Johnny
G Lyon & JGLB is a concert band. Johnny G Lyon & JGLB is a PARTY
band. Johnny G Lyon & JGLB is appropriate for any event, at any venue. BOOK Johnny G Lyon & JGLB! CONTACT Johnny G Lyon & JGLB this page under construction About JGLB exhibit at Tampa's Straz Museum See picture below! Johnny G Lyon &
JGLB (aka the Johnny G Lyon Band, or just JGLB) is inarguably one of the
most durable bands in Tampa history. Almost any venue in the bay area that has
featured live music within the last 3 decades has hosted the JGLB (or its' antecedents) at one time or another. JGLB has performed
at Raymond James Stadium, Tropicana Field, Tampa Stadium, The
Times Forum, The Bayfront Center, The Sun Dome, Al Lang Field, Al Lopez Field, Tampa Theater, the State Theater, Lowry
Park, Vinoy Park, Curtis Hixon Park, and countless other concert venues. JGLB has opened concerts for B. B. King, James Brown,
John Lee Hooker, The Outlaws, Marshall Crenshaw, Marshall Tucker, Three Dog Night, Los Lobos, The Monkees, BTO, Gregg Allman,
Wet Willie, The Rubber City Rebels, James Harman Blues Band, and many more. JGLB has been named "Best Local Band" by the Tampa
Tribune reader's poll three times. JGLB produced the soundtrack for a series
of promotional videos for Tampa's WFTS Channel 28. They have also been the subject
of feature stories on Newschannel 8 and on Channel 13. JGLB is led by 63 year old Johnny G. Lyon, a lifelong professional musician.
Johnny has done a little bit of everything in the music business. In the late 70's and
early 80's, Johnny's band gained notoriety in Tampa, being named "Best Local Band" by the Tampa Tribune for the
first time. In 1981, Johnny moved to L.A. California. Since then, his music has appeared on major motion picture
soundtracks, including the Columbia Pictures hit, "Just One Of The Guys," which featured Johnny's composition "Comb My Hair." Describing a California
gig, the L. A. Weekly said Johnny "ignites the room with tough rhythm and rock sounds." In 1984, Johnny returned to Tampa.
A short time later, he changed his stage name to "Johnny G Lyon" and began calling his band JGLB. JGLB almost immediately
became hugely popular, playing all over the Tampa Bay Area, getting overwhelmingly postive reaction from large crowds in diverse
venues. From biker bars to beach bars to upscale venues throughout the region, JGLB was a big hit.
In 1990, JGLB released the eight-song LP, "Good Cheap Rock-N-Roll." A single,
''Call Me Lover Boy," received solid local airplay.
In August 1995, JGLB released a nine-song CD, "Give The Kid A Chance." Reviews include Focus Magazine's
assertion that "Kid" is "one of the most commercially accessible discs to be released locally in some time."
In the surrounding hoopla, Johnny was asked to sing the National Anthem at a Tampa Bay Buccaneers game. Johnny is
one of the most outstanding vocalists and virtuoso guitarists ever to emerge from the Tampa Bay music scene. As such, he has
performed and recorded with blues legends like the internationally known late Sonny Terry, Blind Willie James, and the
late Rock Bottom, punk rock icons like Rod Firestone of the Rubber City Rebels, the quirky legend Billy C. Wirtz, Americana
hero Ronny Elliott, the award-winning Souliz band featuring Sugar and Spice, internationally-known Louisiana blues giants
Big Al and the Heavyweights, and harmonica kings T.C. Carr and Roguie Ray LaMontange. But Johnny is also an explosive
high-energy performer onstage, and he is considered to be one of Tampa's greatest entertainers. It is frequently said, "No
one walks away from a JGLB show dissatisfied." 30 years after its' inception, and 40 years after Johnny first appeared on the Tampa
Bay music scene, JGLB is still going strong. JGLB still can be seen playing somewhere, usually around Tampa, most
weekends. A search of "JGLB" on youtube returns over 200 results. Drummer
Ray Blade played JGLB's first gig in 1985, and still plays in the JGLB. A USF
graduate, Blade has also performed with Sam and Dave, the Flying Burrito Brothers, and Little Anthony and the Imperials. His
brother is another widely known Florida rocker, Bobby Friss. Bassist Benny "Ben Jammin" Sudano first joined JGLB in 1992. Originally
from New York, He is on his third stint in the band. A widely respected bass player, Benny has performed the Toler Brothers,
James & Lucky Peterson, Les Dudek, Johnny Maestro and the Brooklyn Bridge among others. Benny is an excellent vocalist
as well. Vocalist
Tommy Duncan helps Johnny front the band. In addition to having a powerful voice whose work compliments Johnny's own singing,
Tommy (AKA Gregg Burrage) is a media personality in his own right. He is currently the website director for WFTS TV.
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