John Richardson

John Louis Richardson (born May 13, 1964) is an American drummer who has worked in rock and alt-country with such artists as Gin Blossoms, Badfinger, Wilco guitarist Jay Bennett, and 2012 CMA Song of the Year nominee Will Hoge. He is also owner of Drum Farm Studio in Menomonie, Wisconsin.

Career

Early career Born in Champaign, Illinois, John Louis Richardson started his professional career in 1980 with seminal Champaign-Urbana band The Martyrs. John was a founding member, along with fellow high school friends Kent Whitesell, Chris Bowe and Charles Andrews. The Martyrs reunited in 2010 for the re-release of their eponymous first album (originally released in 1983) and two live shows at the High Dive in Champaign, Illinois, on January 21 and 22, 2011. He also played in Champaign-Urbana bands Nix86 and The Vertebrats.

Tommy Keene On the release of Tommy Keene's Based on Happy Times in 1989, Richardson was recruited to play drums for the subsequent tour (along with Brad Quinn on bass) opening for The Replacements. He played on all Tommy Keene's following albums and tours from 1992 to 2009.

Joey Molland of Badfinger Richardson was tagged to play drums for Joey Molland (Badfinger) in 1990. He has toured the US, Canada and Europe with Molland/Badfinger and played drums on Molland's solo album, The Pilgrim, released in 1992.

Gin Blossoms From 2008 to 2012, Richardson played drums for the Gin Blossoms, touring all over the world and recording on their 2010 album, No Chocolate Cake. The band announced on its website on March 4, 2012, that Richardson had left the band to pursue other recording and performing projects. The band stated in its news release, "John is a great drummer and all of us support his passion for recording. We all wish him the very best and thank him for all his hard work and dedication."

Will Hoge

Richardson played with Will Hoge in 2012, touring across the US and playing the venerable Ryman Auditorium for the Grand Ole Opry.

Associations

Touring Richardson has toured with many artists, including Will Hoge, Gin Blossoms, Badfinger, Tommy Keene, Shoes, Catchpenny, Adam Schmitt, Garrison Starr, Tim Easton, The Bad Examples, Ralph's World, Three Hour Tour, Weird Summer and the Bay City Rollers. He has toured throughout the United States and in Canada, Japan, England, France, Spain, Holland, Belgium, The Philippines, Brazil, Kuwait, Iraq, El Salvador and Honduras.

Recording In the studio, he has played drums for Gin Blossoms, Joey Molland (Badfinger), Paul Chastain (Velvet Crush, Matthew Sweet), Tommy Keene, Shoes, Adam Schmitt, Keene Brothers (Robert Pollard and Tommy Keene), Garrison Starr, Robynn Ragland, The Bad Examples, Three Hour Tour, Weird Summer, Jay Bennett (Wilco), Billy Davis (Foghat), Randy Forte & the Reconstruction, Raymond Maclean, and The Dygmies.

He has worked with producers Jonathan Pines, Adam Schmitt and Mark Rubel (Champaign); Ken Coomer formerly of Wilco and Uncle Tupelo, Tom Bukovac and Joe Baldridge (Nashville); R Walt Vincent and Danny Wilde of The Rembrandts (Los Angeles); Otto D'Agnolo (Phoenix); Willie Wells (Woodstock, New York); and Jeff Murphy of Shoes (Chicago).

Fellow musicians Richardson has performed and/or recorded with musicians including Tom Bukovac, Audley Freed (Black Crowes), John Lancaster (Gary Allan), David LaBruyere (John Mayer), Brad Rice (Keith Urban), Brad Jones (Matthew Sweet, Tommy Keene), Ethan Pilzer (Billy Joe Shaver, Jewel, Big & Rich, Jay Bennett (Wilco) and Paul Chastain (Velvet Crush, Matthew Sweet).

Media

Television appearances Richardson has performed on Fox News All-American New Year's Eve and Twelve News Phoenix – Downtown Goes Live (with Gin Blossoms), Late Night with Conan O'Brien (with Tommy Keene), WGN News (with Shoes and WGN Morning News) and with Ralph's World).

Equipment

Richardson is currently sponsored by Maple Works Drums, Evans Drumheads, Paiste Cymbals, Vic Firth, Groove Juice, Slug Percussion, Heritage Cajon and Alclair In-Ear Monitors.

Discography

Albums and EPs 2018: Dichotomous Thinking, Elysium 2018: Randy Forte is Chas Randall, Randy Forte 2017: I Can Hardly Wait, Rich Kids 2017: Dawn Marie EP, Dawn Marie 2016: After All This Time/Young and Bittersweet (singles), The Surly Bells 2016: Disaster in Blue, Amanda Fama 2016: Tammy Jo, Tammy Jo 2016: I Am Enough, Tera Hinzman 2016: Fish Out of Water, Diver Ida 2015: High Tide Adventures, David G Moore 2015: Searching for the American Dream, War Poets 2015: The Small Square, The Small Square 2015: Laugh in the Dark, Tommy Keene 2015: Somewhere in Durand, Biesterveld 2015: Light Over There, Light Over There 2015: Action and Heroes, Three Hour Tour 2015: Freeway, Whale House 2015: American Police State, War Poets 2014: Paint the Fence, John Lynch 2014: Hot and Cold, War Poets 2013: This Old Town, Biesterveld 2013: The New Romantic, Randy Forte and the Reconstruction 2012: Eleven Steps from Where You Are, Randy Forte and the Reconstruction 2011: Ignition, Shoes 2011: Three, Catchpenny 2011: Wonder Falling Under, Randy Forte and the Reconstruction 2010: Tommy Keene You Hear Me: A Retrospective 1983-2009, Tommy Keene 2010: The Martyrs Remixed and Remastered, The Martyrs 2010: No Chocolate Cake, Gin Blossoms 2010: Never The First To Jump, David G. Moore 2010: Looking For Tomorrow, Three Hour Tour 2009: In The Late Bright, Tommy Keene 2008: I.S.O. (In Search Of), Weird Summer 2007: B Side Oblivion, Three Hour Tour 2006: Blues & Boogie Shoes, The Keene Brothers (Robert Pollard and Tommy Keene) 2006: Crashing the Ether, Tommy Keene 2004: Drowning—A Tommy Keene Miscellany, Tommy Keene 2003: Modern American Female Gut, Robynn Ragland 2002: The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down, Tommy Keene 2002: Chemistry, The Dygmies 2001: Showtunes, Tommy Keene 2001: The Palace at 4am, Part I, Jay Bennett & Edward Burch 2001: Demolition, Adam Schmitt 2000: Modern American Female Gut, Robynn Ragland 2000: Paragraph Thirteen, Robynn Ragland 1999: Incarnata Mysterica, Weird Summer 1998: Isolation Party, Tommy Keene 1997: Race to Mars, The Dygmies 1997: The Nerk Twins, (Jeff Murphy) 1996: Their Titanic Majesty's Request, Titanic Love Affair (Jay Bennett) 1996: Better Off At Home, Bludgers 1996: Ten Years After, Tommy Keene 1996: 1969, Three Hour Tour 1996: Day One, Figurehead 1995: Tore a Hole, Shoes 1995: Fret Buzz, Shoes 1994: Driving Into The Sun, Tommy Keene 1993: The Real Underground, Tommy Keene 1993: Illiterature, Adam Schmitt 1993: Yellow Pills: Best of American Pop 1, Tommy Keene and Adam Schmitt 1992: Sleeping on a Roller Coaster, Tommy Keene 1992: The Pilgrim, Joey Molland (Badfinger) 1991: World So Bright, Adam Schmitt 1983: The Martyrs, The Martyrs