“I think Johnny is the most versatile guitar player I’ve ever heard. From Bill Monroe to Eddie Van Halen, he can play it all.” – Ricky Skaggs
Johnny Hiland holding his Signature PRS guitar
Johnny Hiland
To me, there are a lot of different traits that make a hero. These include being humble, nice, having a sense of humor, helping others, and making success out of an unlikely situation. Though no hero can have all the possible traits, I found many of them in the relatively unknown guitarist, Johnny Hiland.
Johnny Hiland was born in Woodland, Maine with a condition called nystagmus. This condition causes his eyes to move involuntarily and had him declared legally blind. He was a musical prodigy and started playing in the family band, the Three J’s, at age eight. Originally, he only listened to and played bluegrass, but when he saw Ricky Skaggs in concert, he was inspired to expand his listening to other styles. Throughout high school, he began listening to rock musicians like Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, and Eddie Van Halen. After high school, he went to college to become a history teacher. His life was changed when he was studying one day. His books on tape didn’t come in, so he was forced to read. After straining his eyes for hours, he realized it wasn’t worth it and moved to Nashville to pursue a career in music.
Johnny Hiland playing at the Winter NAMM festival During his first night in Nashville, he blew away a local band with his guitar playing. Soon he was getting calls to do session work for other artists. This is when he met his manager, Mac Wilson. Wilson got Hiland to play for Bruce Bolen, vice president of Fender Musical Instruments. Bolen was so impressed that he gave Hiland a full endorsement deal. The cover of Johnny Hiland’s self-titled CD Once again, Wilson fast forwarded Hiland’s career. He left an excerpt from one of Hiland’s tapes on Steve Vai’s voicemail. Soon after, Hiland was signed to the Favored Nations label. Though many artists have made their way to fame this way, you have to remember that Hiland has been legally blind his whole life. He can’t drive; he can’t read anything unless it’s right in front of his face, and in some cases, he needs to be guided to a location. If this isn’t overcoming difficulty, I don’t know what is.
Most can only imagine what he had to go through in school. With other kids making fun of him, it is a wonder that his spirit wasn’t completely crushed. In an interview with Modern Guitars Magazine, he stated that the guitar was an emotional outlet and a security blanket for him. Even though he gave up on being a history teacher, that doesn’t mean he gave up on being a teacher completely. Inspired by his own difficulties as a child, he made two guitar lesson DVDs, Chickin’ Pickin’ Volume 1 and Strictly Rhythm. As a child, he was unable to grasp concepts on guitar lesson videos, not only because he could not see what they were doing, but they didn’t slow down enough for him to grasp the concept. Also, as a regular part of his tours, he gives guitar clinics in colleges and guitar shops. When he was not touring, teaching or playing, Hiland spent time writing and illustrating the children’s book, Tuff the Special Bear. He has said in his interview with Modern Guitars Magazine that Tuff is about inspiring kids to find music and to help handicapped kids believe in themselves. “Music programs are diminishing in schools, I think it’s important that the kids find out just how inspirational it is to play music,” said Hiland.
You can’t judge everything on what you read on the Internet, though. However, in my case, I have actually met my hero. In person, he is exactly what you want your heroes to be like when you meet them. He is an incredibly nice person, despite all the people coming up to him throughout the day. He appreciates any compliment you give him and is very humble about his extraordinary abilities. Johnny Hiland is a great hero in my opinion. His life shows me that dreams can come true. His amazing personality lets me know that there is still goodness in the world. He inspires me to keep trying.
Johnny Hiland Rocks!
PUBLISHED ON JULY 21, 2008 AT 4:56 PM
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On July 28, 2008 at 9:07 pm John Denner Said: |Edit This
PRS Delivers Nashville Twang With New Johnny Hiland Guitar
February 23, 2006
After more than a year of collaboration with one of Nashville’s hottest guitar players, PRS Guitars is proud to introduce the Johnny Hiland Model. Johnny and PRS have teamed up to create an instrument that satisfies Johnny’s demanding style and extraordinary technique and produces tones covering a wide range of musical styles, including country.
Advertisement
The PRS Johnny Hiland model features a 24-fret bolt-on maple neck carved to his specifications. The instrument has a mahogany back with a highly flamed maple top, two very special Hiland humbucking pickups, a 3-way blade switch and a tone control with a push/pull coil tap that taps the neck pickup. The fingerboard inlays are specially designed black dots and a PRS Modern Eagle at the 12th fret. The Johnny Hiland model is available in most translucent PRS colors.
On July 28, 2008 at 9:42 pm John Denner Said: |Edit This
Johnny Hiland Interview
by Rick Messock
Johnny Hiland may not be a household name yet, but hang in there, this incredibly talented guitarist, motivational speaker, author, illustrator, and teacher will soon be revered in more than just guitar circles.
Hiland grew up in Maine, and was a musical prodigy, playing with the family band from age eight. Legally blind, he was studying at the University of Maine to be a teacher when he made his career decision to enter the music field and moved to Nashville where the “new kid” wow’d ‘em.
His teaching talents are evident on his guitar lesson DVDs, Chickin’ Pickin’ Volume 1 and Strictly Rhythm.
Favored Nations Entertainment has released his first album, titled Johnny Hiland, and he is currently at work on his second.
Hiland’s making stops around the globe with his power trio, The Johnny Hiland Trio, featuring Michael Hill on bass and Greg Strizek on keyboards. At Winter NAMM 2006 the trio pulled in crowds during each of its five shows with guitarists huddling up close to the stage with their eyesl fixated on Hiland’s flying fingers that lit up the fretboard.
