
John Einarson
Born and raised in Winnipeg, music historian John Einarson is an acclaimed musicologist, broadcaster, educator, and author of 14 music biographies published worldwide including Neil Young, Randy Bachman, John Kay of Steppenwolf, Ian & Sylvia, The Guess Who, The Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers, Arthur Lee & Love and Buffalo Springfield.
Several of John’s books have been ranked among the top ten best music biographies and received award nominations. His book Hot Burritos: The True Story Of The Flying Burrito Brothers received the 2006 ARSC (Association for Recorded Sound Collections) Award for Excellence in Historical Recorded Sound Research.
John is the author of the critically-acclaimed Desperados: The Roots of Country Rock. He also collaborated with Randy Bachman on his two bestselling Vinyl Tap books.
John has written for Mojo, Uncut, Goldmine, Discoveries, Record Collector, and Classic Rock and is a regular contributor to the Winnipeg Free Press with his features “John Einarson Remembers” (also the name of his Facebook page) and “My Generation.”
John wrote the Juno-nominated Bravo TV documentary Buffy Sainte-Marie: A Multi-Media Life, served as writer/consultant for A&E/Biography Channel’s Neil Young Biography episode, and wrote CBC TV’s The Life & Times of Randy Bachman.
John curated the 2010 Manitoba Museum exhibit Shakin’ All Over: The Manitoba Music Experience and organizes the popular Magical Musical History Tour of Winnipeg. He teaches his unique “Off The Record” music history classes Friday evenings at McNally Robinson Booksellers as well as teaching music history topics at the University of Winnipeg, the Manitoba Conservatory of Music & Arts, and the Creative Retirement Centre.
John is an award-winning high school teacher and former consultant for the Manitoba Department of Education. In January 2016 he was the recipient of the Order of the Buffalo Hunt by Premier Greg Selinger in recognition for his work in preserving Manitoba’s music history. John can be heard every Tuesday evening from 8 to 10 p.m. on radio station UMFM 101.5 FM hosting “My Generation.”
Soon after witnessing the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964, John acquired a guitar and played in several well-known local bands through the 60s and 70s (and a bit in the 90s).
He has played onstage with Neil Young, Randy Bachman, Burton Cummings, jammed with Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention, and at age 17 opened for Led Zeppelin and Iron Butterfly before 14,000 people.
For 25 years John ran a popular extra-curricular rock music program at St. John’s-Ravenscourt school that involved some 100 students a year.
Recent articles by John Einarson
Without new purpose, once-vital North End theatre could face the wrecking ball
5 minute read Preview Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022Music Hall of Fame should drop the glitz and honour the elder acts
6 minute read Preview Thursday, May. 26, 2022Late musicians all contributed to Manitoba scene
17 minute read Preview Monday, Apr. 24, 2017Record company’s gimmick launched Guess Who’s career
16 minute read Preview Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017Winnipeg’s Steiner Brothers didn’t seek celebrity but made it big
17 minute read Preview Sunday, Dec. 4, 2016Singer made her mark
15 minute read Preview Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016Veteran musician reflects on spinning wheel of career
6 minute read Preview Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016Oscar Brand, raised in Point Douglas, became music pioneer
14 minute read Preview Sunday, Oct. 23, 2016Radio mainstay Howard Mandshein a human encyclopedia of popular music
15 minute read Preview Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016Looking back at Winnipeg experiment to isolate, enrich advanced students
29 minute read Preview Monday, Oct. 3, 2016Not every Winnipeg musician went on to be the Guess Who
19 minute read Preview Sunday, Sep. 11, 2016Rockabilly star put down Manitoba roots
17 minute read Preview Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016Ex-Winnipegger found success with jingles after rock hit
14 minute read Preview Sunday, Jul. 31, 2016Manitoba’s blues roots date back to 1960s
14 minute read Preview Sunday, Jul. 10, 2016Sharing the stage with a music sensation
