Today's Country
...tomorrow's country...TODAY!
JOHN SCHNEIDER IS TODAY’S COUNTRY
by S. Parks
Some fans may have been looking for the General Lee parked outside of Nashville’s 12th and Porter, but it wasn’t Bo Duke we were waiting to see. This “good ole boy” may be way over 6 ft. (like Bo), blonde and charming (like Bo), and with a killer smile (like Bo), but it was John Schneider’s music performance that brought us all together.
As he looked out upon the row of candlelit tables and flashing cameras, he wore that stage like a favorite old pair of jeans. His famous blonde locks shining in the soft spotlight were as familiar to us as the Waylon Jennings Dukes of Hazzard theme (his opening song). “Roller Derby Queen” then set the wheels in motion for the great concert to come.
This humble actor/singer/songwriter/screenwriter/ producer/musician, yes, all of those, towered over the center mic and played a modest antique Martin guitar as he turned the famous concert venue into a living room setting with audience repartee. The stunning and familiar mid and deep tones of his vocals were shining on his number one hits that came fast and furious with “What’s a Memory Like You…” and “You’re the Last Thing I Needed Tonight”. “Country Girls” had the audience singing along as though no time had passed since these gems hit the charts in the mid eighties. The tune he liked to call the “Code-a-Phone” song (“At the Sound of the Tone”) was just as entertaining.
“Honeymoon Wine” was oh so traditional country and “Love, You Ain’t Seen the Last of Me” had us up and dancing along with the rock and roll bluesy “Hillbilly Boy”. It was obvious that John can easily take a follower of any genre and turn them into a country music fan without even trying - a skill that few can claim.
John recounted advice once given to him by his good friend Johnny Cash who had predicted that he would return to country music when that perfect song appears. He believes that “The Promise” is that song. After he recited the poignant chorus lyrics about peace in the world including the line “Who took the promise out of the Promised Land…”, we realized that he was probably right.
As he gave his extraordinary band of well-known musicians a much-deserved break, John’s solos of “Welcome Home” and a classic Jim Croce medley were equally outstanding.
No one knew what was to come when the band returned, not even John, as everything broke loose for an “anything goes” conclusion. The opening chords of “Pinball Wizard” surprised us as they went into a complete and accurate cover of the song. John laughed, “This is fun.” They fooled with bits of a few other tunes including the Beatles “I Feel Fine” and then ended the set with their opener to tie it all together like a finely wrapped gift package – for us.
John then jumped off stage into the audience and met each and every fan who had come to the show. A sweeter and more joyous and thankful performer would be hard to find. His deep and sincere love for his music was as inimitable as the loyalty of his fans.
This man of many talents has co-founded The Children’s Miracle Network with Marie Osmond, enjoyed five TV seasons (plus reunions) as Bo Duke, five seasons on Smallville, hundreds of stage performances in the Tony award-winning musicals Grand Hotel and Chicago, appearances at “Dukesfest” and a very long list of additional accomplishments and awards. He is currently producing and starring in (with his band) twentysixmiles, a music film about a band called the Renegades in Catalina, CA.
If you take some Jeffrey Steele, mix in a smidge of Keith Urban, a dash of Johnny Cash and a super helping of John Schneider, you’ll have our next great contemporary country star. With eleven solo albums, including a number one, four number one singles and new music that the kids on the (Music Row) block would love to get publishing on, John Schneider may have been yesterday’s Bo Duke but now he’s Today’s Country.
Keep an eye on John at http://www.johnschneideronline.com/
See the trailer for twentysixmiles at http://www.ecatalina.com/
Contact S. Parks at musicmusicmusic100@hotmail.com
Photo credits: ©2009 S-Parks Creative and Custom Guitars
