John Sieger

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“If there’s an unsung hero in American Music right now it just might be JOHN SIEGER… His voice is a study in emotional grace, one that touches all the places inside us that need touching… Sieger shows us that walking down a familiar sidewalk and grabbing melodies from thin air is a holy pursuit, and then carving words into the music takes things right into an eternal quest for permanence.”— BILL BENTLEY, BENTLEY’S BANDSTAND // AMERICANA HIGHWAYS

Songwriter, singer and guitarist JOHN SIEGER has a long resume. His band the R&B Cadets ruled the dance floors in Milwaukee in the 1980s, playing a mix of his originals and obscure soul tunes unearthed by bandmates Paul Cebar and Robin Pluer. Their debut, “Top Happy,” for Twin/Tone Records, turned out to be their finale. In the late 80’s his band Semi-Twang recorded for Warner Brothers Records. Both bands have regrouped in recent years and since then, Semi-Twang has released three more collections of his songs, most recently and ode to his hometown, “Kenosha.”

Other Sieger songs have been covered by a long list of great artists including Dwight Yoakam (Don’t Need It Done), Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads (Rev It Up), The Bodeans (The Strangest Kind), Flaco Jimenez (I Found Out), Robbie Fulks (You Break It – You Pay), Phil Lee (I Hope Love Always Knows Your Name, Neon Tombstone) and Greg Trooper (My Bluebell, Real Like That and others). Recorded but still waiting to be released, is a version of “Salty Tears,” sung by Etta James.

“Sieger on Songs,” his column at UrbanMilwaukee.com, is John’s ongoing love letter to the music he digs.