JOHN GIBBARD

John started playing guitar as a 13 year old teenager in Stratford Ontario.

One of his earliest road band experiences was with Kelly Jay (Kelly Jay and the Jamies), playing the nightclub circuit in Ontario and Quebec. He continued his road career with George and Sue Webber of Sarnia, in the "GoodTime Band", and it was during this period that he was allowed an audition to play with Ronnie Hawkins, and joined Hawkins' backing band, which Ronnie named "And Many Others", (reasoning the name would appear on a lot of marquees, and would be great 'exposure') 

This band became Crowbar, and recorded two albums backing blues great, Richard Newell, aka "King Biscuit Boy", and then continued on as Crowbar, releasing several albums, and enjoying much success over the next few years. After the original Crowbar broke up, John, and bandmate Rhéal Lanthier, became involved with a band called Farouche, based in Collingwood. The band enjoyed lots of support, playing a small circuit of local clubs in the area, working mostly original material.

In 1978 John and Rhéal were approached with the idea of reforming Crowbar, and this resulted in the reformation of the band, with the addition of Ray Harrison on keyboards. This version did a few tours throughout Canada. In 1980 John was asked to play with Ronnie Hawkins again, and, along with Rhéal Lanthier, joined the existing band to play a number of dates, including a small tour of England. A live album was recorded in conjunction with that tour.

Rhéal and John continued with a few projects after the second Hawkins band; the most notable, supporting vocalist Duncan White, in his band "Shooter" John decided to retire from the road, after the birth of his, and his wife Susan's, first child, a son, in 1983. They had a second child, a daughter, in 1986.

Although he did not actively play with any bands over the years that followed, John stayed involved in music, through self-taught study, and the recording of his own music. He is now retired from regular work, and is very happy to be reunited, and playing music, with his bandmates.