JOHN BETSCH

Born in Jacksonville Florida, John Betsch studied music in Nashville as a drummer and played in local bands, most notably in Bob Holmes’ organ-driven trio and later in Louis Smith’s group. But, John Betsch left for Boston’s Berkeley University and had classmates such as John Abercrombie, Earnie Watts and Alan Broadbent. Having survived the Nam army draft in the US, he joined TIM HARDIN’s group on his buddy Billy Chilf’s invitation. Just after Woodstock’s festival. John Betsch and Hardin will record a psych album (never released by Columbia) with future-OREGON members Walcott, Moore and McCandles and his buddy Chilf. He then returned to Nashville in Bob Holmes‘ band.   He would then study with Max Roach and Archie Shepp, again in Boston (but in UMASS this time) for some four years, gravitating in the local scene. But upon returning sporadically in Nashville, he forms the John Betsch Society, a group obviously read more...