Biography of John Sebastian

Born in New York City, the son of a classical harmonica player, John Sebastian grew up in the Greenwich Village coffeehouses and was a popular sideman to various folk artists prior to forming the folk-rock band, the Lovin' Spoonful, for which he served as lead singer and songwriter in the mid-'60s. When the Spoonful broke up, Sebastian went solo, appearing at the Woodstock Festival in 1969 and releasing the Top 20 John B. Sebastian album in 1970. Subsequent efforts were less successful, but in 1976 Sebastian scored a number one hit with "Welcome Back," the theme song from the TV series Welcome Back, Kotter. Sebastian continues to tour and play on occasional sessions; he released his first album since the '70s, Tar Beach, in 1993, and has since recorded with a backing group called the J-Band. His 1999 album with the group, Chasin Gus Ghost, focuses on Sebastian's love of jug band music. ~ William Ruhlmann