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Austintown rock band instructor recognized at Jimi Hendrix Way ceremony

Experience, L.L.C., invited musicians, industry professionals and individuals whose work has contributed to Jimi Hendrix’s legacy to the co-naming street ceremony on June 10.
Experience, L.L.C., invited musicians, industry professionals and individuals whose work has contributed to Jimi Hendrix’s legacy to the co-naming street ceremony on June 10. John Anthony

It was time to rock ’n’ roll in New York City for an Austintown teacher.

John Anthony, the rock band instructor for Austintown Local Schools and member of the Youngstown-based band The Vindys, attended the official ceremony on Wednesday to co-name West 8th Street as Jimi Hendrix Way, according to a press release.

Anthony said he had discovered his official invite after stumbling upon a social media post from Jimi Hendrix’s team that included his name.

“My jaw dropped,” Anthony wrote in an email to Mahoning Matters. “Because of my contribution to the lesson through the TeachRock curriculum, I thought that TeachRock had invited me but I found out that it was actually the Hendrix Estate that wanted me to be in attendance. Unreal!”

Experience Hendrix, L.L.C., invited musicians, industry professionals and individuals whose work has contributed to Hendrix’s legacy. Known for his handling of an electric guitar, Hendrix influenced the blues, ballads, rock, R&B and jazz by combining fuzz, feedback and controlled distortion.

Guests included Vernon Reid, the Grammy-award-winning guitarist of Living Colour; guitarist Felicia Collins, best known for her work with the CBS Orchestra and the World’s Most Dangerous Band on “Late Show with David Letterman”; and Eddie Kramer, a recording producer and engineer who collaborated with Hendrix.

Vernon Reid, the Grammy-award-winning guitarist of Living Colour, and John Anthony, the rock band instructor for Austintown Local Schools, were on stage at the co-naming street ceremony on June 10, where Anthony offered a few remarks.
Vernon Reid, the Grammy-award-winning guitarist of Living Colour, and John Anthony, the rock band instructor for Austintown Local Schools, were on stage at the co-naming street ceremony on June 10, where Anthony offered a few remarks. John Anthony

Anthony co-created the aforementioned lesson, “Jimi Hendrix: Rock’s Trailblazing Innovator and Influential Guitarist,” as part of TeachRock, which offers free resources to bring music to all classrooms. TeachRock founder Stevie Van Zandt, along with local TeachRock educators and students, was also at the ceremony.

Being alongside these artists, and even meeting Kramer, was “absolutely electric” for Anthony, who had discovered his interest in rock music as a teenager.

Eddie Kramer, a recording producer and engineer who collaborated with Jimi Hendrix, and John Anthony, the rock band instructor for Austintown Local Schools, met at the June 10 ceremony to co-name West 8th Street as Jimi Hendrix Way.
Eddie Kramer, a recording producer and engineer who collaborated with Jimi Hendrix, and John Anthony, the rock band instructor for Austintown Local Schools, met at the June 10 ceremony to co-name West 8th Street as Jimi Hendrix Way. John Anthony

“My parents always played rock music in the house so we were very familiar with a lot of classic rock artists including Van Halen, Bob Seger, Santana, and Led Zeppelin,” Anthony wrote. “Also, my dad is a guitarist so that world naturally opened up for me.”

Anthony started as the rock band instructor for Austintown Local Schools in 2022. Growing up, he adored his music teachers, and his favorite day of the week was guitar lessons at New York Music in Boardman.

Becoming an educator was always in the cards for him, he said, and Anthony is doing so on an even larger scale than before.

“All of those teachers had such a profound influence on me and I wanted to give that gift back to the next generation of students coming up,” Anthony wrote.

CB
Chloe Barbarise
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