appearance. "

The Real World

Jon continues; "Women's rights are under assault like never before, gun violence is everywhere and our body politics are incendiary to say the least. All of it in combination creates enough material for anyone to write about." Jon continues,  " Anyone even remotely familiar with me since Life Takes a Life knows there's always been a political reflection in my music. The chaos we live in now takes a toll on all of us, every day no matter where you live.  In many ways we're all exhausted from it. Still, there's hope. We all want to reclaim hope and the possibility for a better tomorrow."

Songs For Mary

2023 featured the release of SONGS FOR MARY, the soundtrack album created by Jon and Dawn Carroll about the amazing story and life of Black opera singer Mary Cardwell Dawson. SONGS FOR MARY is one of the most musically ambitious projects Jon has undertaken as a producer and creator of music for film and stage production. " SONGS FOR MARY is a great source of pride. Dawn and I agreed that this was a story which needed to be told. Mary Dawson was a powerhouse in a time where women were suppressed. She is absolutely a part of the great American storybook." The early release of the soundtrack album SONGS FOR MARY will be available here.

Gypsy Caravan

2023 also features GYPSY CARAVAN, the new album and debut of Butcher, Baglio & Estes which features the collaborative songwriting of Jon, Sal Baglio ( The Amplifier Heads, Tom Hambridge & The Rattlesnakes, The Stompers) and legendary singer-songwriter Allen Estes. GYPSY CARAVAN is 11 new songs of rock blues, and acoustic blues full of rich harmonies and Jon's acrobatic and soul-infused guitar work- available now!

Says Jon," This is a great record, strong, soulful and above all it has its roots in the Blues. I haven't done a band collaborative thing since Leland Sklar and I were in Barefoot Servants. Making GYPSY was electric and so cool on multiple levels. And an opportunity to finally record with two of my best friends!"

With a discography of 21 album releases worldwide to his credit, critical acclaim and great reviews Jon’s music trajectory has defied easy description.

His newest, the Nuthin' but SOUL album will be downloadable JAN 1 in both digital and vinyl formats The single will release this year. "This album is deep, diverse musically and focused on human drama and its relationships to water. It also has some of my best guitar playing ever, we’re anxious to tour this year! ”

Watch for Nuthin' but SOUL the first single soon !