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John Garza, a multi-talented guitar player, vocalist and actor, has been singing and performing throughout the west for over thirty-five years. John can be described as an unorthodox and nondenominational player, equally at home in the genre of folk, country, jazz, punk, R&B, rock, reggae or stage drama. As a folk singer and actor, on television, radio, and live theatre, John has excelled in his performances.
Born in Houston Texas John started singing at 6 years of age with "a voice that made the old ladies cry". In his teens he spent a lot of time playing at coffee houses "Sand Mountain" (where Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt got started) and at parties with friends. He won outstanding vocalist in Houston while in the band The Midnight Shift and opened for local bands like Fever Tree and The Moving Sidewalks (later became ZZ Top), then spent a year or more singing with the band St Laufren.
Moving to Austin TX at age twenty John returned to his solo career playing many venues. In 1974 he won the songwriters' contest at the Kerrville Folk Festival and was joined at the winners concert by David Amram, renowned jazz musician and composer for the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. John returned the next year to Kerrville to perform on the main bill. Later on he appeared with 3 featured tracks on an album put out by B.F. Deal Records, along with Nanci Griffith, Frank Zigal, and Will Walker (B.F. Deal Sampler Vol 1 released 1976).
John was instrumental in the Austin Music Scene during the 70's opening for such names as Doug Sahm of the Sir Douglas Quintet/Texas Tornado fame, The Fabulous Thunderbirds (Stevie Ray and Jimmie Vaughn), blues great Marcia Ball, The Lost Gonzo Band (backup band for Michael Murphy and later Jerry Jeff Walker), Robert Shaw renowned barrel house pianist, and Bobby Bridger well known musician and historian.
John has opened for people like Taj Mahal, The Outlaws, Jesse Winchester, John Stewart (Kingston Trio fame) and Alice Walker (The Color Purple). John also appears as a back up vocalist on a song entitled (click on title to listen to Mp3) "Fool For A Blonde" written by Roger Bartlett (Jimmy Buffet's original Choral Reefer Band guitarist) which appeares in the cult movie classic "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre".
John has always been fond of the Theater and has performed in such roles as Ron in HAIR 1990 (The Other Society) opening the show with Aquarius; Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar 1993, (The Other Society) with a moving performance that rivaled the original performance; and Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof 1999 (Flagstaff Light Opera Company), his 8 performances of Tevye brought him 8 standing ovations.
Finding a new place in the music scene on the Internet, within a few months time he recieved rave reviews. With more than 20 years computer experience and his abiltiy as a musician John strives to bring his message to the world. John loves to sing, through his music and acting, John strives for a peace within himself and his world, and instills that very thing in his audience.
Be it through music or the spoken word, John Garza may well be the best-known, unknown musician around.
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