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It’ll Make You Feel Good Inside:
The Bonepony Music-Culture
By Amanda L. Hardeman
It was a Friday night. While most eighteen year-old girls were at a football game or a party, I was sitting in my car alone in front of a bar waiting for the guys to arrive. In my rearview mirror I saw their Ford van pull up. I recall thinking, God only knows how many miles are on that thing. They greeted me warmly as always with hugs, making sure that the big guy at the door was looking, and noticed that I was “with the band” as they say. We had been planning this scheme since the concert in Owensboro, which was an 18 or older show and a rare occasion when I was allowed into a venue to see Bonepony play. As Scott embraced me, he whispered, “You‘re the merch girl that drove up from Nashville.” I smiled and grabbed a couple of guitars. As I approached the door, the big guy with “Security” written across his shirt stared me down. I pretended to look confident and un-amused by the whole affair as if I do this every Friday night. My heart raced. My breathe quickened. My mind went blank. Then suddenly, I was in. I had made it past the big guy, through the door and was standing safely inside what was most definitely a 21 and older venue.
I have spent a large part of my life in bars, long before I was technically of age. I had one driving motivation, and it was not to get drunk. I was there to see a band called Bonepony. I have waited alone in parking lots for hours, traveled miles upon miles, spent more money than I will ever probably have at one time, went to shows and then drove all night to make it home just in time for work at 8 am, worn out my legs from dancing and suffered minor hearing loss all for the sake of a Bonepony “fix.” For me and countless others, it was, and still is, all about the music and the connection.
Bonepony is a band that is currently based in Nashville, Tennessee. Their music is quite unique and difficult to categorize. They seamlessly and almost unconsciously combine elements of rock and roll, country, folk, bluegrass, soul and gospel to create a brand of music that they call, “Stomp rock” (Bonepony Myspace). They are an independent band that tours relentlessly, playing gigs everywhere from New York City to Utah. Although you won’t see them on the top twenty charts, Bonepony has acquired an incredibly dedicated fan following, that like myself, will go to great lengths to satisfy their veracious appetite for Bonepony music.
In this paper I will be discussing Bonepony and the impact they have had on their fans. I have known the members of Bonepony since 2003. I not only consider myself a fan, but I also consider them my friends. Based on the observations that I have made over the last five years, as well as interviews that have been conducted recently, I will analyze the history of the band, factors that have effected Bonepony’s overall eclectic sound, performance practices, themes, material culture and their dedicated fan following. In doing this, I will make reference to the music-culture model explained by Jeff Todd Titon in Worlds of Music.
History
To understand the music and the impact it has on the fans, it is essential to take into consideration the history of the band itself. In 1989, Bonepony was formed by singer/songwriter Scott Johnson and guitarist Bryan Ward in Baltimore, Maryland. Johnson, was born in Mt. Pleasant, Texas, where he began singing in church and school choir as a child. He began writing songs and performing at an early age and eventually realized that to make it in the music business, he would have to move away from Mt. Pleasant. “I feel like I had to get out of Texas. I couldn’t get a job to support my music habit and I had some friends that had family up here in Baltimore so we moved up and that’s where Bonepony got started, was in Maryland (Celebration Highway DVD)”
Upon moving to Nashville, Johnson and Ward picked up Kenny Mims on drums. The three musicians spent two years writing songs that would later be their debut album, Stomp Revival. In 1994, Bonepony was signed with Capitol Records and began recording their first album, which was released in 1995. After the release of Stomp Revival, Mims left the group and was replaced by Mike “Tramp” Lawing, who brought a bluegrass vibe to the band with the addition of fiddle, banjo and mandolin.
At the tail end of the grunge rock craze, Capitol Records signed Bonepony with the vision that they were going to be the next new wave of music, however, their stint with the label did not last long. Capitol, unsure of how to market Bonepony’s unique amalgam of musical styles, dropped them in 1997. This was only a minor set back for the group. In 1999 they released their second studio album, Traveler’s Companion, on their own independent label SuperDuper Recordings.
In May of 1999, Ward was replaced by multi-instrumentalist, Nick Nguyen. Nguyen was born in Montreal, Canada, but moved to America with his family in the mid-eighties. “…he earned a reputation as a young guitar phenom through constant gigging with local rock bands and high-profile guitar solo contests” (Bonepony Website Bio). In addition to being a very talented guitarist, Nguyen also plays violin, mandolin, banjo, Dobra, pedal steel and keyboards. In the summer of 1999, Johnson, Nguyen and Tramp began perfecting their own unique brand of music. The three musicians produced a live album, Funhouse, and later released a studio album called Jubilee (2003).
For several years, a Nashville based musician named Kenny Wright had sat in with Bonepony; however, he did not get a permanent seat in the band until 2004, when Tramp chose to retire from touring and take a position at the International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro, Kentucky. Wright had been a long time friend of Nguyen, and the two musicians had been in and out of bands together for 20 years. “As a mainstay on the Nashville rock scene he formed and recorded with his bands Scarlet, Prodigal Suns and Social Kings. He has toured with Hotter Than Hell, Tequila Sunrise and Max Vague” (Bonepony Website Bio). Primarily a drummer, Wright also plays guitar, mandolin, mandola, dulcimer and the stomp board. With the lineup in place, Johnson, Nguyen and Wright began recording their latest studio album, Feeling It (2006).It the number 1 spot on XM Radio’s X Country chart; “no small feat for a band without label funding or radio promotion” (Bonepony Myspace).
In the winter of 2006, the group began making plans to record a live CD/DVD combo. The set was called Celebration Highway, and was released in March 2007. The show was filmed on March 2, 2007 at Nashville’s historic Belcourt Theater, which was the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1934 - 1936 (Belcourt Website). “Celebration Highway, documents the band‘s performance in both CD and full-length concert film formats. The film includes not only the Belcourt performance, but also follows the band on it‘s seemingly endless tour to bring their music to the masses” (Bonepony Myspace).
Influences and Themes
Several factors must be considered when analyzing the influences that effect particular musicians or a unique musical style. For this band, influencing factors include family, geography, religion, and popular culture.
As briefly stated earlier, Scott Johnson grew up in a small community, and was highly influenced by his grandmother and religion. His grandmother played a pivotal role in his upbringing and the church is a huge part of small town life. As Johnson stated in an interview featured on the film, Celebration Highway:
I grew up in Texas in a little bitty small town, and I was kinda in a musical void. I didn’t really have a lot of musical influences growing up other than church music and stuff. But I started, you know, as a teenager hanging out with friends that were a little more musically inclined than I was and they turned me on to rock and roll, heavy metal, blues, R & B, dance music. I just dug it all, and I still like church music too, you know. I like to sit and sing a capella, and my Grandmother and I used to sing together a lot. (Celebration Highway DVD)
There is an ancient history of religion influencing art. God is never far away from a Bonepony song or performance. Religious themes are present in many of the songs that Johnson writes. The song East Texas Rhythm not only exhibits his nostalgic topophilia for his east Texas home, but it also illustrates the church as a powerful, influential and unifying experience:
Take the black-top road just north of here, lead you to the Piney Church, on a Sunday morning everybody gonna come to take a little time to worship, whole church starts a singing, you can hear it ringing out across the land, telling everybody the good news, how the kingdom’s close at hand, yes it‘s close. (1999)
An important point to acknowledge is that not only does religion influence art, but in turn, the expression of art can benefit religion. In expressing himself through song, Johnson presents religion as a positive defining characteristic in his life. In East Texas Rhythm we see religion as a force that brought family and friends together, introduced music into his life and was a source of hope and comfort. Both religion and music are powerful influences on the human soul. This is made evident with the tune, Old Song:
