John Butler (musician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Butler
John Butler performing in Perth (2012)
Background information
Birth name	John Charles Wiltshire-Butler
Born	(1975-04-01) 1 April 1975 (age 50) Torrance, California, U.S.
Origin	Pinjarra, Western Australia
Genres	Bluegrass, alternative rock, jam band, Celtic, roots, funk rock
Occupation(s)	Musician, songwriter, record label owner, producer
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, drums, harmonica, didgeridoo, banjo, stomp box, ukulele
Years active	1996–present
Labels	Waterfront, Jarrah

John Butler is an American-Australian musician, songwriter, and producer. He was born on April 1, 1975. He is most famous for being the leader of the John Butler Trio. This band plays roots and jam band music. They started in Perth, Western Australia, in 1998.

The John Butler Trio has released five studio albums. Three of these albums reached number one in Australia. These top albums were Sunrise Over Sea, Grand National, and April Uprising. John Butler's music has won many awards. These awards come from groups like the Australian Performing Right Association.

Butler was born in the United States. He moved to Australia when he was young. He started playing the guitar at age sixteen. In 2002, Butler and some friends started their own record label called Jarrah. He also helped create The JB Seed. This program gives grants to help different kinds of artists in Australia.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

John Charles Wiltshire-Butler was born on April 1, 1975. His father was Australian and his mother was American. He was named after his grandfather, who was a forestry worker. His grandfather died fighting a bushfire. John Butler has family roots from Britain, Bulgaria, and Greece. His family history was even explored on an Australian TV show.

In 1986, John's family moved to Western Australia. They settled in a small town called Pinjarra. John went to school there. He started playing guitar when he was sixteen. His grandmother gave him an old guitar that belonged to his grandfather.

In 1996, he went to Curtin University in Perth. He studied art teaching. But he soon left university to focus on music. He started playing his guitar for people on the streets. This is called busking. He often played at the Fremantle Markets.

Music Career Journey

After high school, John went to California for two years. He started his music career there in a band called Vitamin. Their first show was in 1994. Vitamin played in many places in California. They even recorded two songs.

When John returned to Australia, he became a busker in Fremantle. He played his own songs. In 1996, he released a cassette tape of his instrumental music. It was called Searching for Heritage. He sold 3,000 copies of it. He played different styles like Indian, Celtic, and folk music.

In 1997, he had his first paid show. In 1998, a club owner named Phil Stevens hired John to play regularly. Stevens became his manager and later his business partner.

Forming the John Butler Trio

Butler playing electric guitar in 2009.

In 1998, John Butler formed the John Butler Trio. He was joined by drummer Jason McGann and bass player Gavin Shoesmith. They released their first album, John Butler, in December 1998. Over the years, other musicians joined the trio. These included drummers Michael Barker and Nicky Bomba. Bass players like Shannon Birchall and Byron Luiters also played with the band.

Early Albums: Three and Sunrise Over Sea

The band's second album was Three. It came out in April 2001. Songs like "Take" and "Betterman" were played on the radio. The band also performed at big music festivals.

In December 2003, they released the song "Zebra". It became very popular and reached the top 30 on the music charts. It was even named 'Song of the Year' in 2004. Their album, Sunrise Over Sea, was released in March 2004. It went straight to number one on the charts. This was special because it was an independent album. John Butler also won an award for 'Best Male Artist' that year.

Grand National and April Uprising

In March 2007, the John Butler Trio released Grand National. This album also reached number one. They performed a special concert in Melbourne in 2007. It featured other musicians who worked on the album. This performance was even shown on TV.

John Butler's family history inspired the title of their next album. His Bulgarian ancestor was involved in the April Uprising. This led to the album April Uprising, released in March 2010. It also became a number one album.

Flesh and Blood

The band started working on their sixth album, Flesh and Blood, in 2013. For the first time, all the band members helped write the songs together. Before, John Butler usually wrote most of the music. One song on the album, "Wings Are Wide", was written for his grandmother. She gave him the guitar that started his music journey. Flesh and Blood was released in Australia in February 2014.

Solo Work

John Butler has also released music on his own. In 2007, he performed a solo show in Denver, Colorado. This was released as an eight-song album called One Small Step. Part of the money from this album went to charity.

His song "Ocean" became very popular online. Many people watched videos of his live performances of the song. John Butler also appeared briefly in an Australian film called In Her Skin in 2009. Three of his songs were in the movie.

In 2009, John Butler went on a solo tour overseas. He played at big music festivals in North America and Europe. He also performed at a concert called Cannot Buy My Soul. At this event, he and other musicians sang songs by an Indigenous Australian musician named Kev Carmody.

Jarrah Records

In July 2002, John Butler helped create Jarrah Records. He started it with members of another Australian band, The Waifs. Their manager, Phil Stevens, was also involved. Having his own record label allowed John Butler to have more control over his music.

Musical Style and Instruments

John Butler plays many instruments. These include harmonica, didgeridoo, drums, and banjo. He often uses his custom-made, 11-string Maton guitar. He uses special electronic effects to create his unique sound. He also uses long, pointed fiberglass fingernails to play his guitar. This helps him with his finger-picking style.

Making a Difference

John Butler talking about the 'Close the Gap' campaign in 2013.

John Butler cares a lot about peace and protecting the environment. He has supported groups like The Wilderness Society. He also helped the campaign to Save Ningaloo Reef.

In 2005, John Butler and his wife, Danielle Caruana, started The JB Seed program. It is now called The Seed. This program gives money to help artists in Australia. They wanted to support different kinds of art and culture. Many other famous musicians and people in the music industry have also supported this program.

Butler is a big supporter of the "Save The Kimberley" campaign. This campaign aims to protect the Kimberley region in Western Australia. He has performed at concerts and joined protests to support this cause. He also helped create a music album called "Sounds for the Reef". This album raised money to protect the Great Barrier Reef.

John Butler is also against Coal Seam Gas (CSG) mining. He has performed free concerts to support protests against it. He also supports freedom for West Papua.

Personal Life

John Butler is married to Danielle Caruana. She is also a musician and performs as Mama Kin. They have two children together. They also have an adopted son who is a musician.

John Butler had dreadlocks for 13 years. He cut them off in 2008. People sometimes called him the "million dollar hippie." This nickname came about because he was listed as one of Australia's richest entertainers in 2004.

Discography

Solo Albums

• Searching for Heritage (1996)
• One Small Step (2007)
• Tin Shed Tales (2012)
• Running River (2024)
• Still Searching (2024)

With John Butler Trio

Awards and Recognition

John Butler and the John Butler Trio have won many awards. These include awards from the Australian Independent Record Awards (AIR Awards). They have also won several APRA Awards for their songs. These awards recognize great songwriting and musical performance.

The band has also won five ARIA Music Awards. These are major Australian music awards. John Butler himself won an ARIA award for 'Best Male Artist' in 2004.