John Nielsen

Halloween 2009

2009-11-01T14:49:00.002-06:00

This was a great weekend of fun. The James Sheeley House hosted a costume party Friday the 30th with Jeff White & James Ignacio (The Side Kicks) providing music.

Saturday, Dave & I provided music at the Lounge of Fischers on the Green. Many were in costume. Tom Nutting was in the house and took a guest performance on the stage. After packing out, we stopped by Clancy's in Eau Claire to meet up with some friends and relatives... another late night. A day watching games and races from the couch seems like a good idea Sunday.

Click the link below to see the all the photos

Halloween 2009

Sheeley House Oct 2009

2009-10-10T07:50:00.003-06:00

What a great night at the 'House'! A full room of folks that came in to have fun and join us in making music. A group of 4 from Iowa had several musically talented in the bunch and took the mic for a few songs. Stacy introduced a new hot beverage called Spanish Coffee, complete with flames and sparks. Gary Dupuis is a long time friend who has musical talent gifted by God. He took the stage with me an blew the house away with his vocals. I think you will see Gary at the House on a regular basis. We LOVE to see our dedicated, regular fans. That is the single most sincere complement that can be bestowed upon any performer. Thank you!!

Here are some pics from the evening:

Sheeley Oct 2009

Review of our Green Mill House Band

2009-03-30T09:02:00.000-06:00

Review of the Green Mill House Band
by Sue Kelly (I-94 FM Eau Claire)

Lying dormant after years of discontent and overkill, my respect for musicians and the craft of performing has been renewed. With John Nielsen and the Green Mill House Band, my faith in live music has been revived like a stopped heart to an electric paddle.

It’s a Thursday night in Eau Claire Wisconsin. I’ve had an excellent meal with a few adult beverages. I am in the midst of three mature professionals, picking up guitars and assembling a traveling stage to form a band that covers “everything from Johnny Cash to Led Zeppelin.” The GMHB is John Nielsen, Frank Aragona and Tony Campbell.

While John worked fluidly to get the sound system set up for the show, Frank donned his fedora, tuned his guitar and joined Tony and me as we talked about ‘music business’.

Bassist, Tony Campbell has been playing stringed instruments since he was fret-tall to a cello. For the last thirty-six years he has made his way to several bands (he currently plays in seven groups) and has the right to call himself a professional musician.

John first picked up the guitar only 8 years ago. His wife of over 25 years, Nancy, told me that she didn’t even know he could sing until then. John says with pride that Nancy is his roadie, groupie, manager, wife and best friend. Hearing something that admirable from a guy who’s about to sing ‘Good Hearted Woman’ is enough to make even the coldest of hearts melt. Nancy and John are just two people who enjoy music. And given the friendship between them, if Nancy didn’t like it, John probably would not pursue it.

The bar begins to fill up with some regulars and a few people out to celebrate a birthday or two. We all settled in and the group sat down, the house music was silenced and I was in for an entertaining show to say the very least.

The really cool thing about this clan is that before the show they hand out their set list. It contains each and every song they perform together alphabetically. The presence of repeat customers is always a sign of admiration. Given the fact that many people started bringing up their requests is proof that the guys draw a regular crowd.

John starts out on vocals. He is fun, doesn’t take himself too seriously and clearly loves to be able to just play and sing. His rendition of Lukenbach Texas even had him lowering or raising his voice depending on whether he was singing Waylon’s or Willie’s part. The crowd got it and chuckled at his Willie voice.

The sound in the bar was miraculously tight and assuming you wanted to have a conversation, you could do so without being blown away by over singing and drums. There was no drum kit in this little group and, to be honest, it was nice to just hear the voices, the banter, the bar conversations and the strings.

Someone in the crowd shouted U2! And that’s when we heard from Frank Aragona. Frank’s voice is like a poem and John and Tony’s accompaniment was the scroll upon which it’s written. “With Or Without You” started out with an incredible instrumental that got everyone’s attention. After a few lines of crystal clear and harmonic instrumentals, Frank began singing. In most cases the story would ends there. Anyone trying to cover an iconic voice like Bono’s has a long bumpy road ahead of them. Frank, however, seemed to have conceived, engineered, and personally hand-paved this road. His cover of the song was clear perfection and left me with goose bumps. The crowd just stopped, listened and watched as if the magic would disappear if they looked away. I was hooked and knew I wanted to see these guys again!

