JONNY LANG

:''For other people named John Lang, see John Lang.''
'Jonny Lang' (born 'Jon Gordon Langseth, Jr.' on January 29, 1981, in Fargo, North Dakota) is a Grammy-winning American blues guitarist and singer.

Contents

Overview

Biography

Musical equipment

Band personnel

Discography

Guest appearances

Filmography and television appearances

External links

Overview

Lang released his first album, ''Smokin'', in 1995 at the age of fourteen, under the name Kid Jonny Lang & The Big Bang. The following year, Lang released his debut solo album, ''Lie to Me''. Lang's music is noted for his singing, which has been compared to that of a 40 year old blues veteran, and for his guitar solos. Lang is a popular live performer as well as a recording artist.

Biography

Lang started playing the guitar at the age of twelve after his father took him to see the Bad Medicine Blues Band, one of the few blues bands in Fargo. Lang soon started taking guitar lessons from Ted Larsen, the Bad Medicine Blues Band's guitar player. Several months after Lang started guitar lessons, he joined the Bad Medicine Blues Band, which was then renamed Kid Jonny Lang & The Big Bang.
The band moved to Minneapolis and independently released the album ''Smokin''. Lang was signed to A&M Records in 1996. He released the critically acclaimed multi-platinum ''Lie to Me'' on January 28, 1997. The next album, ''Wander This World'', was released on October 20, 1998 and earned a Grammy nomination. This was followed by the more soulful ''Long Time Coming'' on October 14, 2003. Lang also made a cover of Edgar Winter's "Dying to Live." Lang's newest album, the gospel-influenced ''Turn Around'', was released in 2006, and most recently won Lang his first Grammy Award.
Lang was married on June 8, 2001 to longtime girlfriend and actress Haylie Johnson. They currently live in Los Angeles.
In more than ten years on the road, Lang has toured with the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, B.B. King, Jeff Beck, and Sting. In 1999, he was invited to play for a White House audience including President and Mrs. Clinton. Lang also makes a cameo appearance in the film ''Blues Brothers 2000'' as a janitor. In 2004 Eric Clapton asked Lang to play at the Crossroads Guitar Festival to raise money for the Crossroads Centre Antigua.
Lang is a devoted Christian, and currently attends Valley Lighthouse, under the leadership of Pastor Andrew Arrowood, in Los Angeles.

Musical equipment

Jonny Lang mainly uses a Telecaster Thinline made by the Fender Custom Shop. He also takes out a Gibson Les Paul for some occasions. The Telecaster Thinline has a Spruce body, maple top and birdseye maple neck. It uses Bill Lawrence Pickups (500L Neck, 500XL Bridge) and a Seymour Duncan P-90 in the middle. He uses a Route 66 pedal of Visual Sound and a basic Wah Wah pedal for some songs. Live, he plays through a Fender Deluxe amp.

Band personnel

From 1995-2004, Lang's backing band included Paul Diethelm on guitar, Bruce McCabe on keyboards, Doug Nelson on bass and Billy Thommes on drums. Nelson was killed in a traffic accident in 2000 and was replaced by Billy Franze. Franze was in turn replaced by Jim Anton in 2003. Saxophone player David Eiland was added in 2000, providing Lang with a foil for extended instrumental jams. In 2005, Lang replaced the entire lineup, except for Anton, and embarked on an acoustic tour. He performed with Wendy Alane Wright at the 2000 Pre-Grammy party. New guitarist Reeve Carney was also the Lang band's opening act for several shows in 2005 and as well as the 2006 and 2007 tours. The new band also includes organist and Houston native Charles Jones, and drummer Barry Alexander from Minneapolis.

Discography

★ 1995 ''Smokin'' (as ''Kid Jonny Lang & The Big Bang'')

★ 1997 ''Lie to Me''

★ 1998 ''Wander This World''

★ 2003 ''Long Time Coming''

★ 2006 ''Turn Around''

Guest appearances

★ 1997 ''A Very Special Christmas 3'', performs on track "Santa Claus is Back in Town."

★ 1998 ''Blues Brothers 2000'' original soundtrack, performs on track "634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)."

★ 1998 ''Heavy Love'' album by Buddy Guy, performs on track "Midnight Train."

★ 1999 ''Loud Guitars, Big Suspicions'' album by Shannon Curfman performs on multiple tracks, and co-wrote "Love Me Like That."

★ 2000 ''It Ain't Nothin' But The Blues'' original cast recording, performs on tracks "Someone Else is Steppin' In" and "The Thrill is Gone."

★ 2000 ''This Time Around'' album by Hanson, performs on "You Never Know", "Runaway Run" and "Hand in Hand"

★ 2005 ''Possibilities'' album by Herbie Hancock, Lang sings and plays guitar on the track "When Love Comes to Town".

Filmography and television appearances

★ 1998 ''Blues Brothers 2000''

★ 1998 ''The Drew Carey Show'' episode: ''In Ramada Da Vida'' (cameo) [1]

External links

★ Official Website

★ Living Light News Online Biography

★ Exclusive Interview with Jonny Lang

★ Jonny Lang on Myspace.com