Preacher man told me best take care of my soul, but I can’t see Jesus with my head hanging low, take care of my soul, yeah you know I will, with sweet sister music, I’ll be getting my fill, getting my fill, yeah getting my fill. (2001)
Religious influence is not only evident in Bonepony’s lyrics, but also in Johnson’s passionate delivery. A Bonepony performance is comparable to a camp meeting or revival. Johnson sings with all the zeal of a reborn gospel soloist, and speaks with all the vigor and charisma of a southern Baptist preacher on a mission from God. To say that Scott Johnson has a crowd in the palm of his hand is an understatement. A Bonepony performance promotes a feeling of communitas and euphoria, both of which are encouraged in the religious context. Victor Turner describes communitas to be:
a moment both in and out of time and in and out of secular social structure which reveals…some recognition…of a generalized social bond that has ceased to be and has simultaneously yet to be fragmented into a multiplicity of structural ties. (Turner 1974)
In other words, communitas is that point where you are totally and completely “in” the “moment.” For a fleeting moment, you feel unified with the people around you, whether the audience consists of five people or 250. This sense of communitas and euphoria is achieved towards the end of the performance. From personal experience, it usually occurs during the final song which is always a free spirited tune called Heathers Wetter. The music gets exponentially more intense as Nguyen and Wright perform intricate solos and exhibit passionate displays of musicianship while Johnson raps philosophically, expressing “carpe diem” themes through elaborate metaphors. In an interview, Johnson explains the driving forces behind these themes:
When we started foot stomping and playing dulcimer and mandolins and fiddles, it unleashed something in me that I hadn’t really found creatively before. It really inspired a lot of the lyrics and a lot of the lyrical direction that I’ve since gravitated more towards, you know: making the most out of every moment and really cherishing every moment that you have with your friends and family; really experience life…you got to give it if you want to get it, those kinds of ideas all came in those early days in Nashville when we pulled out the dulcimer and the mandolin and acoustic guitars and started stomping on the floor. (Celebration Highway DVD)
As far as the song writing process goes, Scott Johnson is the primary creative force behind the lyrics however all of the band members contribute at times. As Kenny Wright explains, “We all have strong opinions and flavors. Scott supplies most of the lyrics. Almost any of the lyrics are situational. Sweet River, Where the Waters Deep, those are about Scott‘s small town upbringing” (2008). In an interview with Johnsons featured on KET’s program Jubilee, Johnson recalls writing the song Jubilee which was the title track of their 2003 album of the same name:
Nick came up with a guitar riff one day during sound check and we just started hemming and hawing and kinda goofing off until everybody got ready to play…he’ll play something and I’ll say, that’s cool man remember that, and this particular time he did remember it. So when we started working on new music he played the riff again and I didn’t even remember it but I went right back into what I was doing at the time and I had the whole thing going on, we had the whole thing going on except for the word. I was singing: [huming], just mumbling something. And I called him [Nguyen] up with all the lyrics and he said, it’s jubilee. I said what? And he said, it’s jubilee. That’s the word! So as much as I do the lyrics they, you know, somebody will still put something right in front of my face that seems so obvious that I missed, that’s the most important part of the tune. That’s what’s brilliant about collaborating, you know. You’re sitting there busting it, you know, pouring out your soul, where is it, where is it, where is it? And then the darn guitar player goes it’s jubilee. That’s what you’re looking for and you go yeah you’re right man. That was it. (Jubilee 2006)
Just as Johnson was influenced by his small town and supported by his grandmother and the church, Kenny Wright attributes his musical success to his family. “I‘ve always loved music. My maternal grandparents and my dad were all musicians. There were always instruments around the house and my folks always encouraged me” (2008).