Johnny was recently honored with a Paul Reed Smith Signature Model that was a collaborative effort between him and PRS’s master luthier Joe Knaggs. He also keeps a heavy touring schedule rolling along and offers guitar teaching clinics for PRS and masters classes at major music schools, including Berklee, the Atlanta School of Music and the Musician’s Institute in Hollywood.
Hiland’s whirlwind schedule also squeezes in time for him to be a motivational speaker and he’s just finished writing and illustrating his first childrens’ book, Tuff the Special Bear.
From child guitar prodigy to author, Johnny Hiland is a remarkable talent with so many tricks up his sleeve, we can’t wait to see what this stellar performer will unleash next.
Your schedule looks pretty hectic, yet you’ve managed to write “Tuff the Special Bear”, a childrens’ book.
Johnny Hiland It’s been a long time goal of mine. I really love children and because music programs are diminishing in school systems, I think it’s important that the kids find out just how inspirational it is to play music. Also, that music can go beyond a hobby to a career, if you show dedication and practice your instrument. It’s like anything else in life. I wrote Tuff the Special Bear to inspire handicapped children to take that extra step and believe in themselves.
Growing up with a handicap, it’s really not all that easy or fun, so I thought I could show kids there are things to inspire them and keep them going.
Honestly, I don’t know what I would have done in my life if it hadn’t been for the guitar. It was an emotional outlet and it was like a security blanket- I had the thing everywhere. It became an essential part of me and so I really wanted to show children with a handicap that you could pursue your dreams.
Of course, I’m a prime example of being a child that’s done that- overcome the odds. Children with a handicap are made fun of in school, and their self-esteem goes down. To have something like an instrument that makes you happy is a good balance.
PRS recently announced their new Johnny Hiland Model.
JH: I am blown away with that signature model! That guitar is just unbelievably awesome! It’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a guitar. Over the years, playing different guitars, I’ve had the chance to find out really what it was that I wanted.
How about a rundown on it?
JH: Basically, we did a mahogany back, and a maple top. I wanted a guitar that was going to offer the luxuries of playing many different genres. So it has the tremolo- I think the PRS tremolo is the best in the world, just amazing- you can dive bomb, you can do nice, pretty things when you’re playing ’50’s ballads.
Of course, I designed the back pickup to have a real spanky, country sound. You want that pop and snap for the country sound. It’s close to a tele sound, but real distinctive. It’s real punchy, but when you switch to rock, it has all the harmonic overtones- real bitey- and there’s a good balance in this pickup for rock music. There’s a great bass end, the highs shriek, and the mid-range is really punchy. It’s really a well-balanced pickup.
When they made [the front] pickup for me, PRS modeled it after the PRS-9, and that pickup is splitable.
[Editor's Note: the Hiland model provides the following settings: with push-pull tone pot "down", the toggle in the rear position activates the bridge humbucker; the middle toggle position combines the bridge humbucker with the neck split coil; and the front toggle position is the neck split coil only. When the tone knob is pulled "up," the toggle provides: back- bridge humbucker alone; middle- both humbuckers; and front- neck humbucker.]
What’s really cool about this guitar is that with the tone knob down on the forward pickup, you get a really “Stratty,” glassy blues sound. When you pull it up you have a real thick PAF jazz-box hollow body sound. It’s really a killer tone. I’m just in love with the tone of both pickups.
Why a 24-fret neck? Do you ever get up there?
JH: Oh sure. Playing rock you want to have those frets, but sometimes in country you want that too. When you get up into the “G” position, you have room and your hand is not cramped. I’ve got steak fries for fingers so I need to have that extra room.
The neck contour is a little different- basically, we took one of my favorite guitars and made a “C” old style neck down to the 12th fret, and from there it’s a wide, thin PRS neck.
I see the truss rod has been recessed.
JH: We recessed the truss rod cover, so you can bend behind the nut. The cool thing in when you bend on a tele behind the nut, you have to push the string down but you can over bend the note if you push too hard.
This guitar, you bend it right to the wood, and it gives a perfect whole tone on every string. It’s really easy to bend.
The thing I love about PRS as well is that when you play the country stuff the tremolo doesn’t throw out [the tuning] on your steel bends at all. And the bridge is still floating! I was just blown away with that.
I’m really in love with this guitar! It has every feature and is a multi-genre guitar for sure.
How about the controls? Are they standard?
JH: The knob position is different that a traditional PRS. Traditionally the PRS switch is where the tone knob is on this guitar. I wanted to have to the tone knob back behind the bridge, so that when I do the “Gatton wah” thing. Having the switch back there was a little hard for me to get at it, so I had the switch and tone swapped. So now it’s really cool too, cause when I play back by the bridge like I normally do, I can just flick my pinky and flick that switch down.
The guitar has a bolt-on neck. That’s what you like best?
JH: I really do. When you bend a lot on notes like me, you wear out frets very easily. After a few fret jobs, the neck starts wearing out. On this one you can just take the neck off and replace it.
I had a couple of PRS’s that PRS turned me on to in order to build this guitar. They first gave me a Custom 24, and a Swamp Ash Special. The Swamp Ash had a maple neck and 22 frets, and the Custom 24 had the wide thin neck with 24 frets. I loved the feel of the Custom 24 neck, but it wasn’t a bolt-on, the neck was a little chunky for me, and felt really short. I’m used to a Tele, so I needed a little longer neck.
We were on our way to open for Eric Johnson last year, and were at PRS when I called my drummer to get one of my Swamp Ash’s to take as a backup guitar. He broke off my key in the door and couldn’t get the guitar. So, PRS took me back into the artist cage and I saw a CE, which is the same as the Custom 24 with a bolt on neck. I found a real pretty tortoise shell one with an Indian rosewood neck, not real dark, but kind of light. I love the sound of rosewood, but I just can’t see them that well on stage, that’s why I really prefer maple. Not only is it easier to see, but it’s brighter, bigger and punchier.
