GSC Honors Founding Member, John Hemmingway
John Hemingway recently renewed his GSC membership for a 9th year in a row! John first joined GSC in June of 2013 making him a “Founding GSC Member.” Our members are never “just another number” and really matter! We want to thank John for his loyal and faithful membership, and for including GSC in his songwriting career.
Sheree met John while she was the National Membership Director at NSAI and John was a NSAI Chapter Coordinator. John’s songs are frequently taken by publishers for further review and after moving to Nashville, John has created many wonderful working relationships with publishers. One of the things we admire most about John is that he is always taking young artist/writers under his wings!.
We are including John’s bio below so that you can learn more about him!
John Robert Hemingway is a full-time songwriter living near Nashville, Tennessee who writes image-rich Country, Pop, and Americana songs. Prior to moving to Nashville, John served as a Chicago Coordinator for the Nashville Songwriters Association, International where he led and participated in monthly workshops for aspiring songwriters. He has written and co-written hundreds of songs with more than seven dozen songwriters and performing artists from four different continents.
John grew up in a musical family with two brothers on a grain and livestock farm in eastern Iowa. His father played fiddle and accordion. His mother played the piano, clarinet, sang in choirs and was a high school marching band drum major. Both of John’s brothers became professional musicians. John learned to play piano and trumpet at an early age, and began playing in a six-piece country, western, and standards band as a senior in high school. He continued to perform and earn his way through college and grad school with weekend gigs, waiting tables, a graduate teaching assistant-ship, and various part time jobs. He wrote his first song while in the 8th grade.
John’s songwriting influences are too numerous to mention but include such greats as Steve Allen, Burt Bacharach, The Beatles, Mariah Carey, Johnny Cash, Chicago, David Alan Coe, Floyd Cramer, Hal David, Tom Douglas, Ronnie Dunn, Duke Ellington, Merle Haggard, Alan Jackson, Billie Joel, Tom Johnson, Toby Keith, Kris Kristofferson, Barry Manilow, Roger Miller, Willie Nelson, Jennifer Nettles, Jerry Reed, Kenny Rogers, Keith Richards, Don Schlitz, Steve Seskin, Ray Stevens, James Taylor, Phil Vassar, Brian Wilson, and Craig Wiseman.
Are you a GSC 2013 Founding Member and would like to be featured in an upcoming member newsletter? Just reach out to Josie Bisto at [email protected] with your bio and approved photo.
