Primary Instrument: Guitar
Sugarcane Soulman
Even though he doesn't quite fit, Bonefish Johnny has found his place. For years he has been happily crossing over between the blues, funk and South Florida jamband scenes.
“That used to make me 'alternative', but nowadays it just means I was ahead of my time,” jokes the driving force behind legendary funk rock act Groove Thangs and the eclectic barband Shack Daddys.
Coming of age on Ramey Air Force Base in Puerto Rico, John Stacey spent his teen years surfing, drawing, picking the blues and digging all the great funk and soul music of the early 70's. Moving north to attend the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, he became enamored with the cultural mix of Florida. Soon John's career in advertising took a back seat to his vision of a unique regional sound. Incorporating blues roots, island grooves and vintage funk, he called it “sugarcane soul” and named himself Bonefish Johnny.
With his new Funky Roots Revue, Bonefish Johnny continues to craft his signature brand of sugarcane soul music, blending it live on stage with guest stars like the enigmatic Raiford Starke. Standout players plus an original repertoire make the Bonefish Johnny show still one of the best nights you can have musically anywhere.
Meanwhile Johnny keeps issuing tuneage from his bungalow hideout, marooned in the swamp yet plenty wired. Groove Thangs' “60 Somethin'” (from 2009's Loose Ends) was created via email and Bonefish acts out on YouTube, producing everything from a shopping show to video mash- ups of himself jamming with ancient blues legends.
Commenting on his latest record - It's video mash-up's that comprise “The Groovy Guitar of Bonefish Johnny,” a new six song EP of original instrumentals masquerading as an album side.Fuzzed out wah wah jams and throwaway strip twang underscore film clips of 70's car chases, kung fu fighting and sleazy go-go girls, 'Davie Allan meets Dennis Coffey at the grindhouse' is how Bonefish describes this mélange of retro exploitation riffs and celluloid kicks.
“How do you put '60's soul, calypso, reggae, blues, swampy New Orleans shuffles, trashy surf music, R&B, rap, funk, go-go, Carolina shag, Elvis and James Brown in the same sentence, let alone the same song?” -- Sun-Sentinel
