I saw John Sebastian play tonight in my town. I've always enjoyed the music of Lovin' Spoonful and the voice of Sebastians, so it was more than a thrill to see him live, and get my picture taken with him! Most of us know during the mid-1960s they were a hit-making machine and John had left the group in 1968 for a solo career. He would play Woodstock on short notice, and years later he would be back at #1 with the theme song for 'Welcome Back Kotter'. He told many stories about his good days of the Lovin' Spoonful, which kind of made me wonder why he never got back together with them again. He would, of course, reunite with them in 2000 for their HOF induction (believed to be the last time they played with Zal). It was a great show overall, and I wish I could have asked him plenty of questions about his career.

Unlike the others, I believe the Spoonful deserved their induction into the HOF. I also wonder where are the other non-British 60s bands? Too few were put in. Sure you got the most important like the Mamas & the Papas and the Jimi Hendrix Experience. 2000 was I believe the last year they put more than 6 in the HOF, if I'm not mistaken.

Posted by Jason Voigt on Friday, 11/6/2015 @ 00:12am

Great you got to see him, Jason! Hope I get to some time. Best wishes!

Posted by Paul in KY on Friday, 11/6/2015 @ 07:19am

Sebastian is also known, or unknown, as the blues harmonica player for the Doors classic "Roadhouse", for which he specifically asked not to be identified.

Posted by M L Suretell on Wednesday, 06/22/2016 @ 14:09pm

The Lovin' Spoonful has been cited as an influence by, has had their songs covered or sampled by, or have collaborated with either individually or as a group: Louis Armstrong, Quincy Jones, Chet Atkins, Floyd Cramer, B.B. King, the Drifters, Johnnie Johnson, Johnny Cash & June Carter (duet), the Everly Brothers, Bobby Darin, Rick Nelson, Del Shannon, Dion, the Ventures, Duane Eddy, the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Bee Gees, Donovan, Herb Alpert, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, Laura Nyro, the Doors, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Isaac Hayes, Paul Simon, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Aerosmith, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Elvis Costello, John Mellencamp, Gram Parsons, Sarah Vaughan, Love, Al Kooper, Jimmy Buffett, the Mar-Keys, Joe Cocker, Dolly Parton, Poco, Jackie DeShannon, Gordon Lightfoot, the Blues Project, B.J. Thomas, De La Soul, Sweet, Graham Parker, Tim Buckley, Joe Simon, Joe Jackson, the Association, John Prine, the Sonics, Fred Neil, Judy Collins, Cher, Tim Hardin, the Beau Brummels, Brian Auger, the Stranglers, Paul Weller, Peter, Paul & Mary, Vince Gill, Tom Rush, Styx, Amy Grant, They Might Be Giants, Georgie Fame, Maria Muldaur, Butthole Surfers, Marshall Crenshaw, Yo La Tengo, Phoebe Snow, Jan & Dean, David Essex, Slade, Eric Andersen, the Standells, Country Joe & the Fish, Onyx, The dB's, Bobby Vee, the Chamber Brothers, Stan Getz, the Youngbloods, the Pharcyde, Sandy Nelson, the Grass Roots, BeauSoleil, the Pogues, Gary Lewis & the Playboys, Rita Coolidge, Helen Reddy, Sandie Shaw, the Beautiful South, the Vogues, Pat Boone, Bill Wyman, Keith Moon of the Who, Art Garfunkel, Doug Clifford of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Mama Cass Elliott of the Mamas and the Papas, David Lee Roth, Art Blakey, Astrud Gilberto, Peggy Lee, Sammi Smith, Flatt & Scruggs, Del McCoury Band, Jose Feliciano, the Sandpipers, Mary Black, Doris Day, the Johnny Mann Singers, Method Man & RZA (collaboration), Maxine Brown, Bruce Hornsby, Jules Shear, the Flamin' Groovies, Barry McGuire, the Ides Of March, Mase, Tony Orlando & Dawn, Joe, NRBQ, Madeline Bell, Eels, Chamillionaire, Pizzicato Five, the Roots, Blues Magoos, Joss Stone, Dilated Peoples, the Duprees, the Hondells, Ill Al Skratch, the Inner Circle, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, We Five, Swinging Blue Jeans, Scott McKenzie, Incognito, Rory Block, Kenny Rankin, Curtis Stigers, the Four Freshmen, the Flying Pickets, New Riders Of The Purple Sage, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Flo & Eddie, Barry Goldberg, J.D. Souther, Hank Marvin of the Shadows, Ferrante & Teicher, Bobby Sherman, David Cassidy, Shaun Cassidy and Right Said Fred, among many others.

Posted by Charles Crossley Jr on Tuesday, 06/19/2018 @ 11:06am