Guitarist extraordinaire from the Motor City....

John 5 was born John Lowery, in Grosse Point Michigan. He started playing guitar at the age of seven, inspired by Saturday morning TV show Hee Haw: "I didn't know any...musical genres. I was just in awe of the players". His parents were supportive of his learning and permitted him to play in bars and clubs on the condition that he kept his grades up.

Grosse Point is not exactly the mean streets of Detroit. But, "The Motor City" has a better ring.

And for Russ, my friend in the ether, some Banjo rolls and western swing via John 5: