Johnny Wheels is a singer / songwriter / harmonica player inspired by the soul of the Pacific Northwest. The “Swamp Donkeys” are Johnny’s band-mates who are inspired by Johnny to “live a song” on the edge.
The son of a traveling bass player and singer, Johnny “Wheels” Kennicott had music in his blood since birth, but expressing himself musically took on new importance when Johnny broke his neck in a childhood accident, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down.
“The days of football practice after school were definitely over”, Johnny says, but music still provided an outlet for his infectious energy and his creative potential.
Though his father’s instrument of choice and his early passion of playing drums were now out due to limited function, Johnny found, through determined trial and error, he could manipulate his paralyzed diaphragm to not only sing, but also blow the harmonica. Since that time, Johnny has been traveling the Pacific Northwest music scene, spreading the gospel of the blues.
Collectively, the band hails from Oregon, Texas and California and is typically tagged as a Blues band; Although, the diversity of the members’ musical backgrounds becomes evident as the worlds of R&B, Soul, Jazz, Funk and Rock are blended under a Blues umbrella.
Here is out Interview:
When did you first know you wanted to become a musical artist? What was the first song you ever wrote?
I think we all knew by the time we were 12,13,14….. Johnny grew up with a musician father who was very serious about “making it” at all cost and he grew up with the same feeling, nothing would stop from becoming a musician. The first song we ever wrote as a band was “On The Run” or “This Time”
Who are some of your top 5 musical influences?
SRV
JIMI HENDRIX
JOE BONOMASSA
BLACK SABBATH
ALLMAN BROTHERS
What’s in your IPOD this week?
I don’t think any of us own an IPOD, Do we? lol
Vinyl for Taylor, Skynyrd, Eagles, Grand Funk Railroad
How’s the music scene in your locale?
It’s a long way to the top if you wanna Rock N Roll, Portland (about an hour and a half drive) is really the closest scene we have going, that’s where all the top cats are playing and trying to survive.
What do you like most about playing live?
The best feeling about playing live is the exchanging of pure raw innocent energy, emotions, feelings. To touch someone in a way that is so deep and so real that no words need to be exchanged. Just the vibrations pouring out of us and traveling through the crowd. It’s a joy that is unexplainable, unimaginable. It’s the best high of them all!
Is there a song on your latest CD release here that stands out as your personal favorite, and why?
“Time to Bail” really hits home for us, that’s the anthem we all live by and love. They way that song took on life is truly amazing and became our “freebies” or “soulshine”
What’s the best concert you’ve been to?
If you could meet, play a gig, co-write a song, have dinner, have a drink with any band or artist (dead or alive) who would it be?
The Swamp Donkey’s include:
Johnny Wheels, Vocals, Harmonica
Brandon Logan, Vocals, Guitar
Taylor Frazier, Vocals, Bass
REVERBNATION: https://www.reverbnation.com/johnnywheels
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/SWAMPDB/
URL: https://johnnywheelsband.com/
End of Interview
