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John Eichleay Biography

john-eichleay
  • Born: in Pittsburgh, PA
  • Years Active: 2000s
  • Genre: Rock & Alternative

With a diverse litany of influences ranging from old blues to flamenco, Gypsy jazz, reggae, and rock, all of which he incorporates into a smooth, almost Beatlesque pop sound, guitarist and songwriter John Eichleay was born in 1978 in Pittsburgh, PA. He was surrounded by music as a child, with his mother favoring samba and his father favoring classical music, but it wasn't until his mother bought him a trio of albums (by B.B. King, Hank Williams, and Carole King) when he was 14 years old that Eichleay embraced becoming a musician. He started out on classical guitar but was soon exploring everything he could find, from blues and funk to jazz and bluegrass. In 1997 he moved to Chicago to attend DePaul University, where he became friends with guitarist Alfonso Ponticelli. After graduating with a degree in religious studies, Eichleay hung around in Pittsburgh until 2002, when he returned to the Chicago area and, hooking up with Ponticelli, joined Ponticelli's Gypsy swing band Swing Gitan, appearing on the group's debut album, Alfonso Ponticelli and Swing Gitan. Leaving the group and moving to Brooklyn, NY, Eichleay began playing as part of a trio with friends Jaime Bishop and Jordan Perlson, resulting in the self-produced John Eichleay (which also featured Adam Kipple on keyboards), which was released by Copper Beech Records in 2008. ~ Steve Leggett, Rovi

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