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September 28, 2023
EPISODE 43
JOHN SONFMEL Sonofmel, an Americana artist, fuses outlaw country and folk, inspired by global travels and diverse experiences. His music blends storytelling and poetry, bringing the foreign to the familiar with undying optimism. Through song, he captures life's essence with reverent enthusiasm.
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GUEST ARTIST
“Sometimes it takes traveling far, far from home just to find out where you really come from,” says Sonofmel, who’s spent half his life on the road combing the sites, lights and shadows of creation for signs of the sacred here among the paths of the profane.
Mixing the influences of outlaw country and folk with an edge, he sings his own style of Americana with a beat up old Gibson and harmonicas. It’s this style, mixed with stories and poetry from the Aleutian Islands to Istanbul, from Baku to Berkeley, that John brings to the stage. From his first audience of 25 Alaskan Huskies he ran tours with through the Southern Rockies, he’s traveled near and far, often without cash or care, living off the imagery along the way, and meeting a rich cast of characters from toothless old Turkish street sweepers to fading Ottoman royalty, from drunken fishermen to reclusive captains of industry, from monks to swindlers, all helping him distill experience into verse and song, to bring the foreign home to the familiar.
As his lyrics declare, though “trouble never starves,” somewhere out beyond and within all the maladies of modern man, “the sky is just as blue as when Adam first kissed Eve.” Among the many shades of darkness cast about by this world’s light, it is his undying optimism and reverent enthusiasm for life that comes shining through his tales and tunes.
Mixing the influences of outlaw country and folk with an edge, he sings his own style of Americana with a beat up old Gibson and harmonicas. It’s this style, mixed with stories and poetry from the Aleutian Islands to Istanbul, from Baku to Berkeley, that John brings to the stage. From his first audience of 25 Alaskan Huskies he ran tours with through the Southern Rockies, he’s traveled near and far, often without cash or care, living off the imagery along the way, and meeting a rich cast of characters from toothless old Turkish street sweepers to fading Ottoman royalty, from drunken fishermen to reclusive captains of industry, from monks to swindlers, all helping him distill experience into verse and song, to bring the foreign home to the familiar.
As his lyrics declare, though “trouble never starves,” somewhere out beyond and within all the maladies of modern man, “the sky is just as blue as when Adam first kissed Eve.” Among the many shades of darkness cast about by this world’s light, it is his undying optimism and reverent enthusiasm for life that comes shining through his tales and tunes.
Episode Description
John Sonofmel, an American artist, fuses outlaw country and folk, inspired by global travels and diverse experiences. His music blends storytelling and poetry, bringing the foreign to the familiar with undying optimism. Through song, he captures life's essence with reverent enthusiasm.
Takeaways
What’s Next?!
Thank you for supporting this show by listening and sharing with your friends. If you liked this podcast, please rate and write a review of how this show has helped you. This will help us be able to increase our visibility nationally and in being able to make an impact on the profession.
If you would like to hear more about any specific topics, please email us at [email protected]. I would love to help support your community in all artistic disciplines.
Kristine Dizon
The Modern Artist Project
Takeaways
- Mistakes do not define a person and how individuals change over time.
- Maintaining a social media presence for promotion and marketing is challenging, but providing meaningful content and engaging with followers is important.
- The internet is described as a "monster" that needs to be controlled.
- Budgeting and realistic planning are necessary in pursuing a career in the arts.
- Staying balanced and finding inspiration from nature is important.
What’s Next?!
Thank you for supporting this show by listening and sharing with your friends. If you liked this podcast, please rate and write a review of how this show has helped you. This will help us be able to increase our visibility nationally and in being able to make an impact on the profession.
If you would like to hear more about any specific topics, please email us at [email protected]. I would love to help support your community in all artistic disciplines.
Kristine Dizon
The Modern Artist Project