You seem to like to click into the bridge pickup most of the time. Right?
JH: For the most part. I’m not afraid to switch pickups, but I’m always a bridge pickup guy first.
Do you keep the guitar’s volume and tone wide open, or do you tweak your sound with them?
JH: I’m actually very finicky. I’ve heard that Danny Gatton was constantly turning knobs, and of course, I’m a huge Gatton fan, and I guess what I’ve found is that I’m not a big compression guy. I don’t like to squeeze my tone too much and so I overset the compressor to almost be a boost. Then you’ re really pushing the amp as well. So I turn my guitar down to about ¾ and then I have the extra room.
If you want to do the steel guitar sound, I have the extra room to do the volume swells. As far as my tone knob is concerned, I do the “wah” thing that Danny used to do, but most of the time, my tone is all the way up.
I’ve read that you play a lot of instruments besides guitar- mandolin, fiddle, banjo. Do you stay up with all of them or do you focus mainly on guitar?
JH: I’ve been doing a lot of demos, mostly guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards to suit the genre that I’m in. I still play 5-string banjo, and enjoy that. I can still chunk around on the mandolin pretty good but I’ve definitely lots my chops on the fiddle. If you don’t use it, you lose it. When I was a kid, I could rip one up. Now I can get through a standard country tune on the fiddle and that’s about it.
Are you a “practice every day” kinda guy?
JH: I didn’t realize how I used to fight to get some of those bends. Since I’ve been using the PRS, I’ve had such a motivation and inspiration to play; I’m probably playing about 5-6 hours a day. Sometimes, I’m up in the middle of the night driving my wife crazy! I get a new melody in my head and I’ve got to write the song.
Speaking of songwriting, how do you do it? Do you start with melody, or do you strum into the lyrics?
JH:You know, it really depends on the song. There’s a song on my album called “Truth Hurts” when I was in the studio doing another demo and I played that lick by accident! I was like, “Whoa! I could use that!” So the lick was the starting point to make a song. Most times, I’ll write around a lick. I’ll hear a lick and go, “That’s it!”
So you compose on the guitar?
JH: Oh yeah. I used to have a hard time playing and notating. I know how to read music, but it’s hard to write out a 300 note solo. So I just play a lick, think about it, and when I’ve got the line, I’ll put it on the tape deck. When I get into the studio, I lay it down.
Fortunately, we have a friend in Nashville who lets me go into his studio gratis and play. He has some basses and drums, so all I do is bring my drumsticks and guitars, and have full access to lay down a demo.
How do you and your band work through the process?
JH: I pretty much lay down the demo and then give it to the band.
I’m experimenting with the band right now. When we do live shows, I’ll throw something new out there to the folks and see what kind of crowd reaction I get from it. I’ve found that people are really accepting me taking the country genre through a half stack and cranking the shit out of it. I’m using a drummer who plays with a double kick and a bass player who plays like Michael Anthony. Very loud! Country with a Van Halen rhythm section!
It’s been really fun for me. I’ve always been a big Van Halen fan- and the ’80’s rock stuff, Joe Satriani, and Steve Vai. People don’t realize, I’m out there playing these country shows and playing the honky tonk, but when at home I’m practicing that stuff!
Country music today is actually lending itself to a kind of ’70’s or ’80’s rock sound- the rock side of guitar.
What are you working on at the moment?
JH: I’m focusing on writing my new album now and I’m probably six or seven tunes into it. I send stuff into the label and then there’s a big artist/label collaboration, and of course, with the first album out, they say the sophomore album really has to smoke. So I’m really focusing on the theme of the album and really trying to make it more one fixed genre- pick a lane and drive. It will be the country chicken-pickin’ rock with a “Van Halen” rhythm section. There will also be some really cool country stuff. Flat-out clean channel as well.
You’re on the road a lot!
JH: We’re having a ball doing many, many different dates for PRS doing clinics and traveling the world. Last year I went to Mexico, Germany, Italy, and Japan.
We’re hitting as many road dates as we can where I’m promoting the first album while writing the second. I’m having a ball with it. I’m also trying to squeeze as much time in with my wife. I was recently married.
We rehearse the band in finished basement downstairs, and one of these days I’m going to put a studio in down there. I go downstairs and crank up the band, and my wife’s upstairs holding the dishes to make sure they don’t fall on the floor!
Related Links:
Johnny Hiland Website
PRS Guitars
Wayne Dennon Photography
5.4 quake rattles Los Angeles
A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.4 shook large parts of Southern California, shaking a wide swath from Ventura County to San Diego.
The quake shook downtown L.A. buildings and was felt as far east as Palm Springs.
Photos: Chino Hills earthquake
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It was centered near Chino Hills, about 30 miles east of Los Angeles, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
The magnitude of the quake was originally set at 5.8. But Caltech officials downgraded it to 5.4 and said they doubted the temblor caused major structural damage.
Kate Hutton, a staff seismologist at Caltech, said 11 aftershocks were recorded at various places, with 3.8 being the largest and the only one felt.
Earthquake
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Quake details from the U.S. Geological Survey
Graphic: How to quake-proof your home
“It was somewhat similar to the [1987] Whittier Narrows [quake]. Most everyone in the L.A. Basin felt it. Things will have fallen off shelves. I’d be surprised to see some structural damage. There could be some cases of cracked plaster and maybe broken windows, but not structural damage, which is when a building is compromised.”
She said today’s quake was significantly smaller than the Whittier Narrows quake. That one was on a blind thrust fault, hidden under sediment. Hutton said she did not know if today’s quake was the same. They are still trying to figure out the fault.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has activated the Office of Emergency Services.