It takes a lot of courage to pick up a guitar when you’ve already lived a ‘normal’ life off the stage. When you take the plunge and put yourself out there AND do a great job of it, you deserve the title of Professional Musician. I highly recommend seeing these guys.

Sue Kelly

Sheeley House Nov 2008

2008-11-16T17:01:00.003-06:00

It must have been the full moon that spiced the spirits of the guests this night. What a great time. One of those special nights of music that will be remembered and told about for a long time. Greg Gilbertson (3rd place winner world's best fingerstyle player competition) stopped by and played a short set for us. Tom Nutting and Kitty were there and Tom took the stage to keep the music going during my breaks. Then just about wrap-up time, Frank Arigona stopped by and plugged his Fender electric into our PA. We played an extra set including 2 from Pink Floyd and a couple of tunes from Led Zeppelin. Frank is a masterful player with powerful vocals and had the audience on thier feet for a standing ovation following his performance of "Whole Lotta' Lovin' by 'Zep. It is a true honor to have such talented friends. Thank you all again!!

Click on the pic below for a few pics of the evening.

Sheeley House Nov 2008

R & R Resort Aug 2008

2008-08-21T12:10:00.003-06:00

When one thinks they have had a great time, another event occurs and take the place of 'best'. James & Laura were married Sat noon. We met at the James Sheeley house for a few drinks and some food. I had to leave early to prepare for the gig at R&R. Just after Dave & I began, teh entire wedding party showed up. We took turns at the stage singing fun songs. James and Laura did a wonderful duet; James sang his self-authored wedding song to Laura, Jeff treated us to 'Harvest Moon' (and it was too) and several others. Jon and Tony and Judy stopped by and took the stage for some fun also. The tiki deck was packed and those who were there were treated to a very special night of fun and music.

Click on the link below to see some pics.

R&R Resort Aug 2008

2008-03-17T20:10:00.002-06:00

Another memorable evening at the Sheeley House! Tim & Steve from Rice Lake stopped by and gave us a set of their own material during my break. These are two very talented young artists. Jason took the second break with his material and also did great. Later, we all joined together for a jam session that included some fun blues and rock tunes.

Click on the pic below for a full set of images from the night.

Sheeley House Mar 2008

Gilligan's Feb 2008

2008-02-17T11:21:00.005-06:00

This was my first time to play inside at this wonderful lakeside bar/restaurant in Chetek. New owners, Bob & Julie Stangle are great, fun loving folks and have a real gem here. Friday included a set by one of my guitar mentors, Andy Taket. Andy is taking a break from years of performing with bands and will offer his musical talents as a solo act around the midwest. He will likely play a few engagements here this summer. Sat night theme was Tropical Beach Party. We also had a whole bunch of guest musicians show up and took the stage themselves. From Chippewa Falls, rated one of the top 10 fingerstyle guitarists in the NATION, Greg Gilbertson http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=72374242 gave us a 3-song demo of his music and style...WOW! Then, from Rice Lake Tim and Steve wanted to audition for the new owners. They also captured the house with their energy and fun music. Johnny Erickson from Bloomer joined me for some Bob Dillon tunes and held the stage alone while I changed a broken string back stage. Stan Johnson from Chetek was in the house and performed a few popular tunes from his set list. At the end of the night, we opened the mic and stage to any and all who wanted to perform. Turns out there were some very talented voices in the house and we played a lot longer than expected 'cause it was FUN!! I look forward to playing there again.

Click on the pic for a full album of pics from this night

Gilligan's Feb 2008

Sheeley House Feb 2008

2008-02-10T19:11:00.001-06:00

A capacity crowd brought a spirit of fun and helped out with several songs everybody knows. Even had a few guest musicians take the stage with me to enrichen the mix.

Click on the pic to see all the pics from this night.

Sheeley House Feb 2008

Northwoods Halloween 2007

2007-11-20T14:25:00.000-06:00

If you weren't there, you missed a great party!! Over two dozen muscisians and about 50 guests came in costume and performed until the wee hours of the morning. Northwoods owner (Larry) prepared a surprise meal for all there of charcoaled chicken and all the trimmin's.