All three of the musicians site important figures from popular culture as influences. Johnson admits to liking everything from singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt to country and western king Bob Wills to Miles Davis and Billie Holiday (Johnson‘s Myspace). According to the Bonepony official website, Nick Nguyen, “credits his musical influences as the Beatles, Van Halen and violinist and composer Nicolo Paganini” (Bonepony Website). Ever the product of his times, Wright states:
My early influences were John Denver, Gordon Lightfoot, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash. I got into the Beatles after that and then saw KISS on TV and was hooked on rock music after that: Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, Queen, Nazareth and all the big 70‘s bands. I love all kinds of music. (2008)
It is important to note the eclectic nature of these musical influences. A fan named Andrew Curtis said, “…they [Bonepony] are quite the ‘mutt’ of musical influences” (2008). Each member of the band absorbed a wide range of musical styles during their formative years and this is reflected in the amalgam of musical styles that is unique to Bonepony today. In the beginning of the band, Johnson was highly influenced by the minimalist approach of old blues players. Early blues musicians would simply sing, play the guitar and stomp out the rhythm on an old wood floor.
In the early days of Bonepony, they did not have a drummer or a bassist, so the band supplemented the absence of a rhythm section by playing various percussion instruments including bells, tambourines and small drums. Johnson wanted to achieve the same effect that the old blues musicians had perfected and were known for, so he began stomping the beat on a wooden box or the floor. As the band began touring more and more, they noticed that the sound wouldn’t carry well in all venue settings so out of necessity they needed to work on the design. They developed what they called a “stomp shoe,” which was merely a pick up placed inside an old tennis shoe. Someone would wear the shoe and stomp out the beat while they played. As of late, the band has stopped using the stomp shoe and instead built a board that you step on that is designed basically the same way.
Performance and Stylistic Features
Bonepony performs at least 200 shows a year all across the United States. The band’s primary venues are bars, but in the summer months they play outdoor gigs at music festivals like Master Musician’s Festival in Somerset, Ky. At this point in their career, Bonepony has established several stock venues. These are places in which the band repeatedly returns to year after year. Some of these reliable venues include The Brewing Company, Brick Alley, 3rd and Lindsley, Exit Inn, Executive Inn Owensboro and Wild Wing Café.
There are a variety of reasons why these certain locales prove to be more conducive to the Bonepony experience. One major factor is that their largest fan base is located in the Eastern United States, more specifically Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Bonepony’s most frequently played venues are located in these states. Another factor is geography. Traditionally, cities like Louisville, Nashville, Knoxville, Asheville and Bloomington were the primary music hubs within the region, however, in addition to these respected music scenes, Bonepony also plays the smaller towns just outside of the larger cities. The Brewing Company, for example, is located in Bowling Green, Ky and is between two major cities: Louisville, Ky, and Nashville, Tn. A third factor is convenience. Bowling Green is just over an hour away from Nashville, where the band is based, thus it’s a short trip that almost always results in a good crowd turnout.
The band usually travels in a Ford Van. They pull a small trailer behind them that is strategically packed with an impressive amount of cargo. At any given show, Bonepony can arrive with three guitars, a Dobro, a banjo, a fiddle, a mandolin, a dulcimer, a full drum set, various auxiliary percussion instruments, boards and bass pedals. Johnson recalled one instance when he was unloading all of the equipment: “Some guy said, ‘I thought you all were a three piece.’ We are,” he said with a laugh.
The band usually arrives a couple of hours prior to the concert. They set up their instruments and the merchandise table where they sell CDs and T-shirts - their main source of profit. During every show, Johnson will say over the microphone, “Bonepony is an independent band, so go buy a CD, or two, or three. You guys are our record label.” The words vary, but the message is always the same. Most of the time the band’s road manager, Ron Pritt, sells merchandise; however, I have been “merch girl” for countless gigs in Bowling Green over the past five years.
