JohnnyO Ozelius FAQs

Artist Bio

“JohnnyO” Ozelius

JohnnyO FAQs

Q. Describe your musicial style in seven words or less?
A. Original Unplugged Folk Rocking Blues. How about that. That’s only 5 words.

Q. Where are you from?
A. I grew up and graduated from High School in Woburn, MA. After college in Gettysburg, PA, I moved to New Hampshire. I have lived in NH since 1986.

Q. Your CD has full band arrangements. What is your live show like?
A. Most of the time my show is a solo acoustic show. When possible I am able to have some friends join me on guitar, violin, harmonica and bass.

Q. Where do you get ideas for original songs?
A. Ideas come from all over. A song idea usually has its beginning in some little observation or even a comment made by someone else. What’s interesting is that my best songs seem to require an incubation period. I’ll work on it and get a chorus or verse down, then get stuck. In frustration, I will put it away for a while. When I come back to it though, the whole song will often spill out like my brain has been working on it while I was away.

Q. Your CD has several styles of music. Name some influences.
A. I grew up with older brothers and sisters and spent most of my time listening to 60’s and 70’s pop and rock. My strongest influences are probably The Beatles, The Who, James Taylor, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Janis Joplin. However, as I moved along, I soaked up everything from James Brown to George Jones to Tom Waits. You name it, I probably listened to it or heard of it.

Q. Who are your musical heroes?
A. My favorite singer songwriter is Harry Chapin. His songs and his performances are just legendary to me. When I do a live show, I think I’m looking for that Harry Chapin feel more than anything else.

Q. Why would anyone want to listen to JohnnyO’s music.
A. First, because it Rocks! Really though, my music could appeal to anyone who is sick and tired of the preprogrammed pop crap that has completely invaded our society. A quick look at a Super bowl half-time show confirms this mess. Mainstream popular music in America a truly a vast wasteland. Much of what we hear on the radio is soulless drivel orchestrated, produced and spit out by people and companies that only see dollar signs. I play real instruments and write genuine songs about people and the situations they find themselves in. My music blends several musical forms including folk, blues and rock. However, in the end, what I believe is so important about my music is that it is me. These songs just fall out of my head and land in my lap. My job is to pick them up, tune them up and give them back. I truly hope you enjoy them.