John Simoneaux
| John Simoneaux | |
|---|---|
 John Simoneaux | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Johnny Simoneaux |
| Also known as | Streakin' Johnny |
| Born |
April 24, 1967 Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States |
| Origin | Ruston, Louisiana, United States |
| Died | January 17, 2000 |
| Genres | blues, soul, Funk, Classic Rock |
| Occupation(s) | singer, guitarist, songwriter |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1980s–2000 |
| Associated acts | [Blue Monday] [Howard Shaft] [Monday's Child] [Roadhouse Disciples] |
| Website |
johnnyjam |
John Simoneaux (born April 24, 1967, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States) John became well known in Ruston, LA, United States, playing in his band "Blue Monday" and later adding "The Howard Shaft Horns" and hosting the "Tuesday Night Blues Jam" at the Sundown Tavern in Ruston, LA with his friends backing him in the "house band." John played all across Louisiana and eventually went on to tour with acts across the US and with Doug Duffey in 1998 and 1999 to Switzerland and the surrounding countries before dying in a tragic wreck on his way back to Austin, TX for a gig with The Roadhouse Disciples.
Simoneaux's only publicly released music is an early studio effort with Howard Shaft on Blue Monday and the Howard Shaft Horns and was released to fans in VERY limited quantities. His second CD was with Christopher Ames, AKA "Chris Rhodes". William "Skippy" Clarke, another of John's friends/fans was Chris's booking agent. John, Ryan Munsey, Skippy (William Clarke), and Shawn Smith went to Texas to the studio that was supposedly where SRV had done some recording (Don't remember the name) where John laid down the electric guitar on some tracks, Ryan Munsey played bass and Smith and Clarke are both credited on one song as well. The CD by Christopher Ames as "Chris Rhodes" on Deep Blues, a blues based Christian CD is available from JohnnyJam.org[1] in LIMITED quantities.
Biography
Simoneaux was born in Baton Rouge, where he first learned to play guitar as a young man. He played football at Redemptorist High school where he graduated in 1985. John also played in heavy the metal band "Reaper" during high school. John earned a BFA in Classical Guitar Performance from Louisiana Tech University in 1996 and also studied classical music in Santiago de Compostela Spain, possibly at the Musical Studies Centre/Ensamble Studio but we are not sure of the exact name of the school.
As soon as he looked old enough, John would sneak in and jam with the musicians at Tabby Thomas's "Tabby's Blues Box" in Baton Rouge, LA. John moved to Ruston, LA to major in Classical Guitar Performance at Louisiana Tech University where graduated in 1996. While at Louisiana Tech he started jamming with the locals there and soon was the front man in the House Band at the Sundown Tavern there in Ruston. John also started the band "Blue Monday," the name paying homage to the death of Stevie Ray Vaughan, and gigged all across North Louisiana. John later joined with the talented group of horn players that became known as "The Howard Shaft Horns" after "getting the shaft" at a talent contest held at the Louisiana Tech's Howard Auditorium bringing about their name in protest. Eventually "Blue Monday" and "Howard Shaft" parted ways and "Monday's Child" was formed (a name John hated but was too nice to make a big deal about). The band consisted of John on guitar and vocals, his friend (although 10 years younger), schoolmate and House Band member Ryan Munsey on bass, his friend, fellow Louisiana Tech student (although 10 years his senior), student of the Tuesday Night Jams at the Sundown and eventual House Band member as well, Speedy Mercer, AKA "Dr Speed," on drums. Once the band was ready to truly turn pro and tour, Speedy dropped out to keep his day job as a Computer Geek and was replaced by longtime friend, schoolmate and the original Blues jam and Blue Monday drummer, Donovan Hatcher. The three musicians moved to Austin, TX and started gigging there and wherever they could get gigs in the surrounding area as the "Roadhouse Disciples." They eventually toured Switzerland and the surrounding countries backing Doug Duffy and as the "Roadhouse Disciples" without Doug at select gigs.
On June 5, 1998, in a simple and private civil ceremony, John married fellow Louisiana Tech student Alison Bowden. They later had a nice public wedding with family and friends in attendance in a Ruston church on January 23, 1999.
Shortly after the band's return from their last Switzerland tour John and Alison went to a nice dinner at "Chili Verde" in Monroe, LA with a few friends. The next day John Simoneaux was killed in an accident on a foggy Texas road on his way back to Austin. The loss is still felt by his friends and the Ruston community.
In memorandum, John's friend and drummer of several years wrote this right after the funeral in Baton Rouge:
"They were all there . . . the Cops and the Musicians, the Computer Geeks and the Mechanics, the Teenagers and the Geriatrics . . . All with one purpose in mind . . . to see the man who had taken center stage. With guitar pick in hand, wearing a Hawaiian shirt, his favorite blue jeans and his Converse tennis shoes he waited, impish smirk on his face, for the crowd to settle down. It was noisy in the big room. Seating for more than a hundred left standing room only . . . no . . . less, for people were left standing in the halls outside. The place was alive with talk and laughter . . . stories being told of the man, his antics, his love of his friends, family and his music. As the event began, a hush fell over the room as one-by-one people approached the front of the audience and spoke. They spoke of kindness, love and inspiration . . . of humor generosity and giving for this was John Simoneaux’s final gig . . . his wake."
God Bless
Speedy "Dr. Speed" Mercer
01/21/2000
Selected discography
- Blue Monday and the Howard Shaft Horns "Blue Monday and the Howard Shaft Horns" (1997) - Self Produced
With Chris Rhodes
- Christopher Ames as "Chris Roades" on the CD "Deep Blues" (1998) Self Produced and available from JohnnyJam.org in LIMITED quantities[1]
References
- 1 2 Mercer, Alfred. "Deep Blues CD". JohnnyJam.org. johnnyjam.com. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
- ↑ "Come on and Slam, It’s the John Simoneaux Jam | justreport". Justreport.wordpress.com. 2012-03-13. Retrieved 2015-11-04.
- ↑ "16th John Simoneaux Memorial Jam - Ruston, LA". Roundtown. Retrieved 2015-11-04.
- ↑ "Accent | The News Star". thenewsstar.com. 2013-02-21. Retrieved 2015-11-04.
- ↑ Quimby, Amanda (2014-02-19). "Experience Ruston: It's time to rock out, Ruston!". Rustonlincolncvb.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2015-11-04.
- ↑ "Simoneaux Jam rocks out scholarships – News @ Tech". News.latech.edu. 2009-04-03. Retrieved 2015-11-04.
- ↑ "John Simoneaux Memorial Jam | Ruston". Allevents.in. 2015-03-14. Retrieved 2015-11-04.
- ↑ "Johnny Jam celebrates 15th year Ruston". Theadvertiser.com. 2014-02-19. Retrieved 2015-11-04.