Johnny Nicholson, Geyserville prodigy

By DEBORAH MITCHEL SERVAL / Geyserville Correspondent

After growing up in Geyserville, Johnny Nicholson has become a resident of the world. He went to college in Boston, records in Baja and recently returned from a European tour.

Nicholson, 23, said he has always had the support of his parents, Robert and Sally Nicholson, who moved to Geyserville in 1982 from New York and now own Healdsburg-based International Wine Associates. “There has been music in my family for four generations,” said Robert, “and Sally and I always talked about the pursuit of passion.”

Johnny took it to heart, buying his first guitar at Zone Music in Cotati and touring the world, always coming back home to Geyserville. He told us about his future plans and shared a few classic Geyserville memories.

When did you know you wanted to be a musician?

I started playing the violin at 5 and shortly thereafter picked up the guitar. No matter what I did, the most fun I’ve ever had was when I was playing music. I grew up listening to old rock ‘n’ roll and folk music. I would memorize Cream lyrics listening to tapes while driving to school.

What led you to Rock?

It just happens.

Who were the key influences in your life?

My first guitar teacher and long-time friend Jonathan Taylor. He now lives in Geyserville and is music director at Sonoma Country Day School. He gave me my contemporary musical foundation, helped me record my first record at 12 and taught me to stay true.

Even though my parents didn’t always understand, they were always totally supportive of me pursuing my dreams. They are both independent entrepreneurs and understand that the best way to lead a fulfilling life is to do your own thing.

What instruments do you play?

I started playing the violin at 5, picked up the guitar at 7 and then slowly learned to play the bass, drums, piano, etc. In ECHOREV, I sing and play guitar and piano.

Where do you call home?

I grew up in Geyserville, went to Sonoma Country Day School and went to a boarding school in 2002, St. Paul’s School in New Hampshire. I got a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, where I got to do a couple private workshops with Paul Simon.

During my audition, I sat down with two Berklee guitar professors, played them a couple songs I was working on, showed them a couple recordings off the record I released my senior year and showed them my working business plan for Monkey Rock (Presents + Records + Apparel). A month later they gave me a scholarship.

At the end of my first year, I started a weekly showcase called The Monkey Rock Writer’s Circle that blossomed into a beautiful community of songwriters from all over the world. It became known as a place to see great new songwriters do their thing and continued to grow for four years.

Where did the name Monkey Rock come from?

It’s the name of my family’s ranch in Geyserville. There is a big rock with the face of a monkey on it.

After college?

I moved to Baja, Mexico, to start pre-production for ECHOREV’s first record, “Find North.” I lived there about four months and moved to Los Angeles while we did the recordings for “Find North.” I was living in a down-town storefront across the street from the Greyhound Station, throwing concerts and art-shows, recording, basically just playing music 24 hours a day.

When we finished our record, we hit the road and played over 40 concerts in four months in the U.S. and Europe, ending back in L.A. at the beginning of December. So, technically I haven’t lived anywhere since I left Geyserville in 2002. It will always be home. My parents are here, and I will always come back here.

ECHOREV?

Our sound is both clean and dirty, pop and experimental, a blend of folk songs, experimental rock and electronic music. We are in our early stages of development, but our sound is growing nicely. Some might say its a cross between Radiohead, Paul Simon and Moby.

Married? Kids? Connected?

No.

What are the most memorable places you have played?

Performing in Europe is always a pleasure because the audiences really appreciate how far you go to play. We played 25 shows across Germany, in Paris, France and Belgium.

But one of the most amazing shows we’ve done was at the Raven Theater in Healdsburg in November. I hadn’t really performed in Sonoma County since I left, and it was such an honor to play on that stage. The audience was filled with people I’ve known my whole life.

What are your future plans?

I’ll be back in L.A. in February to record an instrumental record before heading back to Baja with ECHOREV to record a second record. ECHOREV is scheduled to go back to Europe in June to play some festivals, and after that we are talking about moving to New York, where are large community of our friends and piers are living and making music. But anything is possible.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 20 years?

In 10 to 20 years I can see myself making music, performing wherever that takes me and then coming home to Geyserville. There are so many different avenues to take in the pursuit of one’s dreams, and the only way to get there is to visualize it, but it’s really just all about the now.

How about a classic Geyserville memory?

How about a few? May Day as a little kid, running around the Geyser Peak picnic grounds, checking out the old cars, BBQ, soccer at Rec Park and skateboarding around the elementary school.