Troubadour

You may know Johnny Favourite from the hit CD Holiday Romance that garnered a Juno award, a dozen East Coast Music Award nominations and a Gold album, countless television and media appearances. Johnny Favourite was signed to Universal Music by then A&R Director Brian Hetherman, through a mutual love of Big Band and Swing music, after a few late night cocktails the two recruited Mavericks guitar player Nick Kane to Produce Holiday Romance along with Engineer Jeff Wolpert at the legendary Le Studio in Morin Heights. The international success of Holiday Romance allowed the band to tour non-stop for 5 years: from New Orleans, Louisiana to St. John's Newfoundland and from Los Angeles, California to Nassau, Bahamas,over 300 shows a year generating a hip and happening event at each and every venue. Selling out the world famous SUPPER CLUB in Manhattan repeatedly, and doing the same from the Roxy in Boston to the Derby in L.A. Having the word 'swing' in one's moniker, however, became a dirty word in the fickle and cynical world of pop culture. After much heartache and reflection Johnny left the Orchestra determined to explore the possibilities of pop music from, as he says, 'Tommy Dorsey to David Bowie, from Bobby Darin to Morrissey.' Shortly thereafter Hetherman left Universal Music and Johnny ventured into the pop music world with the creation of The Tonight Album, a departure for Johnny that garnered 3 ECMA nominations, shows with Duran Duran, Natalie Merchant and 2 top 10 Canadian singles. Eventually, being a fat bastard (note Johnny insisted that the fat part be in the Bio), too much touring,too many cocktail parties and opportunities outside North America drove Johnny Favourite to Singapore then Portugal and the sea, not as a sailor but on a Cruise ship, as an art dealer and auctioneer. Where he trimmed way down and got his focus back. After he tired of life on the water Johnny holed up in Portugal selling Art and occasionally singing from Marbella Spain to Gibraltar on private yachts and Villas. A chance encounter in Lisbon with Hetherman his old A&R man and a steady stream of Michael Buble on European radio made Johnny realize it was time to get back to Music. On one trip alone I saw Buble on the KLM inflight videos, then over the sound system in the Shipol casino, then in the airport cafe in Faro. After getting back to my village, I went to dinner at my favourite Bodega, guess who they had on? My waiter even said, 'hey Johnny, I think this Buble guy is Canadian, ever hear of him?'...

I knew I had to get my ass back to a microphone says Favourite Now that he has returned to his first love, American popular song. Johnny is armed with 6 years of jazz trio singing, and a deft musicality and approach honed by countless nights of 'shedding' as well as the original Sinatra charts. Johnny is a fresh and original entertainer, never relying on old 'gags'. Johnny cut his teeth trying to play swing to 20,000 kids looking to mosh and held the bar sales record at the legendary Horseshoe for a long long time. With the original team of Favourite and Hetherman, Johnny is preparing to take back his crown with less swing, more verve and jazz and a voice that is sweeter than ever.