Johnny Neel

A man with boundless energy, Johnny still manages to juggle studio work, local club gigs, road work and hit song writing, and somehow maintains his sanity. referring to his hectic life, Johnny says, " They say you can't do it all; Hell, I'm trying to prove 'em wrong!"

You realize that all of those labels (and some that haven't been thought of) apply, after listening to the twelve blistering tracks on "Late Night Breakfast", recently recorded digitally at Johnny's own Straight Up Sound Studio with the members of his band, "The Last Word", and special guests such as Shane Theriot (The Neville Brothers), Rick Vito (Fleetwood Mac) and Wayne Jackson (The Memphis Horns). Co-writing half of the twelve songs on the album, Johnny's urgent, pleading vocals underscore his brilliant piano, B-3 and harp work. During the same period of time that these recordings were made, Johnny also became a member of Blue Floyd. The self proclaimed "First band of the 21st Century" began touring in January of 2000. In addition to Johnny, the band is comprised of Marc Ford (Black Crowes), Matt Abts (Gov't Mule), Berry Oakley Jr. (OKB Band) and until his recent and unfortunate demise, Allen Woody (Gov't Mule). Performing blues based variations on the material of Pink Floyd, the group has toured most of the United States, with short excursions into Canada and Mexico. Born and Raised in Wilmington, Delaware, Johnny cut his first single at the age of twelve, as Johnny Neel and The Shapes Of Soul. As an adult, the Johnny Neel Band had a strong following up and down the East Coast and released two well-received independent albums. Writing more and more, but frustrated with virtually no outlet, Johnny moved to Nashville, the premiere song writing city, in 1984. Immediately settling in as an "A" player in studio sessions, he found his own songs being cut by acts such as the late Keith Whitley, Restless Heart, The Oak Ridge Boys, The Forrester Sisters and many others. More recent cuts include those by John Mayall, Ann Peebles and Travis Tritt. Moonlighting, with various bands, in area clubs drew the attention of former Nashville resident Dickie Betts, who asked Johnny to join his road band, and begin work on Dickie's solo LP for Epic Records. That relationship led to seven cuts on the "Pattern Disruptive" LP including the Top 10 AOR hit, "Rock Bottom." Johnny's stellar keyboard and harp playing on that album caused Gregg Allman to "borrow" Johnny, when available, for his own touring road band. All of the aforementioned naturally led to Johnny joining the eventually reunited Allman Brothers Band. A massively successful tour followed, culminating in a number one AOR smash hit during the summer of 1990. Car radios all across America blasted "Good Clean Fun", co-written by Johnny with Gregg and Dickie, to the top of the charts, and provided the reunited Allmans with their highest charting single since "Ramblin' Man" fifteen years earlier. Johnny was also Grammy nominated for his keyboard work as an Allman Brothers Band member on the instrumental cut, 'True Gravity" from the "Seven Turns" LP. A man with boundless energy, Johnny still manages to juggle studio work, local club gigs, road work and hit song writing, and somehow maintains his sanity. referring to his hectic life, Johnny says, " They say you can't do it all; Hell, I'm trying to prove 'em wrong!"

I always play (Live) and every moment is special to my music...

Keyboards of all styles, Southern Rock; Allman Brothers; Jambands; Grease Factor, Gov Mule,...

Keep true to your soul.... Studio Recordings * X2 * Gov't Mule * Warren Haynes * Blue Floyd * Allman Brothers Band * Willie Nelson * Gregg Allman Band * Dickie Betts Band * Todd Snider * Peter Wolf * Suzy Bogguss * Janie Fricke * Mickey Gilley * David Lynn Jones * Johnny Van Zant * Pirates of the Mississippi * Grammy nomination for keyboard work as an Allman Brothers Band member on the instrumental cut, "True Gravity" LP from the Seven Turns album * ASCAP Country Award for "Take The Long Way Home" recorded by John Schneider * BMI Citation Award as a member of The Allman Brothers Band * Vocalist of The Year - 2001 Bands of Dixie Magazine (France) Readers Poll Television / Movie / Video Appearances * XXXS and OOOS (Movie) * Good Clean Fun (Video) - MTV Unplugged * CBS This Morning * The Tonight Show * Nashville Now * Music City Tonight * Volunteer Jam - TNN Johnny Neel has performed live with a multitude of nationally known acts, as well as with his own group, Johnny Neel & The Last Word. He is a soulful vocalist and an exciting instrumentalist on various keyboards, including the Hammond B-3 organ, piano, and the mouth harp. * Warren Haynes * Tiny Town * Jack Bruce (Cream) * Mick Ronson (David Bowie) * Mick Taylor (Rolling Stones) * Rick Derringer * Jo-el Sonnier * Volunteer Jam * Lonnie Mack * Keith Whitley * David Lynn Jones * Pam Tillis * Billy Dean * Terri GibbsTours * X2 - 2002/2003 * Blue Floyd - 1999 / 2002 * Gov't Mule - 1999 / 2000 * Billy Dean - 1998 * Jo-el Sonnier - 1997 * Confederate Railroad * Allman Brothers Band (1989 - 1991) * Gregg Allman Band - 1988 * Dickie Betts Band - 1987 Johnny is a veteran songwriter with numerous cuts covered by major acts. He has written four Top 10 songs and co-wrote the Allman Brother's 'Good Clean Fun', which was their first #1 single since the legendary, 'Ramblin Man'. Cuts performed by: * Delbert McClinton - Read Me My Rights on Grammy Winning Nothing Personal * Montgomery Gentry - Good Clean Fun * Gov't Mule - 2 cuts on "Deep End Vol. II" * The Allman Brothers Band - 4 cuts on "Seven Turns" * The Gregg Allman Band * The Dickie Betts Band - 8 Cuts on "Pattern Disruptive" * John Mayall * Ann Peebles - "Read Me My Rights" * Dorothy Moore * Irma Thomas * Travis Tritt * Jason D. Williams * Joe Louis Walker * The Oak Ridge Boys * The Forrester Sisters * Restless Heart (Gold LP) * John Schneider - "Take The Long Road Home" - ASCAP Country Award * T.G. Sheperd * Keith Whitley (Gold LP)Top Ten Singles * The Allman Brothers Band - #1 - "Good Clean Fun" * The Dickie Betts Band - "Rock Bottom" * Restless Heart - "When Someone Loves You" * John Schneider- "Take The Long Way Home" * Gregg Allman * Dickie Betts * Buddy Brock * Billy Dean * Joe Diffie * Hank Cochran * Tony Colton * Rich Fager * Warren Haynes * Rick Giles * Fred Knobloch * Sandy Knox * Delbert McClinton * Brent Mason * Tommy Polk * Randy Van Warmer * Kim Williams * Lonnie Wilson * Mark Wright * Trisha Yearwood Milene Music, Inc. - Nashville, Tennessee - 1993 to Present Cuts by Chad Mullins, Restless Heart and Joe Louis Walker Song Pantry Music, Inc. - Nashville, Tennessee - 1992 - 1993 Cuts by John Mayall, Irma Thomas, Travis Tritt and Jason D.Williams Lew Bob Music - Universal City, California - 1990 - 1991 Cuts by Dorothy Moore, Marie Osmond, Ann Peebles and Delton Reeves Song Pantry Music, Inc. - Nashville, Tennessee - 1985 - 1990