Sheeley House October 2007

2007-10-18T14:45:00.000-06:00

Dave Alley is the guy we enjoy as a regular bass player who joins me on most of my gigs. His wife Darlene organized a surprise birthday party for Dave at the Sheeley. A great turnout and lots of fun with guest singers and players through the whole night.

Click on the pic/link to view the entire photo album of the night.

Sheeley House October 2007

Vacation Time!!

2007-08-26T15:54:00.001-06:00

Nancy & I celebrate our 25th anniversary in September and we are going to take a motorhome and 'head west' for most of the month. Plan to see the great sights and take in a few clubs along the way. I will post updates and pics along the way. I will be back on schedule for area gigs in October.

Summer Strummer 2007

2007-08-26T15:51:00.000-06:00

A large group of musicians got together at the home of John & Nancy Nielsen to have fun on a wet soggy Sunday afternoon. The tent kept everyone dry and the music was fantastic. Thank you to all who made it happen.

2007-07-08T21:14:00.000-06:00

July 4th under the tent at the new Tiki Bar on Cornell Lake...what a wonderfull day and night!! Warm temps, cloudless skies and light breeze made perfect conditions. There were many boaters who came off the lake to enjoy the party. We had several guest singers. After playing steady for 4 hours, my fingers were numb, but this crowd had their mind made up they were not going to let the music end...played another 2 hours before grabbing a stool at the tiki bar and enjoying the fireworks. One of the most fun gigs I have ever had. Thank you to everybody!!

Click on the pic below for a full album of great shots at this gig.

R&R Resort July 4 2007

Red's June 2007

2007-06-25T18:39:00.000-06:00

This was my first engagement at Red's. New owners (Tim & Marsha) bought Pete's Landing overlooking Chetek Lake and have dedicated themselves to turning this club into the area's finest no-cover live music venue. They also have a great dinng room with glass wall looking out to the club and lake. I pulled Gary DuPois, Jeff White and Dave Alley together to join me for this gig. We had a full band!!! A fun crowd with dancers and singers made the night go fast. Dawn Nelson, Liz and even Ron took a few songs with us on the guest mic. We will be back in July.

Click on the pic below for a full album of pictures from the night.

Red's June 2007

R & R Resort - June 2007

2007-06-25T18:12:00.000-06:00

A half moon shining over Cornell Lake, 70+ degrees, a new expanded Tiki Bar and fun loving patrons made this night another one to remember. Amy (owner) and Curt came up and joined me for a few songs. The night went fast and soon we found ourselves just sitting around the bar sharing stories and laughs.

Click on the pic below for the full album of picture memories of the night.

R & R Resort June 2007

Sheeley House June 2007

2007-06-13T09:17:00.000-06:00

I forgot my camera, so there are no pics...sorry. One of the things I love about this style of music, is that I can adapt my playlist to the audience. A late dinner crowd was looking for ballads and 12-string instrumental, so the first set was just that! Then we turned up the tempo and had a chance to try a few new tunes including the Bon Jovi Make A Memory hit. Back again on Friday July 13.

R & R Resort May 2007

2007-05-27T07:51:00.000-06:00

Toby Keith sums it best with his song: "I Love This Bar"! The new Tiki Bar is wonderful. The spring air was crisp, the heaters and bonfire made everybody very comfortable. The sound quality of our PA is terrific outdoors. Randy, Junior, Kurt and Amy took positions at the guest mic. Your summer will not be complete if you miss a night of music on Amy & Rich's new Tki Bar.

Click on the pic below for a set of pictures of the night.

R & R Resort May 2007

Lehman's Supper Club May 2007

2007-05-20T16:32:00.000-06:00

If you were not at this gig, you missed some great music! Dave Alley was on bass, Gary Dupois backed me with wonderful harmony vocals and guitar. Kim Richie plugged in midway with his 6-string and added vocals too. John Lehman on 6-string guitar does a spectacular job of lead rifts and runs! Brian stopped in on his way back home from an early gig and also added 6-string rythim guitar. 5 guitars, 1 bass, and 2 backing vocalists!! What a huge, full sound. Thank you all for a wonderfull night.

We will be back to open the fall Lehmans music season in Sept.

Click on the picture below for the complete album of the night.

Lehmans May 2007

Sheeley House May 2007

2007-05-13T09:16:00.000-06:00

A nice crowd made for another memorable evening at the James Sheeley House. Dave Alley brought his bass, John Erickson played guitar, harp and added vocals. Even Brian joined me for a few tunes. My daughter Cassie was home from college and sang 'Landslide' as a solo. We played later than planned because it was fun!!
Lots of pics. Click on the picture below

Sheeley House May 2007

Paradise Shores May 2007

2007-05-07T16:44:00.000-06:00

We celebrated Cinco de Mayo in style at Paradise Shores. Buckets of Corona's and special prices on some of the rarest tequilla available!! We haad a nice crowd of singers and dancers right up past closing. This sure is a beautiful club. Make sure to stop by next time in the area.

Click on the picture below to see all the shots from this night.

Paradise Shores May 2007

R & R Resort - April 2007

2007-04-30T13:14:00.000-06:00

We opened the summer season at the R & R Resort with a bang!! Dave Alley on bass and a new guest, Gary Dupois on 6-string guitar joined me on stage. It was another night of musical magic!! Dave was right on with the base line, and Gary's voice harmonized with my lead just like two brothers. I think I woke the next day still grinning from ear to ear. Thank you both for making the night so much fun for all. There are several dates at R & R. after Memorial Day, we set up on the Tiki Bar overlooking beautiful Cornell Lake. With the moon rising, a warm fire and always great company, this is the place to forget about the week you just left behind!

Lehman's Supper Club Apr 2007

2007-04-23T19:22:00.000-06:00

The night began with a great steak dinner with my wife Nancy and Dave Alley who plays bass. The lounge was full, we began with a quiet mix, then picked up the tempo as diners finished. Soon we had our regular Lehman's guest singers at the mic and singing from thier seats. Several musician friends I have met at various gigs stopped by...do that at my gigs, and you will be pulled up on stage to help out on a few songs. Kristina and Muryl Olsen, Kim Ritchie, Randy Hansen and John Lehman were all plugged into the PA and making for a very full sound. Thank you all for joining me. Later on, John Lehman and Kim gave me a break from my seat and treated the crowd to some of their work. Another memorable night!! Back again May 19th.

Click on the picture below to see the entire album of pics from the night.

Lehman's April 2007

Sheeley House Apr 2007

2007-04-15T07:26:00.000-06:00

Summer weather brought the spirt of fun to the Sheeley House this evening. A packed house was entertained by several guest singers. Dave was providing our bass line and Jr added some percussion to the mix. Stacey kept the drinks filled and we all had a LOT of fun. Thank you all for joining me. Back again May 11.

Click the pic below to view the entire album of pics of this show

Sheeley House Apr 2007

Jakes Supper Club March 2007

2007-04-02T09:14:00.000-06:00

This was my audition event at Jakes. Rain did not dampen the spirits or crowd that made the show. John Lynch (owner) encouraged us to try the Friday Walleye special. I am not much of a fan of freshwater fish, but this was FANTASTIC!!. I will have it again for sure.

The Show: Dave Alley drove in from Hallie to join me on stage with his bass. (Thank you!!) We started with some quieter tunes as the diners finished their meals, then kicked it up a notch and got some dancers and singers going. There are several regulars at Jakes that have great musical talent and I was pleased to get them on stage to help out. John Lynch in an accomplished musician and vocalist. We coaxed him into adding his voice to a few tunes and take a few guitar licks as well. You can see by the pictures, we all had a good time.

Click here to view the on-line picture album from this night.

Jakes Supper Club March 2007

Morning's Corner March 2007

2007-03-26T19:52:00.000-06:00

Spring finally arrived and it was so refreshing to be able to set up in the natural light and have the windows open. Dave Alley who joins me with his bass had to leave early, so Jon Erickson came up and provided a strong base line one the spare 6-string while I carried the melodies on my 12-string. Later in the night, the guest mic, tamborine and moracco's where all in use. The guitar music ended about 12:30, but we didn't stop...with over 1000 songs on the i-pod, I was able to find the hits the remaining die-hard group wanted to sing along with. I think it was around 2:15 when I started to pack up. We had a great time!! Thank you Betty & Gary, Rod, Ron, Randy and Steve for your musical help.

