John Sebastian

John Sebastian (born March 17, 1944) is an American songwriter and harmonica player. He is best known as a founder of The Lovin' Spoonful, a band named to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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Sebastian was born in Greenwich Village in New York City. His father, also named John Sebastian, was a noted classical harmonica player and his mother was a radio script writer. He grew up surrounded by music and musicians, including Burl Ives and Woody Guthrie and hearing such players as Leadbelly and Mississippi John Hurt in his own neighborhood.

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He came up through the Even Dozen Jug Band and the Mugwumps, which split to form the Lovin' Spoonful and the Mamas and Papas. Sebastian was joined by Zal Yanovsky and popular drummer-vocalist Joseph Campbell Butler in the Spoonful, which was named after a Mississippi John Hurt song.

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The Lovin' Spoonful became part of the American response to the British Invasion and was noted for such folk-flavored hits as "Jug Band Music," "Do You Believe in Magic," "Summer in the City," "Daydream," "Nashville Cats," "Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind," "Six O'Clock," and "Younger Girl."

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In the 1970s, Sebastian had a hit with the theme song to the Welcome Back, Kotter television show, which found new life decades later when a sample from it became the hook for rapper Mase's 2004 hit "Welcome Back". Recently, he has played with John Sebastian and the J-Band, a jug band including Fritz Richmond from the Jim Kweskin Jug Band, Yank Rachell, an original jug-band leader, and Geoff Muldaur.

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Several modern musicians cite him as a large influence, including renowned blues harmonica player, Mike Tetrault

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March 17: March 17 is the 76th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (77th in Leap years). There are 289 days remaining....

1944: 1944 was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar)....

American: :This page disambiguates the many uses of American. For an article about those various uses, please see Use of the word American....

John Sebastian related Images and Photos (experimental)

Discovery of America by John and Sebastian Cabot 1497	Sebastian Cabot Map Maker and Navigator Son of John Cabot	St. Sebastian Between Saints Jerom and John the Baptist 1522	St. Sebastian
St. Sebastian	St. Sebastian	Dr. John: Mercernary	Dr. John: Mercernary
John 3:16	John Q (BD)	John Q (DVD) (WS)	John F. Kennedy (Paperback)