Johnny Staats

Infobox musical artist
Name = Johnny Staats
Background = non_vocal_instrumentalists
Origin = West Virginia, USA
Genre = Bluegrass
Occupation = Driver for United Parcel Service, musician
Instrument = Mandolin, guitar, violin
Years_active = 1996 – present
URL = [http://www.johnnystaats.com www.johnnystaats.com]

Johnny Staats is a bluegrass mandolin, guitar and violin player, born and raised in West Virginia. He has been featured on NBC's Today Show, in People Magazine, on the CBS Evening News and CNN, and has appeared on the Grand Ole Opry. He won Charleston's Vandalia Gathering-Mandolin championships in 1996, 1997, and 1999. In 1997 he also won the guitar title and placed third in the fiddle competition.

He is an avid racoon hunter. His Johnny Staats Bluegrass Festival is a part of the Parkersburg (W.Va.) homecoming every year. He supports local instrument makers by playing ones made in the Parkersburg area. He lives in Sandyville, West Virginia.

Discography

* "Wires & Wood" (credited to "The Johnny Staats Project"), Giant Records, 2000
* "Pickin Up Steam" (with Robert Shafer)
* "Wound for Sound" (credited to "Johnny Staats & the Delivery Boys")

External links

* [http://www.johnnystaats.com/4436.html Official site]
* [http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/staats_johnny/artist.jhtml Artist page on CMT]