Singer/songwriter John Stano’s sound is a distinctive blend of acoustic and slide guitar, harmonica, expressive vocals and insightful songwriting developed over many years of performance and study. He sometimes adds a little mandolin, cigar box guitar or banjo to the mix as well. His style can be described as a combination of folk, blues and Americana. Initially self-taught, John went on to study American fingerstyle guitar at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music and harmonica with national blues legend, Jim Liban. John studied English and creative writing at U.W. Madison. A skillful use of language adds an original spark to his lyrics. ‘Green Man Review’ compared John’s music to early Bob Dylan while ‘Dirty Linen’ was reminded of Country Joe McDonald. John also performs his own arrangements of folk and country blues classics by artists such as Robert Johnson and Mississippi John Hurt and Bukka White and contemporary writers such as; Gillian Welch, Bob Dylan, Greg Brown, John Prine and Tom Waits. John is a flexible and engaging performer who works regularly at a variety of indoor and outdoor venues. John has released four recordings of original music.

“His vocal resemblance to John Prine may be a plus for some, but Stano’s songwriting voice is his own, apt for the folksinger’s task of chronicling the local while relating it to the universal.” The Shepherd Express