The L.A. County Sheriff’s Department said it has no immediate reports of injuries.
The Stanley Mosk Courthouse on Grand Avenue has been evacuated as a precautionary measure. Security officials said they expect the building to reopen after one hour.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors were in closed session at the time of the earthquake and did not suspend their meeting.
The quake interrupted a meeting of the Los Angeles City Council, causing the 27-story City Hall to sway just as Councilman Dennis Zine was criticizing a plan to increase trash fees.
“Earthquake! Earthquake! We’ve got an earthquake,” said Zine, as members of the audience began to cry out. “It’s still happening.”
Orange County also felt shaking.
“It’s the first time in my life I actually got under my desk,” said Anaheim Police Sgt. Ken Seymour, who has lived in Southern California his whole life.
It’s too early to tell if there’s any major damage but all units are checking overpasses, bridges and tall buildings, he said.
Guitarist hitting all
the right notes
Updated: Friday, 08 May 2009, 8:45 AM EDT
Published : Thursday, 07 May 2009, 9:39 PM EDT
Story by: Jamie
John Denner http://www.JohnDennerRocks.com
(WTNH) – Despite only having one hand, a guitarist has gained nationwide attention and it looks like he’s just getting started.
Since he was a child, John Denner had an overwhelming magnetism towards the electric guitar, but never acted on it. Years later, his wife bought him a gift and it brought to life what was always inside him.
“I was born a musician, how good that is, it’s up to the listener. I was clearly born with musical talent,” John said.
Sometimes, talent must be awakened from a deep slumber. Decades after rock star dreams, the alarm went off when John wrapped his hand around an “Ernie Ball” tobacco-burst guitar.
“No role models. I was born without a right hand. There wasn’t anybody doing what I wanted to do. Every guitar player I looked up to, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Ace Freeley, Eddie Van Halen, they all had two hands,” he said.
Necessity is the mother of invention. Working around his birth defect, he devised a homemade prosthetic that could hold a pick. Then it was time to rock.
A little more than a year after pick met string, John’s talent erupted. He won an online guitar contest playing Eddie Van Halen’s classic solo, “Eruption.” That got the attention of Howard Stern, who asked John to come to New York and play on his show. As Jimi Hendrix said, “Excuse me while I kiss the sky!”
“I never stopped for a second to look at my arm and say, ‘This is not possible.’ It was a problem-solution. Everything I do on a guitar is a problem-solution,” John said.
After that, John’s life changed as fast as he shreds the axe. John jovially jams with legendary electric-guitar inventor Les Paul in New York. He’s featured in several trade magazines, and will soon release an instructional DVD. But perhaps the greatest accolades come from thousands of e-mails, written by those who empathize and emulate John.
“I was confined to a wheel chair [but] a story about you has inspired me to keep pushing,” one e-mail said.
“You have the power to help others,” said another.
All those words were music to John’s ears. John has proven that he can and that it is possible.
“I could have one hand being afraid of doing what I love, or I could have one hand playing guitar. I’m always going to have one hand, I might as well make this life fun,” John said.
John works with both Operation First Response , a group helping wounded veterans and the Amputee Coalition of America to inspire people with limb loss. He is also developing a new prosthesis so those like him can also play the six string.
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Comments (9)
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0
Sara Reynolds · 1 week ago
Great story !
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0
Michael Delaney · 1 week ago
Change and growth take place when a person has risked himself and dares to become involved with experimenting with his own life.
BRAVO!
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0
Doug McKenna · 1 week ago
I love this guy. He is as good a person as is a guitar player.
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0
Way Cool · 1 week ago
This guy should receive more than just a chance to play for Howard Stern. People give up too easy. Keep following your dream, John….!!!! I’d love to hear he put out an album with all his wounded veteran followers. I would buy that album in a heart beat.
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0
gladys · 1 week ago
John……you are truly an inspiration. Keep soaring as a reminder to all that “nothing is impossible” if the will is there!!!
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0
newhavennewsguy · 1 week ago
The Register did this story more than a year ago ….
http://www.youtube.com/yodavanhalen
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0
MikeM · 1 week ago
He’s just playing 80’s rock riffs, most of that suff you can play with one finger let alone one hand. You guys make him out to be the greatest thing since sliced bread. Yeah it sucks he doesn’t have a hand but come on.
Report Reply
0
DAVER · 1 week ago
Amazing !! This part of the Article really inspires me!!
A little more than a year after pick met string, John’s talent erupted. He won an online guitar contest playing Eddie Van Halen’s classic solo, “Eruption.” That got the attention of Howard Stern, who asked John to come to New York and play on his show. As Jimi Hendrix said, “Excuse me while I kiss the sky!”
“I never stopped for a second to look at my arm and say, ‘This is not possible.’ It was a problem-solution. Everything I do on a guitar is a problem-solution,” John said.
After that, John’s life changed as fast as he shreds the axe. John jovially jams with legendary electric-guitar inventor Les Paul in New York. He’s featured in several trade magazines, and will soon release an instructional DVD. But perhaps the greatest accolades come from thousands of e-mails, written by those who empathize and emulate John.
“I was confined to a wheel chair [but] a story about you has inspired me to keep pushing,” one e-mail said.
“You have the power to help others,” said another.
All those words were music to John’s ears. John has proven that he can and that it is possible.
“I could have one hand being afraid of doing what I love, or I could have one hand playing guitar. I’m always going to have one hand, I might as well make this life fun,” John said.
Great work channel 8 and thank you John for everything you do!
Report Reply
“I think Johnny is the most versatile guitar player I’ve ever heard. From Bill Monroe to Eddie Van Halen, he can play it all.” – Ricky Skaggs
Johnny Hiland holding his Signature PRS guitar
Johnny Hiland
To me, there are a lot of different traits that make a hero. These include being humble, nice, having a sense of humor, helping others, and making success out of an unlikely situation. Though no hero can have all the possible traits, I found many of them in the relatively unknown guitarist, Johnny Hiland.
