Johnny Neel
Encyclopedia
Johnny Neel is an American
vocalist, songwriter
, and musician
based in Nashville, Tennessee
. He is best known for his songwriting, stage, and session work for the Allman Brothers, Gov't Mule
, and Dickey Betts
.
As a songwriter, in addition to the material written, or co-written for the Allman Brothers, Gregg Allman
, and Dicky Betts, Neel's songs have also been recorded by Gov’t Mule, John Mayall
, Delbert McClinton
, Montgomery Gentry
, Keith Whitley
, Travis Tritt
, The Oak Ridge Boys
, Restless Heart
, Ann Peebles
, Dorothy Moore
, and John Schneider
.
As a studio musician, Neel has lent his talents to recordings by a diverse group of artists including The Allman Brothers, Gov't Mule
, Warren Haynes
, Dickey Betts
, Montgomery Gentry
, Michael McDonald
, Todd Snider
, David Allan Coe
, Jeff Coffin
, Robert Gordon
, Chris LeDoux
, Tiny Town
, Suzy Bogguss
, Joe Diffie
, Colin Raye, and The Pirates of the Mississippi.
, Delaware
. He cut his first single, entitled "Talking About People", at the age of twelve, as Johnny Neel and The Shapes Of Soul, which was a hit on local radio in the Wilmington/Philadelphia area. As an adult, the Johnny Neel Band had a strong following up and down the east coast and released two well-received independent albums. Neel moved to Nashville in 1984. Performing with various bands in area clubs drew the attention of former Nashville resident Dickey Betts
, who asked Neel to join his road band, and he soon began working on Bett’s solo LP for Epic Records. That relationship led to seven cuts on the Pattern Disruptive LP released in 1988, including the AOR hit, Rock Bottom.
Neel's talented keyboard and harmonica playing on the 'Pattern Disruptive album convinced Gregg Allman
to ask Neel to tour with his road band which led to the inclusion of the cut Island on The Gregg Allman Band album (also released in 1988), co-written with Allman, Dan Toler
, and Tony Colton. In 1989 Neel was invited to join the reunited Allman Brothers Band. He immersed himself in touring, writing, and recording, which led to four cuts on the Allman's Seven Turns album (released in 1990), and the hit single Good Clean Fun, co-written by Neel with Allman and Betts. In 2002 country stars Montgomery Gentry included Good Clean Fun as part of their My Town album.
In 1994 the studio album Johnny Neel & The Last Word was released. This album included the song Maydell which was co-written with Warren Haynes
(Allman Brothers/Gov't Mule) and has been covered by the Allman Brothers on their Hittin' The Note album, and by John Mayall
on his Wake Up Call album. The album also included the song Read Me My Rights which was co-written with Delbert McClinton
, and which was covered by McClinton on his Nothing Personal album, by Ann Peebles
on her Full Time Love album, by Dorothy Moore
on her Stay Close to Home album, and by Dalton Reed on his Louisiana Soul Man album. This album featured appearances by Jack Pearson (Allman Brothers) on guitar and Delbert McClinton
on harmonica.
In 1995 Neel's album Commin' Atcha... Live was released and included live versions of Read Me My Rights and Maydell. The album captured a live appearance by Neel and his band The Last Word including Jack Pearson and most of the musicians on The Last Word album.
In 2000 Neel released Late Night Breakfast which was recorded at his Straight Up Sound Studio with the members of his band The Last Word along with special guests guitarists Shane Theriot (The Neville Brothers), and Rick Vito
(Fleetwood Mac/Zoo), as well as Wayne Jackson
(The Memphis Horns) on trumpet. Late Night Breakfast was released on Neel’s Breakin’ Records label.
During the period of time the Late Night Breakfast recordings were made Neel also became a member of Blue Floyd, an all-star jam band performing variations on the material of Pink Floyd
. In addition to Neel, the band was composed of guitarist Marc Ford
(Black Crowes), drummer Matt Abts
(Gov't Mule), bassist Berry Oakley Jr. (OKB Band) and until his unfortunate demise, Allen Woody
(Allman Brothers/Gov't Mule) on second guitar. Neel and Abts then went into the Straight Up Sound Studio and recorded the X2 funk/jam duo project. X2 - Johnny Neel / Matt Abts was released in 2002.
In 2004 Neel released the album Gun Metal Blue on his Breaking Records label which was also recorded at Straight Up Sound. These sessions included guitarists Chris Anderson (Blackhawk/Outlaws), George Marinelli (Bonnie Raitt/Bruce Hornsby), and Pat Bergeson
(Chet Atkins/Lyle Lovett), drummer Vince Santoro (Rodney Crowell/Highwaymen), and vocalists Joanna Cotten, and Neel's wife, Christine Thompson Neel.