14 minute read Preview Saturday, Jun. 18, 2016Stint with Guess Who just one part of Leskiw's eclectic career
16 minute read Preview Saturday, May. 28, 2016Unique albums by local bands have fascinating looks
11 minute read Preview Monday, May. 9, 2016Chance encounter between Young and Stills in L.A. traffic changed music forever
17 minute read Preview Sunday, Apr. 17, 2016Burton Cummings' stellar solo career long overlooked
14 minute read Preview Sunday, Mar. 27, 2016Decades into career, indigenous icon's creative drive burns bright
15 minute read Preview Sunday, Mar. 6, 2016Rocker had change of tune
14 minute read Preview Sunday, Feb. 14, 2016Unsung bands helped build rock scene
13 minute read Preview Sunday, Jan. 24, 2016Vinyl revival
14 minute read Preview Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016Swingin’ spot brought in big names
11 minute read Preview Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015A look back at how women braved Winnipeg's early male-dominated rock scene
14 minute read Preview Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015Neil Young: Still rocking at 70
12 minute read Preview Sunday, Nov. 1, 2015Proud pop pirate
11 minute read Preview Sunday, Oct. 11, 2015When Manitoba's drinking age lowered to 18, it meant a new audience for Winnipeg bands
12 minute read Preview Saturday, Sep. 12, 2015High and dry
10 minute read Preview Sunday, Aug. 30, 2015The long lost Who
11 minute read Preview Sunday, Aug. 9, 2015Cultural crossover: Label tapped into demand for Ukrainian music
11 minute read Preview Saturday, Jul. 18, 2015Manitoba’s rock roots run deep
10 minute read Preview Sunday, Jun. 28, 2015Tour of duty: Winnipeg band played for U.S. troops in Vietnam
9 minute read Preview Sunday, Jun. 7, 2015Deluge failed to dampen the fun at the 1970 Niverville Pop Festival
10 minute read Preview Sunday, May. 17, 2015Love’s life a tragic tune
10 minute read Preview Tuesday, Apr. 28, 2015School of ROCK
9 minute read Preview Sunday, Apr. 5, 2015Rock and racism
9 minute read Preview Sunday, Mar. 15, 2015Old barn was a BLAST
8 minute read Preview Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015Mountie with a microphone: Drug bust by undercover cop rocked city’s music scene
9 minute read Preview Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015Series a national stage
9 minute read Preview Sunday, Jan. 11, 2015Sound by GARNET
7 minute read Preview Sunday, Dec. 21, 2014The name says no, their careers say ‘oui’
7 minute read Preview Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014When Winnipeg rocked
10 minute read Preview Sunday, Nov. 9, 2014Soaring with Parachute Club
8 minute read Preview Sunday, Oct. 19, 2014Perfect HARMONY
7 minute read Preview Sunday, Sep. 28, 2014Right notes, WRONG TIME
8 minute read Preview Sunday, Sep. 7, 2014The run of his life: John Einarson remembers ‘Decker’s Dash’
7 minute read Preview Sunday, Aug. 17, 2014Rockers reversed British invasion
6 minute read Preview Sunday, Aug. 3, 2014Presidential performance
5 minute read Preview Sunday, Jul. 20, 2014The first Folk Fest
6 minute read Preview Sunday, Jul. 6, 2014Rock ‘n’ roll weekend
6 minute read Preview Sunday, Jun. 22, 2014A boy and his guitar
6 minute read Preview Sunday, Jun. 8, 2014Flower power’s hour
6 minute read Preview Sunday, May. 25, 2014Randy Bachman’s folly
6 minute read Preview Sunday, May. 11, 2014It’s only rock ‘n’ roll
6 minute read Preview Sunday, Apr. 27, 2014When the coffeehouse was king
6 minute read Preview Sunday, Apr. 13, 2014When COUNTRY ROCK went into OVERDRIVE
6 minute read Preview Sunday, Mar. 16, 2014Dance party Dad
7 minute read Preview Sunday, Mar. 2, 2014The night that changed everything
7 minute read Preview Sunday, Feb. 9, 2014Where nirvana was just downstairs
6 minute read Preview Sunday, Feb. 2, 2014Where nirvana was just downstairs
6 minute read Preview Sunday, Feb. 2, 2014Throughout my teen years, my Saturday-afternoon routine involved taking the Corydon bus downtown and doing the Portage strip between the Bay and Eaton's.
The coolest shops -- Lillian Lewis Records, the Record Room and the Stag Shop -- were on the north side. But the jewel in the crown was always Winnipeg Piano at the corner of Portage and Edmonton. For me and a thousand other wannabe rock 'n' rollers, Winnipeg Piano was our mecca and offered the stuff of dreams.
