John Bassette

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John Bassette (1941 – 2006) was a folk singer/songwriter, poet and cable television personality in the Greater Cleveland, OH area. He was born in Hampton, VA on December 28, 1941. He produced three full-length albums, two mini-albums, and a self-illustrated book of stories, songs, essays and poetry entitled Losing Face in America. His first mini-album, Weed and Wine, produced by TinkerToo Music & Records, featured a cover by underground comic artist Dave Sheridan, and both the cover song and the song Hello, Cleveland were local hits. He played with Sammy Davis Jr. in the London company of Golden Boy. He appeared at many street fairs and events in the Northeast Ohio area, and favored benefits for charitable causes including the Cleveland Free Clinic. Under the name Jon Bon he hosted a cable TV show through Viacom in the mid-eighties, and produced two music videos and a documentary on how to create videos on a tight budget.

Bassette suffered a series of strokes during the 90s, and stayed first at St. Herman’s House of Hospitality, then at St. Augustine Manor. A benefit concert for Bassette was organized by singer/songwriter Alex Bevan on May 19th, 2002 at the Beachland Ballroom & Tavern in Cleveland, OH, featuring Jim Ballard, Charlie Wiener, Michael Stanley, Jim Schafer, and many others. He passed away in November of 2006. A tribute CD was produced featuring many friends and colleagues entitled Been Through So Much Together.

Contents

[edit] Discography

  • 1972: Weed and Wine (Mini-Album) Tinkertoo Music & Records
  • 197?: "This Time Around" Tinkertoo Record B727 (A full-length LP with eleven songs including "Next Time Around" and "John's Happy Song." At this time, Tinkertoo was still on Hessler Street in Cleveland.)
  • 1976: Another Alternative Tinkertoo Music & Records (Tinkertoo had moved to Akron, Ohio.)
  • 1980: John Bassette Live at Hessler Street
  • 1980: The Country Album - The Saga of the Emerald City Cowboy Busted Penny Limited
  • 1986: Starwood Memories (live compilation) ACE

[edit] Written Works

  • 1970: “How to Copyright Your Songs” - Mother Earth News
  • 1978: Losing Face in America - Laughing Willow Productions
  • 1983: "Golden Doves & Dolphins" - Changeling Times #9 (excerpt from Losing Face in America)

[edit] Performance Venues

[edit] Articles about Bassette

  • "It’s So Nice on Hessler Street" – Jeff Rosenbaum Changeling Times #6
  • "Beloved Singer John Bassette is Dead at 64" – Michael Heaton – Cleveland Plain Dealer (Tuesday, November 14, 2006) [2]
  • "John Bassette 1941-2006" - Larry Bruner, et al., at Folknet.org [3]
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