Also in 2004, the album Johnny Neel and The Italian Experience was released on the Italian label Artesuono. This album included strings and horns as Neel moved in a Jazz direction. The album included members of the Italian blues/rock/jam power trio W.I.N.D. with which Neel has toured and recorded in Europe several times.
In addition to the Blue Floyd and X2 projects, Neel was a part of two other all-star collaborations. The group Deep Fried included Neel on keyboards, drummer Matt Abts
, guitarist Brian Stoltz (The Neville Brothers/The Funky Meters), and bassist George Porter Jr.(The Meters/The Funky Meters). Their album The Deep Fried Sessions - Live was released in 2004. The other group, The Grease Factor released two live recordings; Off the Cuff in 2004, and Live From Zambifest 2004 in 2005. The Grease Factor included guitarist Shane Theriot (The Neville Brothers), bassist Derek Jones
(David Grisman), drummer Jeff Sipe
(Leftover Salmon / Aquarium Rescue Unit), and percussionist Count M’Butu (Aquarium Rescue Unit).
Neel has provided vocals on five songs included on four Walt Disney Records CD releases related to the Pixar Animation Studios movie releases Finding Nemo, Cars, and Ratatouille. These include Saturday Night Fish Fry from the 2003 release Finding Nemo: Ocean Favorites, My Old Car from the 2006 release Lightning McQueen's Fast Tracks, One Meat Ball and Banana Split for My Baby from the 2007 release Ratatouille: What's Cooking?, and Hot Rodder's Lament from the 2009 release Mater's Car Tunes.
Most recently he has been recording and performing with his band The Criminal Element. Three albums have been released by Johnny Neel and The Criminal Element; Volume 1 (2007), Volume 2 (2008), and The CSI Chronicles (2010).
In 2010 Neel also released Harmonius, a solo project featuring only his vocals and keyboards.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
vocalist, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
based in Nashville, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. He is best known for his songwriting, stage, and session work for the Allman Brothers, Gov't Mule
Gov't Mule
Gov't Mule is a Southern rock jam band formed in 1994 as an Allman Brothers Band side project by Warren Haynes and Allen Woody.The band released their debut album Gov't Mule in 1995...
, and Dickey Betts
Dickey Betts
Forrest Richard "Dickey" Betts is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and composer best known as a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band. He was inducted with the band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and also won with the band a best rock performance Grammy Award for his...
.
As a songwriter, in addition to the material written, or co-written for the Allman Brothers, Gregg Allman
Gregg Allman
Gregory Lenoir Allman , known as Gregg Allman, is a rock and blues singer, keyboardist, guitarist and songwriter, and a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band. He was inducted with the band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Georgia...
, and Dicky Betts, Neel's songs have also been recorded by Gov’t Mule, John Mayall
John Mayall
John Mayall, OBE is an English blues singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, whose musical career spans over fifty years...
, Delbert McClinton
Delbert McClinton
Delbert McClinton is an American blues rock and electric blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, harmonica player, and pianist....
, Montgomery Gentry
Montgomery Gentry
Montgomery Gentry is an American country music duo composed of vocalists Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry. The two began performing in the 1990s as part of a band which also included Eddie Montgomery's brother John Michael Montgomery, and founded the existing duo in 1999.Signed to Columbia Records,...
, Keith Whitley
Keith Whitley
Jackie Keith Whitley , known professionally as Keith Whitley, was an American country music singer. Whitley's brief career in mainstream country music lasted from 1984 until his death in 1989, but he continues to influence an entire generation of singers and songwriters...
, Travis Tritt
Travis Tritt
James Travis Tritt is an American country music singer from Marietta, Georgia. He signed to Warner Bros. Records in 1989, releasing seven studio albums and a greatest hits package for the label between then and 1999. In the 2000s, he released two albums on Columbia Records and one for the defunct...
, The Oak Ridge Boys
The Oak Ridge Boys
The Oak Ridge Boys are an American country and gospel vocal quartet.The group was founded in the 1940s as the Oak Ridge Quartet. They became popular in southern gospel during the 1950s...
, Restless Heart
Restless Heart
Restless Heart is an American country music band established in 1984. The band's original members were John Dittrich , Paul Gregg , Dave Innis , Greg Jennings , and Verlon Thompson...
, Ann Peebles
Ann Peebles
Ann Peebles is an African American singer-songwriter who gained celebrity for her Memphis soul albums of the 1970s on the Hi Records label...
