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Working on the follow-up to the 2021 Mind the Gap album release.
Johnny Stephen Zawacki, aka Johnny Z, is a singer-songwriter and music performance artist, based in Michigan, whose professional career began in the late-1960s.
First taking the stage as a folk musician, which was an extremely popular genre of the time, he performed at notable venues such as The Earl of Old Town, in Chicago. His influences, however, did not end there and his public persona took on various forms over the years, most notably that of a singer-songwriter. Not limiting himself to live performances, Johnny Z has also contributed film and TV commercial soundtracks, as well as his own music recordings.
A prolific songwriter, his ever-expanding catalog currently numbers around 100 songs, many of which are commercially available within six album and three internet single releases. Johnny’s love of all musical styles is reflected in what he writes, ranging from lullabies, through pop vocal, to classically inspired instrumental pieces. He addresses the human experience, whether it be through a traditional love ballad, or to that of our relating to the deep political and social concerns of the day. His skillful writing took on the current pandemic frustrations, in “Go Away, Rona!”, but in such a way that it’s timeless framing can be appreciated well beyond our present COVID concerns.
2020 has necessitated a redefining of our social and professional lives and Johnny Z’s presentation of his recorded output has not been unaffected. Whereas he would previously assemble handpicked professional musicians to assist his recordings, at area recording studios, he’s now taken on all musical and technical aspects of this endeavor, which include all instrument performances, recording and producing. In fact, he’s gone a step further and has self-produced music videos to compliment his two most recently released internet singles.
During the pandemic, Johnny Z has been musically invigorated, writing over a dozen new songs, of which half were included on Mind the Gap, an all new 10-song album release. Another 17 songs were part of another 2021 release of rediscovered recordings, dating from 1982, which did with his Johnny Z and the Spotlights band, and titled Coda. He’s already working on a third set of new songs and the follow-up to Mind the Gap.
Access to Johnny Z videos and songs . . .
• https://spotlightrecordings.bandcamp.com (Spotlight Recordings Bandcamp page has the most comprehensive streaming and download options)
• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu3IeT1ZdyQNz4zjaJ5A9Yw (Johnny Z on YouTube)