Johnny Marie

Biography
Johnny Marie & the Lonesome Petunias began as a recording project in 2014 with singer/songwriter Johnny Marie (The Wilsons, Porps, This Jungle, Boxes of Love, Big Perm, Girl for Samson, Real Flower Pots & Telly Tavares), bassist Dave Swiercinsky and Mike Tankersley on keyboards. Allen Johnston was added later as theprimary recording drummer on juiceboxberries, Her Bows, Gardenaire & Land Ho.

In fall of 2017 Bryan Mace was added as a percussionist and the band began performing spirited acoustic interpretations of the songs live in Kansas City Metro venues. In late 2018 Shannon Swift (vocals and keyboards) and Daniel Button (guitar, keyboards and vocals) joined the live version of the group.

Drummer Jerry Riccardi joined the band full time in the autumn of 2019 and split drumming duties wtih Allen on 2020's "The Green Piano."

The EP "Sauro!" and Marie's 2nd solo album "Blind Cat Missing" were released in 2024.

Johnny Marie Discography

Skalimba (2025)

Blind Cat Missing (2024)

Sweet, Soft Gollum (2023)

Johnny Marie & the Lonesome Petunias Discography

Shut Up You Crazy Diamond (2025)

She Caught Car Lights (2025)

Sauro! (2024)

The Green Piano (2020)

Land Ho (2018)

Gardenaire (2017)

Her Bows (2016)

juiceboxberries (2016)

Social/Streaming Links
Bandcamp
Soundcloud
Bandcamp
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
Spotify
Pandora
iTunes
Amazon
ReverbNation

Blog, Interviews, Podcasts
Johnny Marie & Patrick Meagher Interviews, Podcasts, "Vinyl Vault" and "Lines & Patterns" Archives
Johnny Marie Blog
Johnny Marie's Interview with The Pitch
Johnny Marie on Nick Tann's Fresh Music Fix
"She Caught Car Lights" makes Nick Tann's Fresh Music Fix "Stand Out Tracks 2025"
Credits/Influences

Reviews
Mateus - Sweet, Soft Gollum
"Ethereal soundscapes put to an Eastern European waltz. Good melodic singing, almost chilling, but warm at the same time. Very European in approach. Good, even mixing."

Cosmonauta Radio - Sweet, Soft Gollum
"The mystery and darkness you achieve is super enchanting; it truly gives me chills."

Joe Salvato - Sweet, Soft Gollum
"Another ethereal, sublime ear worm! bonus that it is a vehicle in 3/4 time! Well done!"

Happiness - Skalimba
"1960s grooves that shift in and out of passages of stern self-reflection."

Alcaldesa - She Caught Car Lights
"You have a fascinating blend of influences that truly capture the essence of 90s alternative rock that transition between classic rock and the rise of more experimental, technology-driven sounds. Your track reminded me of Radiohead's "OK Computer" era, especially in how you balance atmospheric textures with emotional depth. I love how you mix progressive and psychedelic rock elements in the guitar arrangements and melodies - it gives the song a very creative and eclectic character. The piano arrangements are subtle but play a key emotional role, while the guitar solo stands out with great personality and expression. Your melancholic yet distinctive voice fits perfectly with the mood and composition - every detail feels intentional and contributes to the song's authenticity. It's experimental, original, and emotionally resonant - a very unique sound that has real international potential."

B-Side Guys - Bobby
Surreal Storytelling: Johnny Marie's "Bobby" Blends Dream and Reality

In "Bobby," Johnny Marie weaves a surreal narrative through psychedelic sounds, exploring identity's fluidity while highlighting collaborative musicianship and emotional depth.

Green lights pierce the darkness as Johnny Marie's "Bobby" unfolds like a fever dream, pulling listeners into a surreal narrative that defies easy categorization. The Kansas City songwriter, known for his work across multiple projects including Girl for Samson and The Real Flower Pots, has crafted a psychedelic portrait that transforms personal pronouns and perspectives with the fluid logic of a dream.

The track's arrangement showcases the collaborative strength of its assembled musicians. Dave Storms and Jerry Riccardi's dual drum work creates an appropriately off-kilter foundation, while Leon Kopilevich's piano and Bill Ryan's acoustic guitar weave through the spaces between. Chris Ruzich's bass provides crucial grounding for Marie's explorations of identity and transformation.

Marie's vocals navigate the song's surreal imagery with a matter-of-fact delivery that makes its strange narrative feel almost mundane. The titular character Bobby appears in various states - bobbing in mysterious light, wrapped in pride, compared to a walnut. These transformations create a dreamlike atmosphere where identity becomes fluid and meaning shifts like shadows.

The production maintains a delicate balance between clarity and psychedelic haze. Each instrument occupies its own space in the mix while contributing to the overall otherworldly atmosphere. The interplay between Marie's keyboards and Kopilevich's piano creates textural depth that supports the narrative's strange twists.

A repeated refrain about being "six feet tall" serves as an anchor point in the song's swirling narrative, though even this seemingly concrete detail becomes unstable in context. The height measurement appears at various crucial moments - the world's beginning, its collapse - suggesting both constancy and transformation.

The song's final moments introduce a new character, Tricia, with the same enigmatic approach used throughout. This late addition to the cast of characters feels less like a conclusion and more like another turn in an endless maze, leaving listeners to contemplate the nature of identity and perception.

Marie's experience leading multiple musical projects serves him well here, as the track demonstrates confident handling of both conventional rock elements and more experimental touches. The full band arrangement provides a solid foundation for the song's psychological explorations without diminishing their impact.

As a standalone single, "Bobby" showcases Marie's gift for crafting songs that feel both familiar and deeply strange. It's a track that rewards repeated listening, revealing new details and possible interpretations with each play while maintaining its essential mystery.

The song stands as a testament to Marie's abilities as both songwriter and bandleader, bringing together a skilled group of musicians to realize a singular vision. While firmly rooted in psychedelic rock traditions, it carves out its own distinct space through its unique approach to narrative and identity."

Masterpieces from the Indie Void - Bobby
"Olympics size opening, to a one-line psych lift, to some empathy, to a bit of an ice rink passage."

Various Small Flames - Bobby
"Big, bold sound is full of vivid energy."

Heatwave! - Bobby
"A piece of indie rock directed towards psychedelia. The track brings a characteristic sound of the style, with a soundscape enveloped in smoky mist, lysergic sounds, and harmonized vocals. Guitars soaked in effects also make their presence felt."

Last Day Deaf - Bobby
"I like the power of this indie rock song and the vocals are expressive and well balanced with the melodic line."

UM Squad - Bobby
"Dark atmosphere created by emotional vocals and captivating guitars."

Supreme Playlists - The Cats of Summer
"I enjoyed the laid-back, breezy vibe of the track. It has a nice, relaxed feel that's perfect for a summer day. The melodies are catchy, and the instrumentation complements the vibe really well."

The Engagement Land (Portugal) - The Cats of Summer
"With an enveloping softness and interesting aspects, the atmosphere was well conducted with expressiveness."

Cool-Firefighter-719
Johnny Marie & The Lonesome Petunias - Psychedelic New Wave Punk

"Johnny Marie & The Lonesome Petunias sound like a time capsule cracked open: jittery new-wave grooves, psychedelic colors, and punk energy wrapped in theatrical delivery. Sharp, witty, and full of character - a kaleidoscopic take on the art-rock tradition.

If you like: Elvis Costello for neurotic melodic bite, Talking Heads for artsy groove-driven weirdness, or The Feeling for jangly nervous rock energy."

Start here: https://johnnymarie.bandcamp.com/album/the-green-piano