Joseph Campbell Butler
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Joseph Campbell Butler (born September 16, 1941) is an American drummer, singer and actor. He is best known as a member of folk-rock band
the Lovin' Spoonful The Lovin' Spoonful is a Canadian-American folk-rock band formed in Greenwich Village, New York City, in 1964. The band were among the most popular groups in the United States for a short period in the mid-1960s and their music and image influ ...
, where he was their drummer and later lead vocalist, the group had seven top 10 hits between 1965 and 1966. Outside of his work on music he is an actor, having acted in several plays, being best known for the musicals ''Soon'' and ''Hair''. Butler would replace the bands original drummer Jan Carl, after the band's first performance in 1964, He would play drums on all of the band's album's and he would occasionally sing lead vocals. After frontman John Sebastian left the band in 1968, he took over full lead vocal duties. He would sing fully on their album '' Revelation: Revolution '69'', the album was made without the other members of the band, the album failed to sell, after the album the band would break up. In 1991 the band would resume touring, Butler reunited with members
Steve Boone John Stephen Boone (born September 23, 1943) is an American bass guitarist and music producer, best known as a member of the American folk-rock group the Lovin' Spoonful. Boone co-wrote two of the groups' biggest hits, " You Didn't Have to Be So ...
and
Jerry Yester Jerome Alan Yester (born January 9, 1943) is an American former folk rock musician, record producer, and arranger. Yester has been a member of several bands including The New Christy Minstrels, Modern Folk Quartet, The Association, Rosebud and ...
, along with adding new touring members. Butler would tour and front the band, singing, playing autoharp, percussion and acoustic guitar. In 2000 Butler would reunite with the original lineup for the final time and be inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), also simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and the ...
. Besides music Butler also is an actor and has appeared in the musicals Soon in 1971 and played Neil and
Hair Hair is a protein filament that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals. The human body, apart from areas of glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and ...
in 1968 as a replacement for the musicals author
James Rado James Alexander Radomski (January 23, 1932 – June 21, 2022), known professionally as James Rado, was an American actor, playwright, director, and composer, best known as the co-author, along with Gerome Ragni, of the 1967 musical ''Hair''. He ...
in the role of Claude. Butler has also helped create the Circle Theatre Company. Butler is also the father to actress Yancy Butler and would appear in one episode of her show
Witchblade ''Witchblade'' is an American comic book Ongoing series, series published by Top Cow Productions, an imprint (trade name), imprint of Image Comics, which ran from November 1995 to October 2015. The series was created by Top Cow founder and owne ...
in 2002. Butler has acted in several other projects.


Early life

Joeseph Campbell Butler was born on September 16, 1941, in
Long Island Long Island is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York (state), New York state, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land are ...
, New York. He began playing drums at age 10 and started playing professionally at 13. During his teen years Butler formed many bands, Butlers bands would play gigs at various places. Butler would later join the Air Force and was in it until 1963. While in the air force, he met
Steve Boone John Stephen Boone (born September 23, 1943) is an American bass guitarist and music producer, best known as a member of the American folk-rock group the Lovin' Spoonful. Boone co-wrote two of the groups' biggest hits, " You Didn't Have to Be So ...
and his brother Skip. Butler, Skip and Steve would form a group called The Kingsmen (not to be confused with another
band Band or BAND may refer to: Places *Bánd, a village in Hungary * Band, Iran, a village in Urmia County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran * Band, Mureș, a commune in Romania * Band-e Majid Khan, a village in Bukan County, West Azerbaijan Province, ...
also with the same name). While in the band Butler would drum and sing for the band. The Kingsmen's name was later changed to the Sellouts and the band started playing in
Greenwich Village Greenwich Village, or simply the Village, is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street (Manhattan), 14th Street to the north, Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the s ...
.


Career


The Lovin' Spoonful

In 1964 Butler would join the Lovin Spoonful. Butler was a principal member of the
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre and form of rock music characterized by a strong commercial appeal, with more emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than standard rock musi ...
band
the Lovin' Spoonful The Lovin' Spoonful is a Canadian-American folk-rock band formed in Greenwich Village, New York City, in 1964. The band were among the most popular groups in the United States for a short period in the mid-1960s and their music and image influ ...
, founded by
John Sebastian John Benson Sebastian (born March 17, 1944) is an American singer, songwriter and musician who founded the rock band the Lovin' Spoonful in 1964 with Zal Yanovsky. During his time in the Lovin Spoonful, Sebastian wrote and sang some of the ban ...
and
Zal Yanovsky Zalman Yanovsky (December 19, 1944 – December 13, 2002) was a Canadian folk-rock musician and restaurateur. Born in Toronto, he was the son of political cartoonist Avrom Yanovsky and teacher Nechama Yanovsky (née Gemeril), who died in 1958. ...
in 1965. Original drummer Jan Carl was replaced by Butler after their first gig at the Night Owl in
Greenwich Village Greenwich Village, or simply the Village, is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street (Manhattan), 14th Street to the north, Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the s ...
. Eventually, Steve Boone joined the group and they later signed with
Kama Sutra Records Kama Sutra Records was started in 1964 by Artie Ripp, Hy Mizrahi, and Phil Steinberg as Kama Sutra Productions, a production house. The ''Kama Sutra'' is an ancient Sanskrit text. In 1965, the company was joined by Art Kass and the record labe ...
. The band would release their debut album Do You Believe in Magic in 1965. The Lovin' Spoonful's most well known hits are " Do You Believe in Magic", " Summer In The City" and "
Darling Be Home Soon "Darling Be Home Soon" is a song written by John Sebastian of the Lovin' Spoonful for the soundtrack of the 1966 Francis Ford Coppola film ''You're a Big Boy Now''. It appeared on the Lovin' Spoonful's 1967 soundtrack album ''You're a Big Boy Now'' ...
". While with the Lovin' Spoonful, Butler was given the lead vocals on the songs " You Baby", " Full Measure", "
Never Going Back ''Never Going Back'' is the tenth studio album from Country singer Collin Raye. The album was released on April 28, 2009 through Time Life Entertainment. Track listing # "Get Up in Jesus' Name" (Mike Curtis, Marty Raybon) - 3:41 # "The Only ...
", " Only Pretty, What A Pity" and "Me About You". In 1967 Yanovsky would leave the band and was replaced by
Jerry Yester Jerome Alan Yester (born January 9, 1943) is an American former folk rock musician, record producer, and arranger. Yester has been a member of several bands including The New Christy Minstrels, Modern Folk Quartet, The Association, Rosebud and ...
, the group would record
Everything Playing ''Everything Playing'' is the fourth studio album by the Canadian-American folk-rock band the Lovin' Spoonful, released in December1967. History ''Everything Playing'' was the first album featuring guitarist Jerry Yester (replacing Zal Yanovsk ...
, which was the first to feature Yester and last to feature Sebastian. In 1968 Sebastian would leave the band, Butler became the lead vocalist for their last album, '' Revelation: Revolution '69.'' The album was recorded without Boone or Yester, instead various other musicians would play on the album. The album performed poorly and after the album the band would break up. During the time the band was split up Butler would go on to pursue an acting career. In 1980 Butler would first reunite with the original line up of John Sebastian, Zal Yanovsky and Steve Boone, to appear in the movie One-Trick Pony. In 1991 the group reformed and started touring with original member Steve Boone and Jerry Yester. Butler has continued to perform with Boone in and has retained his position as lead vocalist. He also plays the guitar, autoharp and percussion instruments, while Butler fronted the band Mike Arturi would take over drums, joining the band in 1996. Butler was inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), also simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and the ...
as a member of the Lovin' Spoonful in 2000 and performed with the original line-up for the last time. Butler also was inducted into the vocal group hall of fame with the band in 2006. In 2020 he would reunite on stage with John Sebastian and Steve Boone, singing the Spoonful's hits, this was the first time Boone and Butler played with Sebastian since their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.


