Secondhand Serenade

Taurus

With the vocal range of an 80’s hair band, looks to rival Elvis and hooks stronger than a drug addiction, John Vesely is bringing the best aspects of showmanship and songwriting back to their roots. When John takes the stage it’s honest and pure; a lone voice, his guitar and a bag of stories.

Always the troubadour, John could never settle down in one place with one band, so in the summer of 2004 he leaves it all behind and swims solo. John feels that there is more to his performance than the typical singer/songwriter, and he adopts the name Secondhand Serenade to make this distinction clear. “A name like ‘John’ has limits,” says Vesely, “people expect something from that. I don’t want to be tied to one thing”. In a single set, John might invite ten different musicians on stage to contribute, and this constant unknown keeps people coming back to the shows.

It quickly became apparent to John that the demand for Secondhand Serenade was something he had never experienced before. His turnout at live shows and increasing online following prompted him to fund and record his debut release, Awake. When John decided it was time to make an album, he wanted nothing short of perfection. He booked a top flight studio and produced the entire 10 track release himself. Though he wasn’t signed to any label, he made sure his album would compete with the best on the market. From the performances to the packaging, John brought him album in it’s entirety to completion on his own terms.

With singles such as “Maybe” breaking through on popular local radio stations, and online sales of the album skyrocketing, John quickly made back the costs of production. Though he is considering the possibility of a recording contract, it is obvious Secondhand Serenade will flourish as an independent project regardless. In the meantime, John will continue to captivate audiences and release new songs. It’s not always clear where the next step will lead, but that’s what keeps us hanging on, patiently anticipating the moves of Secondhand Serenade.