, Dorothy Moore
Dorothy Moore
Dorothy Moore is an American pop, R&B, and soul singer best known for her 1976 hit song, "Misty Blue".-Career:...
, and John Schneider
John Schneider
John Schneider is the name of:*John Schneider , American football player*John Schneider , Seattle Seahawks executive...
.
As a studio musician, Neel has lent his talents to recordings by a diverse group of artists including The Allman Brothers, Gov't Mule
Gov't Mule
Gov't Mule is a Southern rock jam band formed in 1994 as an Allman Brothers Band side project by Warren Haynes and Allen Woody.The band released their debut album Gov't Mule in 1995...
, Warren Haynes
Warren Haynes
Warren Haynes is an American rock and blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. Haynes is best known for his work as long time guitarist with The Allman Brothers Band and as founding member of the jam band Gov't Mule. Early in his career he was a guitarist for David Allan Coe and The Dickey...
, Dickey Betts
Dickey Betts
Forrest Richard "Dickey" Betts is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and composer best known as a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band. He was inducted with the band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and also won with the band a best rock performance Grammy Award for his...
, Montgomery Gentry
Montgomery Gentry
Montgomery Gentry is an American country music duo composed of vocalists Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry. The two began performing in the 1990s as part of a band which also included Eddie Montgomery's brother John Michael Montgomery, and founded the existing duo in 1999.Signed to Columbia Records,...
, Michael McDonald
Michael McDonald
Michael McDonald may refer to:*Michael McDonald , American "blue-eyed soul" singer*Michael McDonald , American actor-comedian*Michael McDonald , Jamaican runner...
, Todd Snider
Todd Snider
Todd Daniel Snider is an American singer-songwriter with a musical style that combines Americana, alt-country, and folk.-Biography:...
, David Allan Coe
David Allan Coe
David Allan Coe is an American outlaw country music singer who achieved popularity in the 1970s and 1980s. He has written and performed over 280 original songs throughout his career...
, Jeff Coffin
Jeff Coffin
Jeff Coffin is an American jazz and alternative rock musician best known as the saxophonist for Dave Matthews Band and Béla Fleck and the Flecktones. In addition to the saxophone, he plays clarinet, flute and oboe.-Biography:...
, Robert Gordon
Robert Gordon
Robert Gordon , a 17th century merchant and philanthropist, was born in Aberdeen. He was the only son of Arthur Gordon who married Isabella Menzies of Balgownie...
, Chris LeDoux
Chris LeDoux
Chris Ledoux was an American country music singer-songwriter, bronze sculptor and rodeo champion.During his career LeDoux recorded 36 albums which have sold more than six million units in the United States as of January 2007...
, Tiny Town
Tiny Town
Tiny Town is a miniature village of over 100 1/6 scale buildings close to Morrison, Colorado.-History:George Turner, owner of Denver business Turner Moving & Storage and a friend of Buffalo Bill Cody, began building a miniature town for his daughter in 1915...
, Suzy Bogguss
Suzy Bogguss
Susan Kay "Suzy" Bogguss is an American country music singer. In the 1980s and 90s she released one platinum and three gold albums and charted six top ten singles, winning the Academy of Country Music's award for Top New Female Vocalist and the Country Music Association's Horizon Award.After...
, Joe Diffie
Joe Diffie
Joe Logan Diffie is an American country music singer known for his ballads and novelty songs. Between 1990 and 2004, Diffie charted 35 cuts on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, including five number one singles: his debut release "Home", "If the Devil Danced ", "Third Rock from the Sun",...
, Colin Raye, and The Pirates of the Mississippi.
Biography
Neel was born in WilmingtonWilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
. He cut his first single, entitled "Talking About People", at the age of twelve, as Johnny Neel and The Shapes Of Soul, which was a hit on local radio in the Wilmington/Philadelphia area. As an adult, the Johnny Neel Band had a strong following up and down the east coast and released two well-received independent albums. Neel moved to Nashville in 1984. Performing with various bands in area clubs drew the attention of former Nashville resident Dickey Betts
Dickey Betts
Forrest Richard "Dickey" Betts is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and composer best known as a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band. He was inducted with the band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and also won with the band a best rock performance Grammy Award for his...
, who asked Neel to join his road band, and he soon began working on Bett’s solo LP for Epic Records. That relationship led to seven cuts on the Pattern Disruptive LP released in 1988, including the AOR hit, Rock Bottom.