Acting

Besides his career with the Spoonful, Butler is also an actor. After the Lovin Spoonful would break up in 1969 Butler started acting, he got his first role in the 1971 rock opera '' Soon'', playing the character of Neil. Butler currently plays with several musical ensembles. Butler for his second role He replaced the author
James Rado James Alexander Radomski (January 23, 1932 – June 21, 2022), known professionally as James Rado, was an American actor, playwright, director, and composer, best known as the co-author, along with Gerome Ragni, of the 1967 musical ''Hair''. He ...
in the leading role of Claude, joining the original Broadway cast of ''
Hair Hair is a protein filament that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals. The human body, apart from areas of glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and ...
''. Butler created the role of Alaska Wolf Joe for the off-Broadway production of the Brecht-Weill social opera the ''
Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny ''Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny'' () is a political-satirical opera composed by Kurt Weill to a German libretto by Bertolt Brecht. It was first performed on 9 March 1930 at the in Leipzig. Some interpreters have viewed the play as a ...
''. In 2002 Butler would appear in the show
Witchblade ''Witchblade'' is an American comic book Ongoing series, series published by Top Cow Productions, an imprint (trade name), imprint of Image Comics, which ran from November 1995 to October 2015. The series was created by Top Cow founder and owne ...
, the show starred Butler's daughter Yancy. In the show he would play the former police officer Arthur Buck. This was Butler's first time acting on TV. Butler is a founding member of the Circle Theatre Company. Alongside award-winning and renowned director
Marshall W. Mason Marshall W. Mason (born February 24, 1940) is an American theater director, educator, and writer. Mason founded the Circle Repertory Company in New York City and was artistic director of the company for 18 years (1969–1987). He received an Obie ...
and Pulitzer Prize winning playwright
Lanford Wilson Lanford Wilson (April 13, 1937March 24, 2011) was an American playwright. His work, as described by ''The New York Times'', was "earthy, realist, greatly admired ndwidely performed". Fox, Margalit"Lanford Wilson, Pulitzer Prize-Winning Playwrigh ...
, Butler has written and directed numerous projects. Recently Butler has written a play called Hearts in the City.


Personal life

Butler was married to theater manager Leslie Vega, the two married on September 2, 1967. He later divorced her and subsequently married Kim Ablondi. His daughter from his first marriage is actress Yancy Butler, star of the 1992 televisions series ''
Mann & Machine ''Mann & Machine'' is an American science fiction/police drama television series that aired for nine episodes on NBC from April 5 to July 14, 1992. Synopsis Created by Dick Wolf and Robert De Laurentis, the series starred Yancy Butler as Sgt. ...
'' and the 1993 series ''
South Beach South Beach, also nicknamed colloquially as SoBe, is a Neighborhoods of Miami Beach, Florida, neighborhood in Miami Beach, Florida. It is located east of Miami between Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The area encompasses Miami Beach south ...
'', as well as films ''
Hard Target ''Hard Target'' is a 1993 American action film directed by Hong Kong film director John Woo. The film stars Jean-Claude Van Damme as Chance Boudreaux, an out-of-work homeless Cajun merchant seaman and former United States Force Recon Marine wh ...
'' and ''
Drop Zone A drop zone (DZ) is a place where parachutists or parachuted supplies land. It can be an area targeted for landing by paratroopers and airborne forces, or a base from which recreational parachutists and skydivers take off in aircraft and land ...
''.


References


External links


Joe Butler
at lovinspoonful.com * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Butler, Joe 1941 births Living people People from Long Island American rock drummers American folk singers American male singers Songwriters from New York (state) American autoharp players The Lovin' Spoonful members 20th-century American drummers American male drummers Drummers from New York (state)