Winnipeg Piano Co. Ltd. was opened in 1903 by A.E. Grasby in what was later the Dayton Building at Portage and Hargrave. Following a fire, the store relocated to 383 Portage Ave., where it remained until 1972.
Business was brisk during the Great Depression years as people sought to make their own entertainment around the family piano (the company had its own line of pianos).
In praise of THE UNSUNG HERO
5 minute read Preview Sunday, Jan. 19, 2014They fought for your right to hear the F word
5 minute read Preview Sunday, Jan. 5, 2014Winter’s tale
6 minute read Preview Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013The endless party
5 minute read Preview Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013Shakin’ the music scene
5 minute read Preview Sunday, Nov. 24, 2013Long may you run
6 minute read Preview Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013‘Paradise’ lost
5 minute read Preview Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013The Doc is in
5 minute read Preview Sunday, Oct. 13, 2013Those swinging singles
5 minute read Preview Sunday, Sep. 15, 2013The Kornstock revolution
5 minute read Preview Sunday, Sep. 1, 2013Fab moment in time
5 minute read Preview Sunday, Aug. 18, 2013King of the coffeehouse
5 minute read Preview Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013Cranky Joni Mitchell a reminder of Winnipeg shortcoming
5 minute read Preview Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013House of ROCK
5 minute read Preview Sunday, Jul. 21, 2013City’s music lore draws distant fans
5 minute read Preview Sunday, Jul. 7, 2013The short-lived magic of Teen Fair
5 minute read Preview Sunday, Jun. 23, 2013Your one-stop hippie shop
5 minute read Preview Sunday, Jun. 9, 2013Manitoba’s Summer of Love
5 minute read Preview Sunday, May. 26, 2013Duncan Wilson: GUITAR HERO
5 minute read Preview Sunday, May. 12, 2013Our own JANIS JOPLIN
5 minute read Preview Sunday, Apr. 28, 2013Mother of an icon
5 minute read Preview Sunday, Apr. 14, 2013Manitoba’s greatest musician
5 minute read Preview Sunday, Mar. 31, 2013Where hanging out was hot
5 minute read Preview Sunday, Mar. 17, 2013Introduction to the blues
5 minute read Preview Sunday, Mar. 3, 2013London calling
5 minute read Preview Sunday, Feb. 17, 2013Understanding Beatles albums makes for A Hard Day’s Night
5 minute read Preview Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013Goodbye, Paddlewheel
5 minute read Preview Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013Abandoned acoustic guitar reveals sad story of a Winnipeg rock dreamer who was left behind
9 minute read Preview Monday, Jan. 14, 2013A secret cave of wonders
6 minute read Preview Sunday, Jan. 6, 2013Singer Ian Tyson rides tall in saddle
4 minute read Preview Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010Manitoba’s music past pretty groovy
4 minute read Preview Monday, Jun. 21, 2010Magical music tour
7 minute read Preview Saturday, Aug. 15, 2009Revealing Neil
6 minute read Preview Sunday, Jun. 14, 2009Anyone who thought Neil Young left Winnipeg in 1965 and never looked back is in for a surprise.
Revealing Neil
6 minute read Preview Sunday, Jun. 14, 2009Anyone who thought Neil Young left Winnipeg in 1965 and never looked back is in for a surprise.
Seems he hasn't forgotten his five teenage years here, nor thrown away any bit of evidence of his budding rock SSRqn' roll career on the local teen scene.
Not even the most dedicated rustie -- the nickname for Neil nuts -- will be prepared for the staggering volume of information and memorabilia the rock icon has amassed in the long-anticipated multimedia autobiography Neil Young Archives Vol. 1: 1963-1972. Released worldwide earlier this month, the massive 10-disc box, available in DVD, Blu-ray and CD formats, spans the iconic singer-songwriter's formative music years from 1963 here in Winnipeg to 1972, when he settled on his sprawling northern California ranch.
This city stars in the box set's first disc, entitled Early Years. Seven tracks recorded by Young's best-known hometown band, the Squires, are included, plus several more songs dating from his 1960-65 stay here.
Crescendos members catch up with Badfinger rocker at city casino
7 minute read Preview Monday, Jan. 26, 2009Sainte-Marie releases first new recording in 16 years
7 minute read Preview Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2008Singer-songwriter, activist, artist, innovator, instigator, educator, award-winner, role model. Canadian-born Buffy Sainte-Marie is all these and more. Her life is drawn from a rich and colourful palette.