Neel's talented keyboard and harmonica playing on the 'Pattern Disruptive album convinced Gregg Allman
Gregg Allman
Gregory Lenoir Allman , known as Gregg Allman, is a rock and blues singer, keyboardist, guitarist and songwriter, and a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band. He was inducted with the band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Georgia...
to ask Neel to tour with his road band which led to the inclusion of the cut Island on The Gregg Allman Band album (also released in 1988), co-written with Allman, Dan Toler
Dan Toler
Dan Toler, also known as "Dangerous Dan Toler", is an American guitarist.-History:A native of Indiana, Dan Toler became popular in the late 1970s as a member of Dickey Betts & Great Southern. He was featured on the albums Dickey Betts & Great Southern and Atlanta's Burning Down...
, and Tony Colton. In 1989 Neel was invited to join the reunited Allman Brothers Band. He immersed himself in touring, writing, and recording, which led to four cuts on the Allman's Seven Turns album (released in 1990), and the hit single Good Clean Fun, co-written by Neel with Allman and Betts. In 2002 country stars Montgomery Gentry included Good Clean Fun as part of their My Town album.
In 1994 the studio album Johnny Neel & The Last Word was released. This album included the song Maydell which was co-written with Warren Haynes
Warren Haynes
Warren Haynes is an American rock and blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. Haynes is best known for his work as long time guitarist with The Allman Brothers Band and as founding member of the jam band Gov't Mule. Early in his career he was a guitarist for David Allan Coe and The Dickey...
(Allman Brothers/Gov't Mule) and has been covered by the Allman Brothers on their Hittin' The Note album, and by John Mayall
John Mayall
John Mayall, OBE is an English blues singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, whose musical career spans over fifty years...
on his Wake Up Call album. The album also included the song Read Me My Rights which was co-written with Delbert McClinton
Delbert McClinton
Delbert McClinton is an American blues rock and electric blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, harmonica player, and pianist....
, and which was covered by McClinton on his Nothing Personal album, by Ann Peebles
Ann Peebles
Ann Peebles is an African American singer-songwriter who gained celebrity for her Memphis soul albums of the 1970s on the Hi Records label...
on her Full Time Love album, by Dorothy Moore
Dorothy Moore
Dorothy Moore is an American pop, R&B, and soul singer best known for her 1976 hit song, "Misty Blue".-Career:...
on her Stay Close to Home album, and by Dalton Reed on his Louisiana Soul Man album. This album featured appearances by Jack Pearson (Allman Brothers) on guitar and Delbert McClinton
Delbert McClinton
Delbert McClinton is an American blues rock and electric blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, harmonica player, and pianist....
on harmonica.
In 1995 Neel's album Commin' Atcha... Live was released and included live versions of Read Me My Rights and Maydell. The album captured a live appearance by Neel and his band The Last Word including Jack Pearson and most of the musicians on The Last Word album.
In 2000 Neel released Late Night Breakfast which was recorded at his Straight Up Sound Studio with the members of his band The Last Word along with special guests guitarists Shane Theriot (The Neville Brothers), and Rick Vito
Rick Vito
Rick Vito is a guitarist and singer. He was part of the band Fleetwood Mac between 1987 and 1991.Vito and Billy Burnette took over as guitarists after Lindsey Buckingham left Fleetwood Mac....
(Fleetwood Mac/Zoo), as well as Wayne Jackson
Wayne Jackson
Wayne Jackson is best known for his tenure as the CEO of the Australian Football League 1996 to 2003.- SANFL :Jackson played 71 games for West Torrens Football Club in the South Australian National Football League from 1965 to 1971 ....
(The Memphis Horns) on trumpet. Late Night Breakfast was released on Neel’s Breakin’ Records label.
During the period of time the Late Night Breakfast recordings were made Neel also became a member of Blue Floyd, an all-star jam band performing variations on the material of Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
. In addition to Neel, the band was composed of guitarist Marc Ford
Marc Ford
Marc Ford , is an American blues-rock guitarist. He's a former lead guitarist of the rock and roll jam band The Black Crowes and the leader of his own bands .-Burning Tree:Ford began his career with the blues-rock outfit Burning...
(Black Crowes), drummer Matt Abts
Matt Abts
Matt Abts is a Grammy Award-nominated American drummer best known as a member of the band Gov't Mule.-Biography:Abts started playing music while attending high school in Panama before relocating to Virginia where he spent the next eight years playing music regionally in vast number of local bands...
