Joseph Campbell Butler
Encyclopedia
Joseph Campbell Butler is a founding member of The Lovin' Spoonful
.
.
Butler is a vocalist, and drummer
, initially earned a role filling in the musical
production of Hair
. He also was in the 1971 rock opera Soon
, which closed after three performances. Butler was one of the original founders of the pop rock
band, The Lovin' Spoonful
. After his thespian
aspirations dwindled, Butler settled on playing with musical ensembles, and, while a founder of the Lovin' Spoonful, he continues to perform with them on the autoharp
, with his primary role as lead vocalist. He also plays the autoharp
, guitar
, and percussion instruments.
His daughter from his first marriage is actress Yancy Butler
. Butler is currently married to Kim Ablondi.
The Lovin' Spoonful
The Lovin' Spoonful is an American pop rock band of the 1960s, named to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. When asked about his band, leader John Sebastian said it sounded like a combination of "Mississippi John Hurt and Chuck Berry," prompting his friend, Fritz Richmond, to suggest the name...
.
Biography
Joe Butler was born 16 September 1941, in Long Island, New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Butler is a vocalist, and drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
, initially earned a role filling in the musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
production of Hair
Hair (musical)
Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is a rock musical with a book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot. A product of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960s, several of its songs became anthems of the anti-Vietnam War peace movement...
. He also was in the 1971 rock opera Soon
Soon (musical)
Soon is a rock opera with a music by Joseph M. Kookolis and Scott Fagan, lyrics by Fagan, and a book by Martin Duberman and Robert Greenwald. It is based on a story by Fagan and Kookolis....
, which closed after three performances. Butler was one of the original founders of the pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
band, The Lovin' Spoonful
The Lovin' Spoonful
The Lovin' Spoonful is an American pop rock band of the 1960s, named to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. When asked about his band, leader John Sebastian said it sounded like a combination of "Mississippi John Hurt and Chuck Berry," prompting his friend, Fritz Richmond, to suggest the name...
. After his thespian
Thespian
Thespian may refer to:* An actor * A citizen of the ancient Greek city of Thespiae* A member of the International Thespian Society, an honor society that promotes excellence in high school theater...
aspirations dwindled, Butler settled on playing with musical ensembles, and, while a founder of the Lovin' Spoonful, he continues to perform with them on the autoharp
Autoharp
The autoharp is a musical string instrument having a series of chord bars attached to dampers, which, when depressed, mute all of the strings other than those that form the desired chord. Despite its name, the autoharp is not a harp at all, but a chorded zither. -History:There is debate over the...
, with his primary role as lead vocalist. He also plays the autoharp
Autoharp
The autoharp is a musical string instrument having a series of chord bars attached to dampers, which, when depressed, mute all of the strings other than those that form the desired chord. Despite its name, the autoharp is not a harp at all, but a chorded zither. -History:There is debate over the...
, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, and percussion instruments.
His daughter from his first marriage is actress Yancy Butler
Yancy Butler
Yancy Victoria Butler is an American television and movie actress known for her roles as Natasha Binder in the 1993 John Woo film Hard Target and as Detective Sara Pezzini on the TNT supernatural drama Witchblade.-Early life:...
. Butler is currently married to Kim Ablondi.
External links
- Joe Butler at lovinspoonful.com