John Stephan Band

The John Stephan Band was originally formed in 2000 and released their debut album 99 Degrees in 2002. The band performs mostly original music and has appeared at major venues in the Seattle area, including Bumbershoot, The Triple Door, Mt. Baker Blues Festival, North Bend Blues Walk, and the first band to appear at the EMP (now MoPOP). John is a Washington Blues Society Hall of Fame recipient for his work with the Isaac Scott Band. The band has released 4 subsequent albums, 99 Degrees (2002), Know Your Driver (2010), Hen House (2017), and Talking Out Loud (2024). This current line-up was formed in 2022.

With “Talking Out Loud”, John has written and recorded a great new batch of songs. Addressing life, love, the blues and recycling(!) this is strong medicine in the form of groove based, danceable music and thoughtful pleas about family, faith and justice. Oh, and funky bivalves…..

John Stephan Bio: John Stephan was born and raised in Palmer, Alaska, and began playing guitar at age 8, in 1956. He started performing with groups in 1960, and was part of the “teen scene” in Palmer/Anchorage until 1968, when the US Army re-located him to Death Valley, California. He worked in the San Francisco Bay area and on the road to Chicago and back, moving to Seattle in 1974. John began playing with Isaac Scott, Little Bill and the Blue Notes, Albert Collins, and others. He formed the rock group Matinee Idols in 1980-85. 1985-91 the Afro-Pop group Je Ka Jo , then another stint with Isaac Scott from 1992-98. In 2000 the John Stephan Band was formed. John recorded an album The 3 j’s with old Alaskan friends, John “Johnny Nocturne” Firmin, and John Lee (Seattle House Rockers) in 2004. John recorded and performed with the Gary Minkler Combination in 2013.