(Gov't Mule), bassist Berry Oakley Jr. (OKB Band) and until his unfortunate demise, Allen Woody
Allen Woody
Douglas Allen Woody was bass guitarist best known for his tenure in the rock groups The Allman Brothers Band, Gov't Mule, The Artimus Pyle Band, The Peter Criss Band, Blue Floyd, and Montage.-Biography:...
(Allman Brothers/Gov't Mule) on second guitar. Neel and Abts then went into the Straight Up Sound Studio and recorded the X2 funk/jam duo project. X2 - Johnny Neel / Matt Abts was released in 2002.
In 2004 Neel released the album Gun Metal Blue on his Breaking Records label which was also recorded at Straight Up Sound. These sessions included guitarists Chris Anderson (Blackhawk/Outlaws), George Marinelli (Bonnie Raitt/Bruce Hornsby), and Pat Bergeson
Pat Bergeson
Pat Bergeson is an American guitarist, harmonica player and occasional songwriter. Based in Nashville, he is best known for his live and session work with Chet Atkins, Lyle Lovett and Suzy Bogguss.-Biography:...
(Chet Atkins/Lyle Lovett), drummer Vince Santoro (Rodney Crowell/Highwaymen), and vocalists Joanna Cotten, and Neel's wife, Christine Thompson Neel.
Also in 2004, the album Johnny Neel and The Italian Experience was released on the Italian label Artesuono. This album included strings and horns as Neel moved in a Jazz direction. The album included members of the Italian blues/rock/jam power trio W.I.N.D. with which Neel has toured and recorded in Europe several times.
In addition to the Blue Floyd and X2 projects, Neel was a part of two other all-star collaborations. The group Deep Fried included Neel on keyboards, drummer Matt Abts
Matt Abts
Matt Abts is a Grammy Award-nominated American drummer best known as a member of the band Gov't Mule.-Biography:Abts started playing music while attending high school in Panama before relocating to Virginia where he spent the next eight years playing music regionally in vast number of local bands...
, guitarist Brian Stoltz (The Neville Brothers/The Funky Meters), and bassist George Porter Jr.(The Meters/The Funky Meters). Their album The Deep Fried Sessions - Live was released in 2004. The other group, The Grease Factor released two live recordings; Off the Cuff in 2004, and Live From Zambifest 2004 in 2005. The Grease Factor included guitarist Shane Theriot (The Neville Brothers), bassist Derek Jones
Derek Jones
Derek John Claremont Jones, CMG was a British and Hong Kong government official and a Senior Fellow of the Trade Policy Research Centre in London. He originally served in the British civil service and was posted to the Hong Kong Government in 1971...
(David Grisman), drummer Jeff Sipe
Jeff Sipe
Jeff Sipe is an American drummer. He is a rock and jazz fusion drummer, however, he is proficient in many other styles which he has demonstrated in his decades of drumming. He is a founding member of Aquarium Rescue Unit along with Col. Bruce Hampton...
(Leftover Salmon / Aquarium Rescue Unit), and percussionist Count M’Butu (Aquarium Rescue Unit).
Neel has provided vocals on five songs included on four Walt Disney Records CD releases related to the Pixar Animation Studios movie releases Finding Nemo, Cars, and Ratatouille. These include Saturday Night Fish Fry from the 2003 release Finding Nemo: Ocean Favorites, My Old Car from the 2006 release Lightning McQueen's Fast Tracks, One Meat Ball and Banana Split for My Baby from the 2007 release Ratatouille: What's Cooking?, and Hot Rodder's Lament from the 2009 release Mater's Car Tunes.
Most recently he has been recording and performing with his band The Criminal Element. Three albums have been released by Johnny Neel and The Criminal Element; Volume 1 (2007), Volume 2 (2008), and The CSI Chronicles (2010).
In 2010 Neel also released Harmonius, a solo project featuring only his vocals and keyboards.
Discography
Recording as Johnny Neel:- One Hot Night – 1981
- You Should've Been There (Live) - 1983
- Comin’ Atcha Live (Big Mo/Silverwolf) - 1995
- Late Night Breakfast (Silverwolf) – 2000
- X2 - Johnny Neel Matt Abts (Silverwolf) - 2002
- Gun Metal Blue (Breakin’ Records) - 2004
- Johnny Neel And The Italian Experience (Artesuono, Italy) - 2004
- Johhny Neel and The Criminal Element Vol 1 (Silverwolf) - 2007
- Johhny Neel and The Criminal Element Vol 2 (Silverwolf) - 2008
- Johnny Neel And The Criminal Element: CSI Chronicles (Silverwolf) CD/DVD - 2010
- Johnny Neel: Harmonious – (Homemade) CD/DVD – 2010