John Callaway is a talented young man whose music is definitely got something for everyone. I have listened to his CD, "Drive", and it has a little of rock and pop with some Southern rock touches. . . and, to me, a little country. John is a grad of Clemson University. He is playing universities, private parties, and coffee houses.  He will be going on tour in May of this year and I hope he makes it out to my area!  

From what I hear on this CD, John has accomplished a dream and a goal. His music tells a story and gives you a soothing feeling as you listen to it. John can only go up from what I have heard by keeping up the good work. 

SF: Where were you born and raised?
JC: I was born and raised in the small town of Boiling Springs, South Carolina. Boiling Springs is in Spartanburg and, as most of your readers know, that is the home of the Marshall Tucker Band. Most of the guys call Boiling Springs home now, and it has really grown up during the last 10 years. 

SF: Do you come from a family of musicians?
JC: I would say so. My dad taught me my first chords on guitar and I can still hear my mom singing the alto harmonies on Beach Boys songs in the car. They have always been involved in church music. 

SF: At what age did you first start playing?
JC: I guess I was probably about 13.  

SF: What made you interested in music in those early years?
JC: Hearing my dad play along to Creedence Clearwater Revival songs was pretty much enough for me.

SF: Do you write your own music, and do you write alone or have a writing partner?
JC: I usually write alone, but I do have a couple of folks that I partner with. A couple of really good friends and a cousin help a lot. I’m always bouncing ideas off of friends and family though. 

SF: Tell us how the writing process works?
JC: A couple of different ways have worked for me. I usually get some sort of chorus stuck in my head when I’m singing in the shower. Then I work it out on guitar and add some verses. Sometimes I do start with an overall subject though and build from there. 

SF: How long have you been playing professionally and when did you decide this is what you wanted to do with your life?
JC: I don’t know if you consider the college band professional or not. I was, and still am, very involved with an a cappella group called TIGEROAR from Clemson University. Once I graduated I really needed a musical outlet again, and that is when I really started taking it seriously. Music really works well with graduate school if you don’t sleep. 

SF: I noticed you use an acoustic guitar. Do you find that it fits the music you play better than an electric guitar?
JC: With a full band backing, there is nothing quite like the electric guitar solo. Our new demo, The Castle Sessions, will feature a good bit of electric guitar. The acoustic is just more of my personal style.

SF: How did you come to add the mandolin to the already awesome sound you have?
JC: I guess that goes back to TIGEROAR as well. I ended up meeting one of my best friends in that group, named Michael Costa. We had both been in bands and playing live through high school and college. He finally decided that he could put up with my music if he could play mandolin. We thought it was a little weird, but the more we played and recorded, people really seemed to enjoy it. I think it really sets us apart from normal acoustic rock music.

SF: When you go on tour will the band be going with you?
JC: The full band will be playing at least two shows with us on the tour. The rest of the tour will feature Costa on mandolin. It is much easier to tour as a duo at this point.  

SF: You attended Clemson University and were a member of Tigeroar. Is this a school choir? And how long did you sing with them?
JC: This isn’t your average school choir. People should really go check out tigeroar.net and listen to some collegiate a cappella. This group features vocal percussion and some great ensemble work. I sang in the group for my 5 years of undergrad (really the reason for the 5th year) and I have been producing with them ever since. This has given me the opportunity to meet some of the coolest music folk across the country. Our producer in California has actually really helped me with my albums and frequently makes some appearances on instruments. 

SF: How long did it take to get your own sound together that you wanted to bring to your audience?
JC: Wow. I guess I have wanted to bring my music to an audience since high school. I think musicians are always in the process of developing their sound. I’m excited to see where it will go.

SF: I have noticed you play a lot of Universities. Do you find that you have a particular connection with that audience?
JC: I really relate with the college audience. I am always trying to make music that people can put their own situations in. I guess college students just seem to fit the bill pretty well.

SF: What is the largest venue you have played and where was the largest audience?
JC: I guess the largest venue would probably be Bowman Field in Clemson at this point. There were about 2000 people outside for a kickoff party. In Tigeroar, my first gig and my first solo, was in front of about 35,000 people inside Death Valley in Clemson. That has to be one of my favorite memories.  

SF: Where would you like to see yourself in 5 yrs?
JC: I would love to be at a point where I could fully support myself with music. I enjoy producing and playing live events, so that would be the dream. 

SF: Tell us something you want the readers to know about John Callaway
JC: There really are some good folks in the music industry. Not everybody you see on stage has the “rock star” attitude. I hope I will always fall in the category of “one of the good guys”. The Southern roots will always show through!