John Flynn

October 11 - Tickets $20 Each

John Flynn is an American singer-songwriter and activist known for his powerful music and tireless efforts on behalf of the lost and the lonely, the shackled and scarred. His career has embodied an authentic troubadour odyssey that moved legendary folk DJ Gene Shay to call Flynn "the most quintessential folk singer in my life", and Deana McCloud, Executive Director of the Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma to write, "John Flynn is the real deal. His work follows in the footsteps of Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Kris Kristofferson, and other social justice troubadours as he speaks the truth and gives a voice to society's disenfranchised. His work fills your heart and opens your eyes as he continues to walk the walk of a true advocate for equality, justice, and peace."

Long-time friend and Flynn champion, Kris Kristofferson has called John "an important artist whose work in prisons, rehabs, and half-way houses is distilled into the truth and the beauty of heartfelt and heartwarming slices of life". In 2007 Kris cited Flynn to TV Guide Magazine as one of his favorite country artists, saying, "He's got a great heart and I like the way he thinks".

In his youth, Flynn was seen as quiet and exceedingly serious. The former altar boy was named president of the National Honor Society and Scholar Athlete of the Year while receiving two congressional nominations to the United States Naval Academy. John was making plans to play lacrosse for Navy when he found out he would not be able to take his guitar with him to Annapolis. The thought of leaving it behind, even for a few months, caused him to admit to himself that he had other dreams.

John abruptly changed course and began writing songs in earnest. He put himself through Temple University playing folk and country rock covers in bar bands, slowly introducing his original songs into the mix. After graduation John's plans to attend law school were abandoned when Billy Swan's recording of John's song "Rainbows and Butterflies" went top-forty on the country charts and John took a staff songwriting position at Combine Music in Nashville.

It was Swan who first introduced John to Kris Kristofferson. John was honored many years later when he found that Kris had selected the lyrics to Flynn's song "Without You With Me" to recite at the funeral of Kris' longtime friend and guitarist, Stephen Bruton.

The father of four did not tour while his kids were young, but as they grew older John began to widen his performance circles. In 2005, Arlo Guthrie invited John to join musical legends like Willie Nelson and Ramblin' Jack Elliott on the historic "Train to New Orleans" tour following Hurricane Katrina. It was on that trip that Ramblin' Jack generously dubbed Flynn "the John Lennon of the plasma generation", whatever that was supposed to mean!

Although a long time anti-war activist, Flynn's deep concern for, and appreciation of, those who have served in the military afforded him unique opportunities to share his music. Rejecting the "support the troops by supporting the war" mentality, Flynn reasoned, "You can be against house fires and still support firefighters". Flynn's powerful, anthemic song, "Dover", about those who've made the ultimate sacrifice, and "Semper Fi", about the terrible cost of PTSD, have won Flynn numerous invitations to perform for men and women in uniform, as well as their families across this country.

Over the years John's work for social justice and ardent opponent of the death penalty has seen him perform in a series of MERCy Concerts (Musicians Encouraging the Repeal of Capital punishment). Flynn also currently serves on the Advisory Board for Camp Dreamcatcher, a therapeutic summer camp for children whose lives have been impacted by AIDS/HIV, where his annual concerts for the kids and holiday fundraisers have become a tradition.

In 2005 Flynn began volunteering as lead inmate support group facilitator at Delaware's maximum-security penitentiary, The Howard R. Young Correctional Institution. Due to the success of this work, Flynn eventually took on other prisons and in 2013 began running additional groups for those who had been released. These groups provided much needed community and transitional support for ex-offenders and have had a powerful impact in the fight against recidivism in Northern Delaware.

In 2017, Flynn founded New Beginnings - Next Step, Inc., a 501 C 3 non-profit dedicated to helping incarcerated and returning citizens successfully transition to freedom. He currently serves as the executive director of this organization and that work has become the largest part of John's multi activity work life.

Among the recognitions John has received for his work are the Phil Ochs Award for Music and Social Activism for Political and Social Justice, the Dominican's Shining Star Award, Rotary's Paul Harris Fellow Award, and Pacem in Terris's Peacemaker Among Us Award. Additionally, The American Library Association has recognized John for family and kids' recordings; and in 2012 he was a Grammy honoree for his song "Two Wolves' on the anti-bullying compilation, All About Bullies Big and Small.

In 2019 the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Foundation honored John with the Champion of Justice Humanitarian Award. Past Humanitarian Award winners include Stevie Wonder, Mike Farrell, Janet Reno, Julian Bond and Sister Helen Prejean. And in 2023 John was made an honorary lifetime member of Vietnam Veterans of America in appreciation of his songwriting and performances for veterans.

Over the years many people have said laudatory things about the totality of John's work and mission but this quote from Si Kahn does as well as any at trying to sum up a 40 plus year career comprising so many seemingly disparate elements' and yet, they fit together perfectly.

"The only reason John Flynn doesn't have half a dozen songs in Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger and Alan Lomax's book Hard Hitting Songs for Hard-Hit People is that when they started writing, John hadn't even been born yet. But he's a worthy heir to the tradition and to the commitments Seeger, Lomax and Guthrie represent. John can hit hard, but he does it with humanity, heart and often humor. When he follows a powerful ballad about the tough lives of prisoners with a children's song about 'duck doo' on your pickup truck, it's hard not to imagine Pete, Woody and Alan smiling and singing along."