On Sunday, October 28th, at The La Belle Theater in South Charleston at 7 PM John Lilly presented his newest CD, “Haunted Honky Tonk.”   Other musicians that played  with him include Ginny Hawker, Robert Shafer, Buddy Griffin and Rebekah Long. About 60 people including myself and Frani attended and truly enjoyed his new music.

 John Lilly is not only a great WV-based musician but also the provider of music for some of WV’s best indie films including Mike Lilly’s award-winning “Correct Change” and B.J. Gudmundsson’s award-winning documentary, “#30 - Cal Price and the Pocahontas Times.”  He has a tune on the great CD created for the audio book of “When Miners March.” Most recently he has provided music for Bob Wilkinson’s coming film on Gray Barker, “Shades of Gray.”

 Robert Schafer, John Lilly, Rebekah Long, and Buddy Griffin.

All of the musicians on stage were superb including a young woman who played the bass. He sang the songs from the new CD. Probably the break-out single on the CD is “Bohemian Boys” which is based on the touching true story of his grandfather who was adopted. The funniest song was “Roadkill” which apparently is getting some air time in Australia. Also hilarious was “Pave My Grave.”

John is an amazing combination of youthfullness and soulfullness. He must have led quite a different life in his previous incarnation because both his young son and supportive wife were at the program, providing Halloween-themed cupcakes and other goodies, enjoying the night themselves. Lots of his musician friends were there including Kate Long, Bill and Becky Kimmons, and many more. My friend Amos Perrine, who is an expert on both music and film, was also present. I loaned Kate Long the DVD I recently screened in the same theater of Jacob Young’s film about The Amazing Delores.

 John Lilly and Ginny Hawker singing duets

Lilly left on Wednesday, October 31th, for his second appearance at The Thomas Fraser Memorial Festival, a music festival held each year on the Shetland Islands off the coast of Scotland in honor of Thomas Fraser, a well-known Scottish musician who sang in the style of Jimmie Rodgers, one of Lilly’s models. I am certainly pleased that at least 60 local people appreciate the world-class talent of our local singer - John Lilly.

from CD Baby - http://thegazz.com/gblogs/wvfilm/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&post=846

John Lilly is a multi-talented acoustic music performer from Charleston, West Virginia, specializing in Americana, roots country, and traditional folk music. His creative original songs recall the sounds of earlier generations, while his innovative treatment of early country and traditional music is timeless. According to one reviewer, “If Hank Williams had a sunny disposition, he’d be John Lilly.”John has released four self-produced CDs. “Broken Moon,” released in 2000, earned enthusiastic reviews and widespread radio airplay. Bluegrass Unlimited magazine called it one of the “most unusual and interesting acoustic disks of the year.” John’s second CD, “Last Chance to Dance,” released in 2003, debuted at the #1 position on the international Freeform American Roots radio chart and rose to the #4 position in Europe on the Euro-Americana radio chart. His third CD, “Blue Highway ,” released in 2005, is a collaboration with legendary Tennessee fiddler Ralph Blizard. “Haunted Honky Tonk” is his latest offering, already getting rave reviews and radio play.John is recognized nationally as a powerful performing songwriter. In 2005, he won the national Ghost Writers In the Sky songwriting contest, sponsored by HankFest, a Chicago-based festival honoring the music of Hank Williams. John won a customized guitar for his original song “ Blue Highway.” He was a finalist in the 2002 Chris Austin Songwriting Competition at MerleFest in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, chosen from 853 entries and placing third in the Country category for his song “Broken Moon.”
John was born in Illinois in 1954 and has traveled and performed widely. A former member of the Green Grass Cloggers dance team, John spent years playing traditional string band music with groups including Ralph Blizard and the New Southern Ramblers. He is a former a tour guide at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, and is currently editor of West Virginia’s Goldenseal magazine.

John Lilly outside The La Belle Museum

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