Lehman's Supper Club - Mar 2007

2007-03-19T14:03:00.000-06:00

I was honered to be asked to host the St Patricks Day celebration at Lehman's. A group of about 25 fun-loving folks from Pastor Phil's First Congregational Church in Bloomer made early dinner reservations and were treated to the fine food (even green popovers!) Lehman's is famous for. Music started at 8:00. With frequent toasts, the spirit of the party was alive. We had LOTS of guests to help with singing and even a few 'players' who took the stage while I took a break. It was a very fun and memorable evening. Even Butch Lehman, his wife and son John all were on stage together as we performed a collection of well-known songs from the 60's and 70's. The photo album from this night includes several of the group from Bloomer and pics of our guest performers. Click on the picture below to go to view the whole bunch of pics from that evening.

Lehman's Supper Club Mar 2007

Sheeley House March 9 2007

2007-03-11T19:40:00.000-06:00

Those who packed the 'House' felt the energy of the night. Great audience participation. Dave Alley plugged his bass into the mix and was really 'on'. Jon Erickson grabbed the spare 6-string and nailed some Dylan tunes. Sue Klinger and Barb Eisold both took a turn at the guest mic and wowed the crowd. Then, just before we began to slow it down for he night, Don Zank and his wife Tatiana entered the room. Don has been a terrific teacher for me and I owe him much for the musical inspiration. Don joined me on stage with 'Wish You Were Here', 'Lucky Man', 'Bo Jangles', and 'Nights in White Satin'. Stacie kept the glasses full and Jim kept our bellies full. Always good food, drink, camaraderie and music...looking forward to our April return engagement.

Click on the photo to go to a site with all the pics of this night.

Sheeley House March 2007

Morning's Corner Feb 2007

2007-03-07T17:49:00.000-06:00

Mornings Corner Feb 2007

Click on the pic above to view all shots of the night.

We had a very busy guest mic. Randy, Rod, Ron and Sue all did very well. Later that night, my mentor and trainer, Wayne Zank grabbed the extra 6-string and performed a full medley of classic songs made famous by Christopherson, Tex Ridder and others. It was a real treat!!

Morning's Corner March 3 2007

2007-03-04T09:35:00.000-06:00

The snow ended on time but the wind made some roads slippery, so the crowd was light. It made for a very nice personal gig. Everybody got to hear the songs they wanted. My friend Dave Alley covered us with his bass. John Erickson came on stage a few times and joined us in strumming and singing and harmonica. Even 'Kareoke' Mike did a few tunes with me. Ron L and I did a few Eagles duets and the Miller Lite Girls stopped by near closing on the way back to Eau Claire.
John

Lehman's Supper Club - Feb 2007

2007-02-25T19:48:00.000-06:00

The threat of nasty weather did not deter a full house at Lehman's. The annual Speedway Awards Banquet crowd stayed on and enjoyed the fun. Nancy & I enjoyed a FANTASIC steak dinner before the show. Butch, your staff has to be commended. They make it look so easy.

The Show: Dave Alley, my friend who plays bass with me for most of my gigs, was ill and did not make it...we missed you. John Lehman; up from UW Madison to do the 'Berke was in the house and accompanied me on several tunes. A new guest guitarist/singer, Bob Berg from Birchwood treated us with a few tunes including some real nice blues. I got a chance to break out my harmonica and play along with some tunes Bob led. 'Shultzy and friends' added backing vocals with the guest mic on a few songs.

The snow and wind started about 1:00am. The drive back to Bloomer was not bad. A plow truck had gone through just a few minutes ahead of us. We are looking forward to our next gig to celebrate St. Patrick's day on March 17th. Sounds like there is planning to be several guest musicians that may make it. Thank you all for another fun evening.

Jim Sheeley House Feb 2007

2007-02-23T09:50:00.000-06:00

A packed house was treated to a special guest appearance by John Erickson on the 6-string.

Click on the picture to go to a complete album of great memories of the night.

Sheeley Feb 2007

Lehmans Supper Club Jan 2007

2007-02-23T09:30:00.000-06:00

We had a great group of guest singers and John Lehman even played guitar on a few songs with us.