Johnny Hiland was born in Woodland, Maine with a condition called nystagmus. This condition causes his eyes to move involuntarily and had him declared legally blind. He was a musical prodigy and started playing in the family band, the Three J’s, at age eight. Originally, he only listened to and played bluegrass, but when he saw Ricky Skaggs in concert, he was inspired to expand his listening to other styles. Throughout high school, he began listening to rock musicians like Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson, and Eddie Van Halen. After high school, he went to college to become a history teacher. His life was changed when he was studying one day. His books on tape didn’t come in, so he was forced to read. After straining his eyes for hours, he realized it wasn’t worth it and moved to Nashville to pursue a career in music.
Johnny Hiland playing at the Winter NAMM festival During his first night in Nashville, he blew away a local band with his guitar playing. Soon he was getting calls to do session work for other artists. This is when he met his manager, Mac Wilson. Wilson got Hiland to play for Bruce Bolen, vice president of Fender Musical Instruments. Bolen was so impressed that he gave Hiland a full endorsement deal. The cover of Johnny Hiland’s self-titled CD Once again, Wilson fast forwarded Hiland’s career. He left an excerpt from one of Hiland’s tapes on Steve Vai’s voicemail. Soon after, Hiland was signed to the Favored Nations label. Though many artists have made their way to fame this way, you have to remember that Hiland has been legally blind his whole life. He can’t drive; he can’t read anything unless it’s right in front of his face, and in some cases, he needs to be guided to a location. If this isn’t overcoming difficulty, I don’t know what is.
Most can only imagine what he had to go through in school. With other kids making fun of him, it is a wonder that his spirit wasn’t completely crushed. In an interview with Modern Guitars Magazine, he stated that the guitar was an emotional outlet and a security blanket for him. Even though he gave up on being a history teacher, that doesn’t mean he gave up on being a teacher completely. Inspired by his own difficulties as a child, he made two guitar lesson DVDs, Chickin’ Pickin’ Volume 1 and Strictly Rhythm. As a child, he was unable to grasp concepts on guitar lesson videos, not only because he could not see what they were doing, but they didn’t slow down enough for him to grasp the concept. Also, as a regular part of his tours, he gives guitar clinics in colleges and guitar shops. When he was not touring, teaching or playing, Hiland spent time writing and illustrating the children’s book, Tuff the Special Bear. He has said in his interview with Modern Guitars Magazine that Tuff is about inspiring kids to find music and to help handicapped kids believe in themselves. “Music programs are diminishing in schools, I think it’s important that the kids find out just how inspirational it is to play music,” said Hiland.
You can’t judge everything on what you read on the Internet, though. However, in my case, I have actually met my hero. In person, he is exactly what you want your heroes to be like when you meet them. He is an incredibly nice person, despite all the people coming up to him throughout the day. He appreciates any compliment you give him and is very humble about his extraordinary abilities. Johnny Hiland is a great hero in my opinion. His life shows me that dreams can come true. His amazing personality lets me know that there is still goodness in the world. He inspires me to keep trying.
Johnny Hiland Rocks!
PUBLISHED ON JULY 21, 2008 AT 4:56 PM
RSS feed for comments on this post.
3 Comments Leave a comment.
On July 28, 2008 at 9:07 pm John Denner Said: |Edit This
PRS Delivers Nashville Twang With New Johnny Hiland Guitar
February 23, 2006
After more than a year of collaboration with one of Nashville’s hottest guitar players, PRS Guitars is proud to introduce the Johnny Hiland Model. Johnny and PRS have teamed up to create an instrument that satisfies Johnny’s demanding style and extraordinary technique and produces tones covering a wide range of musical styles, including country.
Advertisement
The PRS Johnny Hiland model features a 24-fret bolt-on maple neck carved to his specifications. The instrument has a mahogany back with a highly flamed maple top, two very special Hiland humbucking pickups, a 3-way blade switch and a tone control with a push/pull coil tap that taps the neck pickup. The fingerboard inlays are specially designed black dots and a PRS Modern Eagle at the 12th fret. The Johnny Hiland model is available in most translucent PRS colors.
For more information, visit their web site at http://www.prsguitars.com.
On July 28, 2008 at 9:08 pm John Denner Said: |Edit This
John Denner
http://www.JohnDennerRocks.com
Johnny Hiland Rocks!
On July 28, 2008 at 9:42 pm John Denner Said: |Edit This
Johnny Hiland Interview
by Rick Messock
Johnny Hiland may not be a household name yet, but hang in there, this incredibly talented guitarist, motivational speaker, author, illustrator, and teacher will soon be revered in more than just guitar circles.
Hiland grew up in Maine, and was a musical prodigy, playing with the family band from age eight. Legally blind, he was studying at the University of Maine to be a teacher when he made his career decision to enter the music field and moved to Nashville where the “new kid” wow’d ‘em.
His teaching talents are evident on his guitar lesson DVDs, Chickin’ Pickin’ Volume 1 and Strictly Rhythm.
Favored Nations Entertainment has released his first album, titled Johnny Hiland, and he is currently at work on his second.
Hiland’s making stops around the globe with his power trio, The Johnny Hiland Trio, featuring Michael Hill on bass and Greg Strizek on keyboards. At Winter NAMM 2006 the trio pulled in crowds during each of its five shows with guitarists huddling up close to the stage with their eyesl fixated on Hiland’s flying fingers that lit up the fretboard.
