Michael Johnathon
Encyclopedia
Michael Johnathon is an American
folksinger
, singer-songwriter
, author
, and playwright
. He has written several books, released nine albums, and tours nationwide. While the great majority of his recordings are his own compositions; he has recorded many traditional and cover songs.
Originally from New York State, Johnathon moved to rural Mousie, Kentucky (in Knott County
) during the early 1980s in order to learn about the folk tradition. He began his career performing at schools and fairs and touring with established artists including Judy Collins
.
In the summer of 1993 Johnathon began producing the Troubador Concert Series at the Kentucky Theater
in Lexington, Kentucky
and the Paramount Arts Center
in Ashland, Kentucky
.
He also is the founder, producer and host of the WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour, a folk/roots/Americana multi-media program. The weekly show is a live webcast from the Kentucky Theater
in Lexington, Kentucky
which is also recorded for broadcast internationally on 493 radio stations. The broadcast is heard by over one million radio listeners and is carried by the rado service of the American Forces Network
(AFN) which broadcasts it to 175 countries and all US naval ships at sea. It is also on XM Satellite Radio
on XM-15 The Village. The live webcast of which there are two streams; audio and video, can be accessed weekly at the Woodsongs website There is also an archive site. The TV broadcast reaches at least 51 million TV homes nationwide on PBS and on the Bluehighways cable TV channel.
Johnathan wrote the script for the play Walden: The Ballad of Thoreau, performed in over 7,411 colleges, community theaters, high schools and home schools in nine countries for Earth Day
since its release in 2007.
The play is set during the final two days Henry David Thoreau spent at his cabin in Walden Pond. The production explores the roles we play in the protection of the earth, challenging the audience to live more simply, thus preserving the natural environment of their home communities.
A film of the play that aired nationwide on PBS stations nationwide was one of ten winners of the 2009 John Muir Award for Feature Film.
He also wrote the script for the motion picture project, "Caney Creek: The Legend of Alice Lloyd". It is the true story of the educator, Alice Spencer Geddes Lloyd
. Woodsongs Inc., a 501(c)(3) private foundation of which Johnathon is president is currently seeking tax-deductible donations to fund the project. All the proceeds from the release of the motion picture will be administrated by a selected overseer, and will contribute to or pay the costs of eligible Appalachian students to attend the college of their choice.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
folksinger
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, and playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
. He has written several books, released nine albums, and tours nationwide. While the great majority of his recordings are his own compositions; he has recorded many traditional and cover songs.
Originally from New York State, Johnathon moved to rural Mousie, Kentucky (in Knott County
Knott County, Kentucky
Knott County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1884. As of 2000, the population was 17,649. Its county seat is Hindman. The county is named for James Proctor Knott, Governor of Kentucky . It is a prohibition or dry county. Notable inhabitants include U.S....
) during the early 1980s in order to learn about the folk tradition. He began his career performing at schools and fairs and touring with established artists including Judy Collins
Judy Collins
Judith Marjorie "Judy" Collins is an American singer and songwriter, known for her eclectic tastes in the material she records ; and for her social activism. She is an alumna of the University of Colorado.-Musical career:Collins was born and raised in Seattle, Washington...
.
In the summer of 1993 Johnathon began producing the Troubador Concert Series at the Kentucky Theater
Kentucky Theater (Lexington)
The Kentucky Theatre is a historic cinema in downtown Lexington, Kentucky, United States, that first opened in 1922. It is currently owned by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government and leased to a private firm that shows films and also hosts concerts...
in Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
and the Paramount Arts Center
Paramount Arts Center
The Paramount Arts Center is a historic theater located in Ashland, Kentucky, in the United States. Listed as the Paramount Theatre on the National Register of Historic Places, this landmark theater is an important part of theater in Kentucky.-History:...
in Ashland, Kentucky
Ashland, Kentucky
Ashland, formerly known as Poage Settlement, is a city in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States, nestled along the banks of the Ohio River. The population was 21,981 at the 2000 census. Ashland is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the 2000 census, the...
.
He also is the founder, producer and host of the WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour, a folk/roots/Americana multi-media program. The weekly show is a live webcast from the Kentucky Theater
Kentucky Theater (Lexington)
The Kentucky Theatre is a historic cinema in downtown Lexington, Kentucky, United States, that first opened in 1922. It is currently owned by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government and leased to a private firm that shows films and also hosts concerts...
in Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
which is also recorded for broadcast internationally on 493 radio stations. The broadcast is heard by over one million radio listeners and is carried by the rado service of the American Forces Network
American Forces Network
The American Forces Network is the brand name used by the United States Armed Forces American Forces Radio and Television Service for its entertainment and command internal information networks worldwide...
(AFN) which broadcasts it to 175 countries and all US naval ships at sea. It is also on XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio is one of two satellite radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Radio. It provides pay-for-service radio, analogous to cable television. Its service includes 73 different music channels, 39 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels, 21 regional...
on XM-15 The Village. The live webcast of which there are two streams; audio and video, can be accessed weekly at the Woodsongs website There is also an archive site. The TV broadcast reaches at least 51 million TV homes nationwide on PBS and on the Bluehighways cable TV channel.
Johnathan wrote the script for the play Walden: The Ballad of Thoreau, performed in over 7,411 colleges, community theaters, high schools and home schools in nine countries for Earth Day
Earth Day
Earth Day is a day that is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's natural environment. The name and concept of Earth Day was allegedly pioneered by John McConnell in 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco. The first Proclamation of Earth Day was by San Francisco, the...
since its release in 2007.
The play is set during the final two days Henry David Thoreau spent at his cabin in Walden Pond. The production explores the roles we play in the protection of the earth, challenging the audience to live more simply, thus preserving the natural environment of their home communities.
A film of the play that aired nationwide on PBS stations nationwide was one of ten winners of the 2009 John Muir Award for Feature Film.
He also wrote the script for the motion picture project, "Caney Creek: The Legend of Alice Lloyd". It is the true story of the educator, Alice Spencer Geddes Lloyd
Alice Spencer Geddes Lloyd
Alice Spencer Geddes Lloyd was an American social reformer who founded Alice Lloyd College in Pippa Passes, Kentucky....
. Woodsongs Inc., a 501(c)(3) private foundation of which Johnathon is president is currently seeking tax-deductible donations to fund the project. All the proceeds from the release of the motion picture will be administrated by a selected overseer, and will contribute to or pay the costs of eligible Appalachian students to attend the college of their choice.
Discography
- Dreams of Fire (1990, PoetMan)
- Assassins in the Kingdom (out of print, 1995, PoetMan)
- WoodSongs (1995, PoetMan)
- WoodSongs I Book & CD Gift Set (1998, 176 pages plus WoodSongs CD, PoetMan)
- Road (2000, PoetMan)
- Homestead (2003, PoetMan)
- WoodSongs II Book & CD Gift Set (2004, 176 pages plus Homestead CD, PoetMan)
- Michael Johnathon and the Folkboy Orchestra-Live! (2004, Poetman) 64 min
- Evening Song (2006, PoetMan)
- Walden: The Earth Song Collection (2007, PoetMan)
- Walden: The Ballad of Thoreau DVD & CD Gift Set (2009, PoetMan)
- Ravenwood (2010?, Poetman)
External links
- Woodsongs.com Welcome page
- Michael Johnathon on FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
- Michael Johnathon at MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....