November 20, 2019
CJ is a songwriter who's been singing his songs and playing his guitar in and out of the public eye for over forty years. From early appearances at the Kerrville Folk Festival in 1976 and 1978, briefly sharing the stage with Steve Earle (then known as “Stephen” from San Antonio TX), as well as Nanci Griffith and others, to more recent appearances (and wins) in the Austin Songwriters Group summer and winter 2018 songwriting contests, CJ has appeared in a range of venues both humble and proud.
A few of his songs have been informally adopted by different groups over the years. For example, his song “Just for You” has been featured in training sessions by a group of Boulder, Colorado-based psychotherapists for more than 5 years. Before that, back in the early 1980’s in Austin, that same song was played and sung (for hours on end, in some cases) by an ad hoc collection of midwives and body-workers for women in labor. He’s written for family, friends, kindred spirits, fellow-travelers, seekers, healers, activists, people in recovery, church congregations ... for everyone, and for no one in particular. Oh, and for himself too - every single song.
Songwriting is a lifelong passion of CJ’s. He writes a lot, and there is always something in the works. Way back in the 20th Century (pre-Y2K) he estimated he had written more than a thousand songs. Since then he has stopped counting. But he hasn’t stopped writing.
Stylistically, his songs variously fit into a number of different genres: folk, blues, country, rock, jangly Brit-pop, bluegrass, Gospel, tin pan alley, a little jazz, Latino and Cajun, maybe even a hint of Gregorian chant. And probably some genres that haven't been identified as genres yet.
His songwriting is influenced by a wide range of contemporary songwriters. Big influences include Lennon & McCartney, Brian Wilson, the Gershwin brothers (George and Ira), the Guthrie family (Woody and his boy Arlo), The Inimitable Mr. Dylan, Jimmy Driftwood, Leonard Cohen, Randy Newman, David Byrne, Michael Martin Murphey, Willis Alan Ramsey, JJ Cale, and Sam Beam (Iron and Wine). And many many more.
CJ sounds a bit like some of his influences, but not too much like most of them. As a singer, he's a 'baritenor' who tries to reach for those young-Joni-Mitchell harmonies now and then. His vocals have been compared to Bruce Cockburn (remember “Wondering Where the Lions Are” or “If I Had a Rocket Launcher?”); David Wilcox (check out his “Eye of the Hurricane” and “Covert War” for a couple of great songs) and Noel Paul Stookey (of Peter Paul & Mary fame).
CJ loves to cover/reinterpret songs by artists ranging from the Kinks and the Animals to Paul Simon and Burt Bacharach to Green Day and the Magnetic Fields. He’s a self-taught multi-instrumentalist, but primarily a rhythm guitarist (acoustic and electric). He often uses altered tunings to expand harmonic possibilities. He sometimes squeezes out lead breaks (when absolutely necessary, of course!), and has even been known to use his guitar as a percussion instrument. Sort of.