Like most musicians, the members of Bonepony put a great deal of thought into their image. As performers, it is necessary that they look the part. There is a fine line between the performer and the audience. In addition to the spatial division: the stage versus the seats or dance floor, the change of attire also marks the transition into the role of the performer. The band members will travel and set up their gear in comfortable clothes and then retire backstage to change into their stage clothes just before the show begins. The members of the band each have their own individual style. Johnson has the most casual look, which usually consists of a band T-shirt and jeans, while Nguyen often wears button up collared shirts in rich colors or subtle, textured, patterns. Wright tends to have the most unique sense of style as he consciously chooses pieces that are reminiscent of the 1970s. A typical outfit for Kenny would be a straw hat, a vintage concert T-shirt, tight flared leg jeans and pink Converse sneakers. All three band members have longer than average hair which is a classic rock and roll look.
The band usually plays for two to three hours depending on the circumstances of the show. They typically open a set with a tune that is designed to hook a crowd. These songs are usually upbeat, rousing tunes like Feast of Life or Cowboy Song, however, if the crowd is thin and appears to be disinterested, Bonepony will open with 20 More People, which acts as an implicit message to the audience. The chorus ironically exclaims, “Over there, over there, maybe twenty more people want to hear my song.”
In a typical performance, Bonepony will intersperse new material with classic, crowd favorites. They will usually wait until about halfway through the show before they will play their well known hit, Jubilee. They almost always play what Scott Johnson refers to as “our only angry song,” Sugar On the Pill, and they always end the show with a light hearted, free spirited piece about coming of age and an unforgettable skinny dipping experience called Heathers Wetter.
Unlike other musicians, Bonepony welcomes requests. Most of the time, in other musical settings, requests are looked down upon and even considered disrespectful and rude, but the members of Bonepony seem to find it incredibly amusing. For them, it’s an interesting challenge when someone in the audience yells out a surprising request like War Pigs by Black Sabbath. It’s also a wonderful opportunity for them to demonstrate their versatility and virtuosity.
With Bonepony’s constant touring schedule it is important that they do not perform the same show twice. Variation is important, especially for a band that has been touring for as long as Bonepony. It is imperative that they can always provide something new for their audience, so that they continue to come back. Bonepony not only promotes variation by constantly changing their set list, but also by reworking classic songs. They can take a two minute song and turn it into a ten minute extended jam session. They often add in intricate solos, or change the instrumentation.
A Bonepony show is highly participatory. The band expects the crowd to get up and dance and takes personal offense when an apathetic or shy crowd remains in their seats. Scott Johnson was born to be a front man. As Nick Nguyen states, “He has an incredible command of the stage” (Celebration Highway DVD). He’s outgoing, friendly and has a way with words. Throughout a show, Johnson encourages the crowd to get up on their feet, to put their hands in the air, to clap or sing. He simply wants the audience to let the music move them. He often excitedly instructs the crowd by saying things like, “Can I get an Amen,” “Put your hands up in the air” or “Ya’ll sitting in the back, come down front and dance with us.“
Johnson will follow these instructions with a catch phrase that pretty much sums up the Bonepony experience: “It‘ll make you feel good inside.” It appears on merchandise and is repeated countless times during a show by Johnson. The participatory nature of a Bonepony performance is an extension of a couple of the themes discussed earlier like the idea of putting in the same amount of energy that you expect to gain, as well as, the “carpe diem” way of life in which you seize every day, take every opportunity and do what makes you feel good inside. A wonderful example of this is how Johnson led into a song on the 2005 airing of KET‘s Jubilee: “We’re going to sing a song for you about feeling good inside. About squeezing all the juice out of life” (Jubilee 2006).
It is important for members of a band to work together. They are, after all, creating one end product. The members of Bonepony have incredible dynamics; you can tell that they are friends on and off the stage. They know each other well and thus, they know what the other person wants. Most of the time, the guys do not have to vocalize anything at all. At times, a smile or moment of eye contact is sufficient enough and other times, they simply know what to do, when, where and how to do it. As Kenny Write confides:
We get along great. Nick and I are very much like brothers and have been friends and band mates for over twenty years. It‘s hard to get three people on the same page so when you do you stick with it. Why does it work? Because we‘re friends and we‘re adults that know the dynamics of a long term relationship. (2008)
The key to Bonepony’s productive relationship is mutual respect. Each member of the band highly respects the other as a musician and as a human being. They realize that Bonepony music would be nothing without each other and the respective talent that they each have to offer. As Johnson said, “There’s a niche that a Bonepony song has and Nick and Kenny bring that” (Celebration Highway DVD).
