Role Singer Name John Hermann | Years active 1983 - current Instruments Piano | |
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Movies Static, Hopelessly in June, Widespread Panic: Live From Austin TX, Curtain Albums 'Til the Medicine Takes, Ain't Life Grand, Light Fuse - Get Away, Don't Tell the Band, Live in the Classic City | ||
Widespread Panic - Cortez The Killer
John "JoJo" Hermann is an American singer, musician and songwriter, best known for his involvement in the band Widespread Panic.
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Early life
He was born in New York City, where he began performing in small clubs, while in college. He moved to Oxford, Mississippi after graduation. Hermann began songwriting and performing in 1983.
Career
Hermann began playing piano in the local band Beanland with George McConnell on guitar appearing on JoJo's Defector, Smiling Assassin, and with Widespread Panic (2001-2006). After a friend of the band heard JoJo playing on an old upright piano at the Hoka Club also in Oxford. After extensive touring of the Southeast with Beanland, he then went on to join Athens, Georgia based Widespread Panic in 1992 with whom he still plays keyboard and organ. JoJo is known for his lead vocals on many New Orleans style jazz and blues covers and originals along with gospel-style organ playing. He has been heavily influenced by artists such as Professor Longhair, Otis Spann, Junior Kimbrough and Otha Turner among others. In recent years JoJo has participated in several side projects, most notably JoJo and His Mojo Mardi Gras Band along with another side group consisting of Luther and Cody Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars.
He released his debut solo album Smiling Assassin in 2001. He has since released three more solo albums, Defector (2003), Just Ain't Right (2004), and the 2012 Larry Brown Amen album as the Missing Cats.
Hermann resides in Franklin, Tennessee with his wife and two daughters.