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A look (and listen) at the John Butler Trio
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Every musician has a calling. They just know they’re destined for something great. That’s what Australian/American guitarist John Butler of the John Butler Trio felt when he quit his studies as an art teacher in Curtain University in Perth to pursue his musical career in 1996. He should have known when his grandmother gave him his grandfather’s guitar at the age of 16, but you don’t always know. When he recorded his first instrumental works on cassette in 1996, he sold 3,000 copies in Perth by the end of the year. John Butler built a fan base at his manager’s bar, North Fremantle, and then recorded his first professional album in December of 1998.
I like most bands they have since gone through a few different incarnations, all leading up to the one we listen to today. The John Butler Trio’s music is high energy, well established, and they work well together as a group, something you can clearly tell from their latest album, April Uprising. Their music is perfect for an outdoors, summertime concert. With variety of styles all holding an emphasis on the central roots rock/reggae theme, they’re sure to make you throw a beach ball around a bit.
The current members of the John Butler Trio are John Butler (lead guitar and vocals), Byron Luiters (bass) and Nicky Bomba (percussion). They released April Uprising in March, and the trio will be performing at my favorite New York summer venue, Central Park’s SummerStage, on June 15. Tickets are available here.
“Ocean” by the John Butler Trio