The sound of a full orchestra bega… Read Full Bio ↴The Music That Fell From The Sky.
The sound of a full orchestra began to fill the evening air as he anticipated stepping onstage to establish one of the most defining musical moments of his life. With the house lights going down, followed by the emcee's exuberant introduction, this entertainer, who was recently endorsed by legendary Latin jazz drummer and percussionist Pete Escovedo, astonished his anxious crowd for the next 90 minutes with his infectious fervor for the Great American Songbook. The world seemed to stop—the crowd was glued to him, relishing in sheer joy the passion that this artist just showcased for his beloved craft.
Meet John Eric Booth. Singer, entertainer, radio personality, producer, devoted dad and lover of life.
That same evening, renowned bandleader Pat Longo, a mentor and friend to Booth, was on stage, astonished by how easily this humble performer awakened his audience. For some listeners, it was more than just his powerful vocals which engraved that headlining moment. Others said his style reverberates the charisma, swagger and precision of a passionate singer of the great standards from back in the day.
One thing was clear though: Booth, or “J-E-B” as he is fondly called, possesses an X factor that fascinated one of the most celebrated entertainers to ever walk the planet. During a sold-out performance of Escovedo’s band near the Hollywood Walk of Fame at the famous Hollywood & Highland Center, Escovedo, smiling, invited him to stand and greet the energized crowd. “I want you to meet my friend. His name is John Eric Booth and he’s recorded an album I want you to hear,” he said.
For J-E-B, being endorsed and recognized by a celebrated entertainer with more than ten successful albums under his own belt was overwhelming… and definitely inspiring.
For Booth, this music is more than just a showcase of his talents and an expression of his passion. He considers it as a reflection of his attitude in life. “The Great Standards... are total COOL. The swinging rhythm, mindful lyrics and incredible arrangements put a smile on your face and warms your soul,” he says, grinning. “It owns a lighthearted vibe. Music that keeps your heart young… It’s definitely not simply what I do onstage…. it's part of my life. It’s a lifestyle — I live it, breathe it, love it.”
Interestingly, he did not actually begin paying homage to the great crooners like Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, Johnny Hartman, Engelbert Humperdinck, Tom Jones, Tony Bennett and Nat King Cole until his late 30’s. He mentions that growing up, he primarily listened to pop music, never imagining shining on these great classic singers.
Booth describes his transition into this genre as something that he did not plan, it just happened. “It just fell from the sky!” he says, laughing. “I began noticing and listening more closely to the greats, along with the modern-day standouts, and I suddenly realized that this music wonderfully filled an empty place. I embraced it joyously.”
Soon after, he was on stage, submerging himself in the artistry of Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, Nat King Cole and other great classic singers. A debut CD album titled "Alive & Swinging!" swiftly followed, including 15 tracks recorded with big bands and smaller groups.
When asked about his influences, J-E-B notes a couple of personalities that shaped him as a singer. From a precision aspect, he considers Sinatra as his major influence.
"I constantly aspire to reach that same level of precision. And it really warms my heart when people compare me to Sinatra. IF ONLY! That is super flattering. But as an artist, I'm just being ME. The result of all my classic crooner influences as well as my history in pop and soul music. Once a lady yelled across the room to me "You remind me of a young Steve Lawrence." I can live with that!"
As an entertainer, J-E-B describes himself as more of a Dean Martin personality. “I take my performance very seriously, but I can be a goof at the same time. I love entertaining my audience with music AND my sense of humor,” he says.
J-E-B considers entertaining his fans as his greatest indulgence as a singer. He says his fans are the spring that propel him to higher musical levels and visions. Part of his plans for 2015 is to further reach out to his new audiences around the world and entertain them with more new music and video productions.
Currently, John Eric Booth is in the studio working on 6-song digital release with Australian producer/instrumentalist/arranger Damien Montalto that he considers a departure from the genre his listeners usually associate him with. This project, he says, will reveal his soul and pop influences from the 1970's. “It's very exciting. A fresh take on outstanding songs that deserve special attention. Some really fantastic music was born in the 1970's... and I can't wait to share it with everybody.”
For The Good Times
John-Eric Booth Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take a look around tell me what you see
Here I stand like an open book
Is there something here you might have overlooked
'Cause it would be a shame if you should leave
And find that freedom ain't what you thought it would be
The years we had were not all bad
Now you say that you've grown tired
You want to be by yourself a while
It would be a shame if you should go
And find that freedom was a long time ago
I know that you can't stand the chains that bind you
They just keep on drivin' us apart
You could go where I could never find you
But could you go far enough to get away from your heart
So one more time, for ol' times sake
Come and lay your head upon my chest
Please don't throw this moment away
We can forget the bad and take the best
If you don't have nothing left to say
Let me hold you one more time for ol' times sake
If you don't have nothing left to say
Let me hold you one more time for ol' times sake
The lyrics of John-Eric Booth's song "For the Good Times" seem to be an appeal from the singer to his partner, asking them not to leave him. He urges them to take a good look around and to consider the years they shared together. The singer acknowledges that their relationship was not perfect, but he also acknowledges that it was not all bad. His partner has grown tired and wants to be alone for a while, but he asks them to reconsider before they leave because freedom may not be what they expected it to be.
The singer acknowledges that his partner may feel trapped in their relationship, but he also points out that their love can't be escaped. He urges his partner to stay for the sake of the good times they shared, to forget the bad moments and cherish the best ones. He concludes by begging his partner to let him hold them one more time for old times' sake.
The lyrics are heartfelt, and they capture the pain and struggle of a relationship that is coming to an end. The singer is trying to hold on to the past and to convince his partner to give their relationship another chance. The lyrics are universal, and they speak to anyone who has loved and lost.
Line by Line Meaning
Before you go walk out on me
Before you leave and abandon me
Take a look around tell me what you see
Observe your surroundings and share what you notice
Here I stand like an open book
I am standing before you with nothing to hide
Is there something here you might have overlooked
Could there be something important that you missed?
'Cause it would be a shame if you should leave
It would be regrettable if you were to depart
And find that freedom ain't what you thought it would be
Discovering that independence is not as satisfying as expected
The years we had were not all bad
The time we spent together was not completely negative
In fact I know the good outweighed the bad
I believe that the positive aspects exceeded the negative ones
Now you say that you've grown tired
You claim to be exhausted now
You want to be by yourself a while
You want to be alone temporarily
It would be a shame if you should go
It would be unfortunate if you left
And find that freedom was a long time ago
Realize that liberation was already in the past
I know that you can't stand the chains that bind you
I understand that you detest being held back
They just keep on drivin' us apart
These chains cause us to drift apart
You could go where I could never find you
You could depart to where I am unable to locate you
But could you go far enough to get away from your heart
However, could you venture far away enough to escape your own heart's desires?
So one more time, for ol' times sake
Once again, for nostalgia's sake
Come and lay your head upon my chest
Come and rest your head on my chest
Please don't throw this moment away
I implore you to not waste this opportunity
We can forget the bad and take the best
Let us disregard the negative and cherish the positive
If you don't have nothing left to say
If you have nothing left to communicate
Let me hold you one more time for ol' times sake
Allow me to embrace you again, for nostalgic reasons
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: TONY JOE WHITE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind