Born, John William Stauffer, in York Hospital on March 2, 1963, I spent my early years growing up in Spring Grove, PA USA and then moved with my family to York, PA USA in the summer of 1973. Although I loved sports, I discovered a strong interest in music through the likes of Late 60’s & Early 70’s Radio Hits, The Beatles, Kiss, Rush, Foghat, Ted Nugent, Bad Company, Styx, Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, UFO, Joe Satriani, and Iron Maiden.

I got my first guitar on my 13th birthday and took two years of guitar lessons from Eddie “Kay” Emminger. I joined my first band while in the 11th grade at York Suburban High School and played my first real gig at Suburban’s Class of 1980 graduation party… my first taste of jammin’ for bikers in mud and beer. That summer, the band’s bass player left for another project and I was volunteered to take over on bass. During that same year, I had joked about needing a stage name like “Billy Idol,” but never figured that my friends would run with it and make the “Johnny Star” nickname stick.

After my last year of high school, our band got to perform at my own class’s graduation party at Eagle Park in Hanover with beer keg trucks and such (when underaged partying was apparently still legal)! We jammed until 5am.

Since high school, I performed on guitar and/or bass with bands in the York, PA area such as Zookeeper, Static, Johnny Star and the Street Boys, Dog Pound, Honeyfinger, Bloom Box, Cruise Control, Two Idiots, Duck Butter, Cotton, Love Haters, Moronika and have shared stages with Blue Oyster Cult and Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society.

I’ve always enjoyed learning, sharing and teaching with other guitarists. Many times, my eager students’ half-hour lesson would turn into an hour and a half before we knew it. Although I discovered that I have little patience for “dabblers” who are not serious, I could share guitar learning for hours with someone who is fully attentive.

For beginner guitarists, I highly recommend finding a teacher (or knowledgeable friend) and start with the “5 Things Every Beginner Guitarist SHOULD Learn” by the legendary Rick Beato. For guitarists who already know some barre chords along with the minor pentatonic or blues scale, but don’t really know a whole lot about music theory, view the FREE “Visual Guitar Music Theory” system.

There is nothing I love more than playing my guitar with a band of brothers for an engaged audience. I love to make connections with those who might relate to my music or performance at any level. I will forever be seeking that moment during a show when I am no longer the performer, but merely a participant in shared musical experience.

My Original Music:

Until I receive more feedback regarding my original songs, I would say they sound like a mix between 60’s folk rock, 70’s classic rock, modern country (or 70’s classic rock as I refer to it), with a little Seattle grunge and California crunch on some. Although I find it hard to agree, some folks have mentioned that my songs remind them of other artists including: Johnny Cash, Tom Petty, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Cure, or Sound Garden. Please listen to some of my albums in the “Discography” section and share your thoughts!