Bonepony is not only unique in the type of music that they play, but also how they play it.
The music itself is a melodious hybrid of rock and roll, folk, country, bluegrass and soul, driven home with foot-stomping four-on-the-floor beats crowbarred into four minute musical masterpieces that make it impossible to enjoy while standing still. As one writer scribed, ‘If Bonepony doesn’t make you move you’re made of lead!’ The live show is more of the same; with the band tearing through their unscripted set with unconscious abandon; each band member seemingly playing a different instrument on every song and using every limb available to do so. (Bonepony Myspace)
Their instrumental versatility and virtuosity is something that can’t be ignored. Each member of the band can play several different instruments, and will switch off repeatedly throughout a single show. Kenny Wright might play drums on one song and dulcimer on the next. For the song, Mountainside, Scott Johnson will assume a position behind the drums and sing while he plays, throwing back to an older, less common tradition of the lead vocalist/drummer, like Levon Helm in the group, The Band. Nick Nguyen is always surrounded by instruments. To his left is a home-made, PVC pipe, guitar rack that holds three acoustic guitars, an electric guitar, a Dobro and a banjo. Behind him is a mandolin and a fiddle and at his feet are the bass pedals. Be not surprised to see Nguyen play a phenomenal fiddle solo all the while playing the bass line with his sock feet. As Johnson testifies:
Nick is something else. He played guitar when he first joined the band and I thought it was extraordinary that he played, he plays open tuned guitars. He plays open C, open D. They’re not tuned standard the way a guitar, if you went and bought a guitar from the music store its tuned in a standard tuning in 4ths primarily. He tunes it in 5ths. He also plays standard Dobro, banjo and then out of necessity, we had a player leave back in October, he decided to pick up the fiddle. And I was skeptical. Fiddles no, that’s not an easy instrument to play, you know. And within six months, he was playing the songs as good or better than I’ve heard them played before. And now he’s bought a cello, a viola, which he doesn’t bring on the road because we don’t have enough space for all of his instruments. But the bass pedals…he decided that we needed some bass and I was like well how are you going to do that? How are you going to play guitar and bass? He said I’m going to get some bass pedals. I’m going to try to learn them. And at first he just started off real slowly. Only doing what he could pull off. And it has progressed to where he just almost plays on every single song…he’s just a genius. (Jubilee 2006)
The Diehards: A Music Community
Bonepony has an extremely passionate fan base. These people are called “Diehards.” Bonepony’s diehard fans will travel great lengths and pay any amount of money to get to see the band perform. They will dance their hearts out and sing along to every song. The know all the ins and outs of a Bonepony performance. They can usually predict what song is going to be played next based on the instruments that are picked up or Johnson’s lead into the tune. They hang out with the band after the show. The Diehards tend to be on a first name basis with the members of the band, and will attend anywhere from 10 - 30 or more shows a year depending on personal circumstances. Some people may think that if you’ve seen one performance, you’ve seen them all, so what is it that keeps the Diehards coming back year after year?
A huge part of Bonepony’s appeal is the connections that they make with their fans. The members of the band go out of their way to make each and every fan feel special. They make a conscious effort to remember names and faces, to greet people with a smile, wave of the hand or a hug, and to make everyone feel like a good friend even when they see each other as little as once a year. Bonepony is aware that they would not be able to do what they love if it weren’t for their dedicated fan base. “We’ve got the best fans in the world,” remarks Johnson (Bonepony Myspace). Wright states, “We do care about them [the fans] so there really is no decision. Obviously we couldn‘t do this if it weren‘t for those supporters out there. It‘s a very humbling feeling to be in the middle of so many people who love what you do” (2008).
Unlike musicians who have made it to the “big time” and are playing sold our arena shows, Bonepony remains on a personal level with their fans. They are approachable. They are real people. Their fans find it very easy to relate to them as human beings and also to the subject matter of their songs. As Wright states, “[Bonepony songs are about] Life, you know. The songs are about real people experiencing real things. We don‘t throw in a bunch of phony love song sentiment. They speak to the vast majority of people because the lyrics are honest” (2008).
Bonepony has had a profound impact on their fans. For their fans, time is measured by Bonepony shows. Pivotal points in their lives like engagements, birthdays and anniversaries are often celebrated by attending a Bonepony concert. Not only does the music heal the soul, but it has created lifelong relationships with other fans as well as the band. Bonepony music creates community. There is a Bonepony Fan forum that has played a huge role in unifying Diehards all across the nation. I interviewed several fans from this forum in order to discuss the impact that Bonepony has had on their lives. I believe that the best way to describe the affect of this music on the audience is to hear it from the fan’s own perspective, which is what follows.
My good friend, photojournalist and Bonepony fan, Kevin Goldy, describes Bonepony music as “refreshing, like dancing around a campfire. They have the right spirit and message in their music” (2008). Scott Lykins, has been to 50 plus shows since he was introduced to Bonepony at a music festival in 2003. When asked what the music means to him, he replied, “It‘s music that makes me feel good, picks me up when I‘m feeling down. I can‘t imagine life without Bonepony at this point” (2008).
Lykins goes on to say, “I‘m drawn by the feeling I get from the sound. Also, the guys in the band are absolutely the nicest guys out there. They‘re regular people without enormous egos…it‘s hard to say, but I would almost call these guys my friends and I think they think the same of me as well as the rest of their fans” (2008). For Lykins, the sense of community created through Bonepony’s music is a huge part of the appeal and what keeps him coming back.
I’ve got to know so many people. I can count on seeing the same folks, depending on what area I’m attending a show. Recently, I had a pre-party before a show in Louisville and around 40 people attended. Bonepony is certainly a family thing. I‘ve got at least 3-4 really good friends that I communicate with on a daily basis. I can honestly say that I‘ll be friends with these people for the rest of my life. Also, the relationship with my brother has been strengthened due to this band. In the last year he started going to shows and we have gotten a lot closer because of that. (2008)
Joseph Lierl admits, “The farthest I‘ve traveled [for a Bonepony show] has been flying from LAX to Memphis, then driving 500-800 miles during the weekend to and from the airport and to the shows. Worth it? Every mile, every minute of travel time.” When asked why he thought this music was unique, Lierl replied, “The musicianship involved is amazing. The fun and good vibes that come not only from the music but also from hanging out with or around the band. The camaraderie of the fans of the band and the family feel of the diverse group of people that come to the shows and respect one another in love of the music.”
Andrew Curtis recalls his favorite Bonepony experiences:
Two come to mind…[The first] I didn’t see them live until 02-ish. My wife and I showed up early to a show in Indy while they were sound checking and I was in awe. As they got done, Nick comes down and shakes our hands personally and thanks us for coming out to the show. How stupid that I still have a little fan-boy in me at 30 something. That started my series of emails which began our friendship. [The second would be] Seeing Scott roll around on my living room floor with my infant son last year was bizarre - leader of my favorite band of all time playing with one of my kids in my house…that was awesome and smile inducing. (2008)
Rose Cohelia who came across Bonepony by chance back in 2004 admits:
I listen to Bonepony every day. The Music is so raw and real. The lyrics are real and drawn from the guys‘ experiences. I can relate to so many of their songs. Their blend of acoustic and electric instruments, as well as their voices, is simply unique…hard to describe. Scott’s voice is one of the most expressive I have ever heard…Scott is the ultimate ‘music man,’ His banter draws you in and makes you feel part of the whole experience. The guys are so into their music that they sometimes seem possessed. (2008)
Cohelia goes on to describe the affect that Bonepony music has on her, “I can be having a bad day, or in the worst mood ever, get in the car and turn on Bonepony and instantly I am smiling and taken away to a better place…singing along, stomping my foot, clapping my hands. Well, to quote Bonepony, ‘it just makes you feel good inside.’”