Johnny was recently honored with a Paul Reed Smith Signature Model that was a collaborative effort between him and PRS’s master luthier Joe Knaggs. He also keeps a heavy touring schedule rolling along and offers guitar teaching clinics for PRS and masters classes at major music schools, including Berklee, the Atlanta School of Music and the Musician’s Institute in Hollywood.
Hiland’s whirlwind schedule also squeezes in time for him to be a motivational speaker and he’s just finished writing and illustrating his first childrens’ book, Tuff the Special Bear.
From child guitar prodigy to author, Johnny Hiland is a remarkable talent with so many tricks up his sleeve, we can’t wait to see what this stellar performer will unleash next.
Your schedule looks pretty hectic, yet you’ve managed to write “Tuff the Special Bear”, a childrens’ book.
Johnny Hiland It’s been a long time goal of mine. I really love children and because music programs are diminishing in school systems, I think it’s important that the kids find out just how inspirational it is to play music. Also, that music can go beyond a hobby to a career, if you show dedication and practice your instrument. It’s like anything else in life. I wrote Tuff the Special Bear to inspire handicapped children to take that extra step and believe in themselves.
Growing up with a handicap, it’s really not all that easy or fun, so I thought I could show kids there are things to inspire them and keep them going.
Honestly, I don’t know what I would have done in my life if it hadn’t been for the guitar. It was an emotional outlet and it was like a security blanket- I had the thing everywhere. It became an essential part of me and so I really wanted to show children with a handicap that you could pursue your dreams.
Of course, I’m a prime example of being a child that’s done that- overcome the odds. Children with a handicap are made fun of in school, and their self-esteem goes down. To have something like an instrument that makes you happy is a good balance.
PRS recently announced their new Johnny Hiland Model.
JH: I am blown away with that signature model! That guitar is just unbelievably awesome! It’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a guitar. Over the years, playing different guitars, I’ve had the chance to find out really what it was that I wanted.
How about a rundown on it?
JH: Basically, we did a mahogany back, and a maple top. I wanted a guitar that was going to offer the luxuries of playing many different genres. So it has the tremolo- I think the PRS tremolo is the best in the world, just amazing- you can dive bomb, you can do nice, pretty things when you’re playing ’50’s ballads.
Of course, I designed the back pickup to have a real spanky, country sound. You want that pop and snap for the country sound. It’s close to a tele sound, but real distinctive. It’s real punchy, but when you switch to rock, it has all the harmonic overtones- real bitey- and there’s a good balance in this pickup for rock music. There’s a great bass end, the highs shriek, and the mid-range is really punchy. It’s really a well-balanced pickup.
When they made [the front] pickup for me, PRS modeled it after the PRS-9, and that pickup is splitable.
[Editor's Note: the Hiland model provides the following settings: with push-pull tone pot "down", the toggle in the rear position activates the bridge humbucker; the middle toggle position combines the bridge humbucker with the neck split coil; and the front toggle position is the neck split coil only. When the tone knob is pulled "up," the toggle provides: back- bridge humbucker alone; middle- both humbuckers; and front- neck humbucker.]
What’s really cool about this guitar is that with the tone knob down on the forward pickup, you get a really “Stratty,” glassy blues sound. When you pull it up you have a real thick PAF jazz-box hollow body sound. It’s really a killer tone. I’m just in love with the tone of both pickups.
Why a 24-fret neck? Do you ever get up there?
JH: Oh sure. Playing rock you want to have those frets, but sometimes in country you want that too. When you get up into the “G” position, you have room and your hand is not cramped. I’ve got steak fries for fingers so I need to have that extra room.
The neck contour is a little different- basically, we took one of my favorite guitars and made a “C” old style neck down to the 12th fret, and from there it’s a wide, thin PRS neck.
I see the truss rod has been recessed.
JH: We recessed the truss rod cover, so you can bend behind the nut. The cool thing in when you bend on a tele behind the nut, you have to push the string down but you can over bend the note if you push too hard.
This guitar, you bend it right to the wood, and it gives a perfect whole tone on every string. It’s really easy to bend.
The thing I love about PRS as well is that when you play the country stuff the tremolo doesn’t throw out [the tuning] on your steel bends at all. And the bridge is still floating! I was just blown away with that.
I’m really in love with this guitar! It has every feature and is a multi-genre guitar for sure.
How about the controls? Are they standard?
JH: The knob position is different that a traditional PRS. Traditionally the PRS switch is where the tone knob is on this guitar. I wanted to have to the tone knob back behind the bridge, so that when I do the “Gatton wah” thing. Having the switch back there was a little hard for me to get at it, so I had the switch and tone swapped. So now it’s really cool too, cause when I play back by the bridge like I normally do, I can just flick my pinky and flick that switch down.
The guitar has a bolt-on neck. That’s what you like best?
JH: I really do. When you bend a lot on notes like me, you wear out frets very easily. After a few fret jobs, the neck starts wearing out. On this one you can just take the neck off and replace it.
I had a couple of PRS’s that PRS turned me on to in order to build this guitar. They first gave me a Custom 24, and a Swamp Ash Special. The Swamp Ash had a maple neck and 22 frets, and the Custom 24 had the wide thin neck with 24 frets. I loved the feel of the Custom 24 neck, but it wasn’t a bolt-on, the neck was a little chunky for me, and felt really short. I’m used to a Tele, so I needed a little longer neck.
We were on our way to open for Eric Johnson last year, and were at PRS when I called my drummer to get one of my Swamp Ash’s to take as a backup guitar. He broke off my key in the door and couldn’t get the guitar. So, PRS took me back into the artist cage and I saw a CE, which is the same as the Custom 24 with a bolt on neck. I found a real pretty tortoise shell one with an Indian rosewood neck, not real dark, but kind of light. I love the sound of rosewood, but I just can’t see them that well on stage, that’s why I really prefer maple. Not only is it easier to see, but it’s brighter, bigger and punchier.
You seem to like to click into the bridge pickup most of the time. Right?
JH: For the most part. I’m not afraid to switch pickups, but I’m always a bridge pickup guy first.
Do you keep the guitar’s volume and tone wide open, or do you tweak your sound with them?
JH: I’m actually very finicky. I’ve heard that Danny Gatton was constantly turning knobs, and of course, I’m a huge Gatton fan, and I guess what I’ve found is that I’m not a big compression guy. I don’t like to squeeze my tone too much and so I overset the compressor to almost be a boost. Then you’ re really pushing the amp as well. So I turn my guitar down to about ¾ and then I have the extra room.
If you want to do the steel guitar sound, I have the extra room to do the volume swells. As far as my tone knob is concerned, I do the “wah” thing that Danny used to do, but most of the time, my tone is all the way up.
I’ve read that you play a lot of instruments besides guitar- mandolin, fiddle, banjo. Do you stay up with all of them or do you focus mainly on guitar?
JH: I’ve been doing a lot of demos, mostly guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards to suit the genre that I’m in. I still play 5-string banjo, and enjoy that. I can still chunk around on the mandolin pretty good but I’ve definitely lots my chops on the fiddle. If you don’t use it, you lose it. When I was a kid, I could rip one up. Now I can get through a standard country tune on the fiddle and that’s about it.
Are you a “practice every day” kinda guy?
JH: I didn’t realize how I used to fight to get some of those bends. Since I’ve been using the PRS, I’ve had such a motivation and inspiration to play; I’m probably playing about 5-6 hours a day. Sometimes, I’m up in the middle of the night driving my wife crazy! I get a new melody in my head and I’ve got to write the song.
Speaking of songwriting, how do you do it? Do you start with melody, or do you strum into the lyrics?
JH:You know, it really depends on the song. There’s a song on my album called “Truth Hurts” when I was in the studio doing another demo and I played that lick by accident! I was like, “Whoa! I could use that!” So the lick was the starting point to make a song. Most times, I’ll write around a lick. I’ll hear a lick and go, “That’s it!”
So you compose on the guitar?
JH: Oh yeah. I used to have a hard time playing and notating. I know how to read music, but it’s hard to write out a 300 note solo. So I just play a lick, think about it, and when I’ve got the line, I’ll put it on the tape deck. When I get into the studio, I lay it down.
Fortunately, we have a friend in Nashville who lets me go into his studio gratis and play. He has some basses and drums, so all I do is bring my drumsticks and guitars, and have full access to lay down a demo.
How do you and your band work through the process?
JH: I pretty much lay down the demo and then give it to the band.
I’m experimenting with the band right now. When we do live shows, I’ll throw something new out there to the folks and see what kind of crowd reaction I get from it. I’ve found that people are really accepting me taking the country genre through a half stack and cranking the shit out of it. I’m using a drummer who plays with a double kick and a bass player who plays like Michael Anthony. Very loud! Country with a Van Halen rhythm section!
It’s been really fun for me. I’ve always been a big Van Halen fan- and the ’80’s rock stuff, Joe Satriani, and Steve Vai. People don’t realize, I’m out there playing these country shows and playing the honky tonk, but when at home I’m practicing that stuff!
Country music today is actually lending itself to a kind of ’70’s or ’80’s rock sound- the rock side of guitar.
What are you working on at the moment?
JH: I’m focusing on writing my new album now and I’m probably six or seven tunes into it. I send stuff into the label and then there’s a big artist/label collaboration, and of course, with the first album out, they say the sophomore album really has to smoke. So I’m really focusing on the theme of the album and really trying to make it more one fixed genre- pick a lane and drive. It will be the country chicken-pickin’ rock with a “Van Halen” rhythm section. There will also be some really cool country stuff. Flat-out clean channel as well.
You’re on the road a lot!
JH: We’re having a ball doing many, many different dates for PRS doing clinics and traveling the world. Last year I went to Mexico, Germany, Italy, and Japan.
We’re hitting as many road dates as we can where I’m promoting the first album while writing the second. I’m having a ball with it. I’m also trying to squeeze as much time in with my wife. I was recently married.
We rehearse the band in finished basement downstairs, and one of these days I’m going to put a studio in down there. I go downstairs and crank up the band, and my wife’s upstairs holding the dishes to make sure they don’t fall on the floor!
Related Links:
Johnny Hiland Website
PRS Guitars
Wayne Dennon Photography
Johnny Hiland Rocks!!!
5.4 quake rattles Los Angeles
A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.4 shook large parts of Southern California, shaking a wide swath from Ventura County to San Diego.
The quake shook downtown L.A. buildings and was felt as far east as Palm Springs.
Photos: Chino Hills earthquake
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It was centered near Chino Hills, about 30 miles east of Los Angeles, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
The magnitude of the quake was originally set at 5.8. But Caltech officials downgraded it to 5.4 and said they doubted the temblor caused major structural damage.
Kate Hutton, a staff seismologist at Caltech, said 11 aftershocks were recorded at various places, with 3.8 being the largest and the only one felt.
Earthquake
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Quake details from the U.S. Geological Survey
Graphic: How to quake-proof your home
“It was somewhat similar to the [1987] Whittier Narrows [quake]. Most everyone in the L.A. Basin felt it. Things will have fallen off shelves. I’d be surprised to see some structural damage. There could be some cases of cracked plaster and maybe broken windows, but not structural damage, which is when a building is compromised.”
She said today’s quake was significantly smaller than the Whittier Narrows quake. That one was on a blind thrust fault, hidden under sediment. Hutton said she did not know if today’s quake was the same. They are still trying to figure out the fault.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has activated the Office of Emergency Services.
The L.A. County Sheriff’s Department said it has no immediate reports of injuries.
The Stanley Mosk Courthouse on Grand Avenue has been evacuated as a precautionary measure. Security officials said they expect the building to reopen after one hour.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors were in closed session at the time of the earthquake and did not suspend their meeting.
The quake interrupted a meeting of the Los Angeles City Council, causing the 27-story City Hall to sway just as Councilman Dennis Zine was criticizing a plan to increase trash fees.
“Earthquake! Earthquake! We’ve got an earthquake,” said Zine, as members of the audience began to cry out. “It’s still happening.”
Orange County also felt shaking.
“It’s the first time in my life I actually got under my desk,” said Anaheim Police Sgt. Ken Seymour, who has lived in Southern California his whole life.
It’s too early to tell if there’s any major damage but all units are checking overpasses, bridges and tall buildings, he said.
John Denner
Guitarist hitting all
the right notes
Updated: Friday, 08 May 2009, 8:45 AM EDT
Published : Thursday, 07 May 2009, 9:39 PM EDT
Story by: Jamie
John Denner
http://www.JohnDennerRocks.com
(WTNH) – Despite only having one hand, a guitarist has gained nationwide attention and it looks like he’s just getting started.
Since he was a child, John Denner had an overwhelming magnetism towards the electric guitar, but never acted on it. Years later, his wife bought him a gift and it brought to life what was always inside him.
“I was born a musician, how good that is, it’s up to the listener. I was clearly born with musical talent,” John said.
Sometimes, talent must be awakened from a deep slumber. Decades after rock star dreams, the alarm went off when John wrapped his hand around an “Ernie Ball” tobacco-burst guitar.
“No role models. I was born without a right hand. There wasn’t anybody doing what I wanted to do. Every guitar player I looked up to, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Ace Freeley, Eddie Van Halen, they all had two hands,” he said.
Necessity is the mother of invention. Working around his birth defect, he devised a homemade prosthetic that could hold a pick. Then it was time to rock.
A little more than a year after pick met string, John’s talent erupted. He won an online guitar contest playing Eddie Van Halen’s classic solo, “Eruption.” That got the attention of Howard Stern, who asked John to come to New York and play on his show. As Jimi Hendrix said, “Excuse me while I kiss the sky!”
“I never stopped for a second to look at my arm and say, ‘This is not possible.’ It was a problem-solution. Everything I do on a guitar is a problem-solution,” John said.
After that, John’s life changed as fast as he shreds the axe. John jovially jams with legendary electric-guitar inventor Les Paul in New York. He’s featured in several trade magazines, and will soon release an instructional DVD. But perhaps the greatest accolades come from thousands of e-mails, written by those who empathize and emulate John.
“I was confined to a wheel chair [but] a story about you has inspired me to keep pushing,” one e-mail said.
“You have the power to help others,” said another.
All those words were music to John’s ears. John has proven that he can and that it is possible.
“I could have one hand being afraid of doing what I love, or I could have one hand playing guitar. I’m always going to have one hand, I might as well make this life fun,” John said.
John works with both Operation First Response , a group helping wounded veterans and the Amputee Coalition of America to inspire people with limb loss. He is also developing a new prosthesis so those like him can also play the six string.
Visit http://johndennerrocks.com/ to find out more.
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Comments (9)
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Sara Reynolds · 1 week ago
Great story !
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Michael Delaney · 1 week ago
Change and growth take place when a person has risked himself and dares to become involved with experimenting with his own life.
BRAVO!
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Doug McKenna · 1 week ago
I love this guy. He is as good a person as is a guitar player.
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Way Cool · 1 week ago
This guy should receive more than just a chance to play for Howard Stern. People give up too easy. Keep following your dream, John….!!!! I’d love to hear he put out an album with all his wounded veteran followers. I would buy that album in a heart beat.
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gladys · 1 week ago
John……you are truly an inspiration. Keep soaring as a reminder to all that “nothing is impossible” if the will is there!!!
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newhavennewsguy · 1 week ago
The Register did this story more than a year ago ….
http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2008/01/06/pas...
Report Reply 1 reply · active 1 week ago
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Connecticutmusic · 1 week ago
Found a link to John Denner’s Youtube videos
http://www.youtube.com/yodavanhalen
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MikeM · 1 week ago
He’s just playing 80’s rock riffs, most of that suff you can play with one finger let alone one hand. You guys make him out to be the greatest thing since sliced bread. Yeah it sucks he doesn’t have a hand but come on.
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0
DAVER · 1 week ago
Amazing !! This part of the Article really inspires me!!
A little more than a year after pick met string, John’s talent erupted. He won an online guitar contest playing Eddie Van Halen’s classic solo, “Eruption.” That got the attention of Howard Stern, who asked John to come to New York and play on his show. As Jimi Hendrix said, “Excuse me while I kiss the sky!”
“I never stopped for a second to look at my arm and say, ‘This is not possible.’ It was a problem-solution. Everything I do on a guitar is a problem-solution,” John said.
After that, John’s life changed as fast as he shreds the axe. John jovially jams with legendary electric-guitar inventor Les Paul in New York. He’s featured in several trade magazines, and will soon release an instructional DVD. But perhaps the greatest accolades come from thousands of e-mails, written by those who empathize and emulate John.
“I was confined to a wheel chair [but] a story about you has inspired me to keep pushing,” one e-mail said.
“You have the power to help others,” said another.
All those words were music to John’s ears. John has proven that he can and that it is possible.
“I could have one hand being afraid of doing what I love, or I could have one hand playing guitar. I’m always going to have one hand, I might as well make this life fun,” John said.
Great work channel 8 and thank you John for everything you do!
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