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John played music of all kinds with many groups throughout much of his life. A very few of us were fortunate enough to play and sing with John in not one, but three bluegrass bands over the years—The Savage Gentlemen, Jericho Bridge and Blue Line. John’s snappy banjo style, alternating deftly between the three-finger roll and claw-hammer and his clear tenor voice formed a significant portion of these bands’ sound. His musical intuition and ability to arrange both instrumental and vocal harmony parts were second to none. He would frequently place an old standard in a new format, breathing life back into something that had been played thousands of times by others…but never in quite the same way that he would present it.

Most of you know that John earned a degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Maryland. That's right. He was bona fide rocket scientist. Rather than hold a slide rule in his hands, John picked up musical instruments, playing music of all kinds. Not just a performer, he sold recorded classical and world music for a music distribution company and was himself the owner of a massive and truly varied collection of recorded music. Almost anything you can name.

John's musical tastes ranged from traditional bluegrass to classical to jazz to renaissance and were joined with an ability to not only play all these forms well but also be able to fuse these forms of music together and not have it become a sonic glop. Such abilities were as adaptively fluid as they were powerful. Sure, his song selections often leaned toward the melancholy—nobody loved a sad song more than John—but nobody "sold" one better when it came time to perform.

Blessed with that exceptional voice, John also played banjo along with several other instruments that I know of—piano, trumpet, guitar, several percussion instruments as well as whistles and flutes of various types—and  probably more I didn't know. He was one of those gifted types and it would not have surprised me to see him coax good music out of six feet of garden hose and a handful of paperclips. He also owned several other rare or unique instruments he'd collected—many with names nobody can pronounce. He had a deep love of traditional and exotic music, but was also very much at home with Pink Floyd, The Beatles or Thelonius Monk.

Blue Line and Jericho Bridge had their origins in jam sessions. These were a favorite activity of John's and he frequently attended the Friday night jam sessions at the Baltimore Bluegrass shop. This was a gathering spot for many of the area's finest players and John never failed to hold his own with the best around. His genuine love of music in general, and bluegrass in particular, shone through in these sessions and we became good friends, and eventually band-mates.

He enjoyed experiencing new places, observing other people and listening to the music they made. He just didn't care much for traveling to get there. John would have really appreciated teleportation.

John was not only a great student of bluegrass music, but also its history. He'd read volumes and volumes on the subject and kept many of these tomes around for the rest of us to borrow, or try to learn from when we visited his home. Even if all we did was look at the pretty pictures. His knowledge of composers of this genre was formidable and he already knew just about every tune the rest of us would bring in. It was John’s deep love of bluegrass that led him to join Blue Line so that we could concentrate on refining a genuinely traditional sound. 

John was a wonderful listener. He had the ability to engage others in conversation that was meaningful and fulfilling on nearly any topic. He would ask thoughtful questions and when asked, render his advice. He was equally ready to join or accept players of any musical level and in any genre without missing a beat (literally). Over the years, he'd had to labor through some awful-sounding stuff (I know this because I was playing some of it). But ever the gentleman, he kept playing, and playing well, with nary a smirk, frown or grimace on his face. John got along well with everyone.

John was also the glue holding many of these bands together. If we had a gripe or complaint, he’d always listen patiently. Then he generally suggested we get off our ass and improve the situation instead of just complaining. And he'd be right—a kind of hybrid of Vince Lombardi and Ward Cleaver. He had a way of infusing his music with genuine emotion, whether the composition was his own or was that of another composer that he was trying on for size. John always believed that emotion in a performance mattered far more than musical skill. John only asked that we all do our best.

I will always remember singing and playing together. Some of the happiest moments we've all had over the years have been while in his company collaborating on and performing music.

We, his family and friends, and the world at large have lost a wonderful and talented musician, singer and arranger as well as a thoughtful, intelligent and warm human being. His like is not often found. He was the embodiment of great talent tempered with consideration and compassion for others. He has left a deep and lasting impression upon many, many people who will not forget him nor the good fortune they shared in having been his friends. 

John departed this life much too soon on September 6th, 2004, just shy of his 41st birthday. We will all miss him greatly. Very few people come along who do so many things so well. Fewer still are the ones you have the good fortune and the privilege to pick and sing with.

So John, my friend and brother, we will meet again one day and we will sing and play. You call for the pizza and I will bring along the beer and chocolate cake.

And in the meantime, I will do my best...

- John Alexander