I recently met Debbie Garland at a show and as usual in the Bonepony community, we became fast friends. When asked how the music makes her feel she replied, “As you have seen, I‘m usually the first person on the dance floor when I‘m at a show. Up until this year, I would have never done that. Scott Johnson says you got to squeeze all the juice out of life. You can‘t just sit in the back. We‘re not guaranteed tomorrow” (2008).
Kim Figueiredo from Cocoa, Florida, wrote an essay immediately following her first experience seeing Bonepony perform live:
The 2007 Annual Bash at Camp Kalamazoo in Osteen
It's the morning after my long awaited first night to ever hear Bonepony live. It was suggested since I'm the newbie, that I should write some thoughts on the matter. Having a knack for being verbose and a master of the run on sentence, forgive me while I struggle to keep it simple. A bit foggy from tent camping or maybe those beers, I fumble to find words that will properly express my gratitude for receiving this awesome musical gift and for the warm kindness of our hosts and new found friends. The lush green setting on the beautiful lazy banks of the Saint Johns River was like stepping back in time to the way all of Florida once was. It could not have been more appropos. The sparks were flying and the music complied.
Anyone who claims they have no belief in magic obviously has never heard Bonepony. But if you feel as I do, that music is the breath of life, experiencing this band is an epiphany. Whether raw and rebellious, melodic and lyrical or soulful and transcendent, their fusion of versatility brings me back to the Source. Their musical integrity has an honest vibe and life affirming quality that lifts me right on up and sends me flying. No doubt I'm not the only one. We were all "feelin' it" last night. Perhaps that's why fans often allude to needing a fix. Now I get it.
As the story goes, my first exposure to the band came a few years ago when my husband Mario--also a musician--was playing a gig in Cape Canaveral. A happy group in the crowd just so happened to be BP fans and promoting to pass it forward handed him a Travelers Companion CD. It only took the first few notes and we were hooked. The next link came about a year later when we got turned on to shinin' Shaun Shaw who by-the-way is an incredible craftsman and can lay a mean wood floor. As it turns out, another BP fan on a mission to share. To our surprise not only does he give us copies of all the Bonepony CD's but he invites us to the next Osteen party AND becomes our friend! You're the best Shaun! And the circle grows.
Nearly a week later as I finish this up, I still feel "the crush". I know I speak for all when I give a HUGE heartfelt thanks to Scott, Nick and Kenny because the road gets weary and to your families because sacrifice takes guts. Word has it that good will is your usual nature but you sure made us feel extra special down yonder. Your generosity of spirit mirrors your music and if what you do comes back to you, abundance will be yours. Be it mainstream or Gulf stream the collective soul that is Bonepony can't help but radiate...'cause twenty more people--really do--gotta hear your song.
Peace, Kim
A relationship of mutual respect and reciprocity exists between the band and the Diehards. Bonepony needs an audience to give them a reason to do what they love doing, and their fans need Bonepony to give them something to look forward to and to “make them feel good inside.” It’s a remarkable relationships, that’s beneficial for both parties. Extreme gratitude is always expressed on both sides. When asked what keeps him going and makes the intense touring, the long drives and the time away from his family worth it, Wright replied, “When someone is interested enough in what we do to write a paper about us or any of the amazing things that people reveal to you about what our music has meant to them” (2008). Kim said it best. Bonepony has impacted their fans on many levels. Kim calls it “magic” and refers to it as a “musical gift.” Though it may be hard for outsiders to comprehend, this music really does mean that much to the fans. In fact, it means everything to them. |