“Born and raised in the L.A. area” doesn’t usually sound like the opening line for a cowboy singer. That is, however, where John Bergstrom got his start. You can almost smell the campfire as he spins his ballads about life, heroes and bad guys in the west. For the last several years, John has been a regular at the Autry National Center and western events around Southern California.
A singer/song writer of western songs, “Throw Down the Box” is his second project presenting songs of adventure, tragedy and fun in the West. The title cut, ”Throw Down the Box” tells the story of the Northern California outlaw Black Bart, also called the Gentleman Bandit. Another outlaw ballad is “Salomon Pico.” Pico, a member of one of the prominent families in pre-Gold Rush California, legend has it became an outlaw as an act of revenge. You’ll also find songs about the great Sidekicks of western movies, life in the high desert, and a couple of traditional songs, “Frankie and Johnny,” and “The Philosophical Cowboy,” to round out the program.
You’ll be sure to enjoy this taste of the old west.
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