John Katchur: Into the (Invisible) Light

The Book of John

John Katchur

Maybe you remember back when John Katchur was the cream of the scene here in San Diego, winning a 1993 San Diego Music Award and playing his songs everywhere with everybody. Maybe you lost track of him in recent years. Or maybe, like me, you missed him first time around. In any case, we’re going to bring you up to speed on this man’s interesting life-art-music trajectory, and let you know why (and where and how) you should be paying attention to him now.

Genesis—In the Beginning
Way back in the last millennium, 21-year-old John put a Musicians Wanted ad in the Reader, like so many before and since. He got one response, fortuitously from Frank Drennen. (The reader may notice a motif in this story.) John and Frank meshed, put together a few songs, and trotted them over to Drowsy Maggie’s open mic. “Marcus, the owner, came on stage after our three songs and goes, how would you like to hear these guys play every Tuesday night?” So they quickly constructed a three-hour repertoire.

Katchur and Frank Drennan in the early days.

Frank credits that collaboration for setting the stage for his music career, which these days is centered in Los Angeles with his band Dead Rock West. “There was so much learning; we had a burning desire to accomplish” something of significance, “and we were going for the heart.” Frank was the better singer, John was the better guitarist, and they motivated each other forward all around San Diego. Frank reels off a long list of bygone local venues—Kirby’s Café, Beans, Metaphor – and, of course, Java Joe’s. They made one brief but memorable tour up the coast, starting with a Grateful Dead show parking lot (“out by the Porta Potties”) in Oakland and ending with Sluggo’s Pizza at UCSD.

John was soon embedded in the burgeoning scene at the original Java Joe’s in Poway. “I met Jeff Berkley through Frank, and Jeff started coming to Java Joe’s playing djembe. He was in the Joe Rafael band back then.” John and Jeff kept a Tuesday night residency there for three years. They’re going to recreate that chemistry onstage May 2, for a San Diego Folk Heritage concert back at Old Poway Park at Templars Hall.

John facilitated an “acoustic one-shot showcase,” attended by the likes of Lisa Sanders, Peggy Watson, Dave Howard, Gregory Page, Steve Poltz, and Jewel. Then Jewel got her big break. What about you teaching her to play guitar, recording her first demo, and passing on a chance to tour with her? John says, “There are so many stories going around about what went on between her and me, and they’re all wrong!” (It’s gonna take a better investigative reporter than me to get that story into print.) The industry noticed the Java Joe scene, leading to John playing high-profile opening gigs (e.g., Steven Stills) in San Diego and Orange counties, while remaining in demand as a local recording artist and solo performer. Somewhere in there, John and Jeff found time to form the band Redwood with Dani Carroll and Calman Hart.

Redwood back in the day: Jeff Berkley, Dani Carroll, Calman Hart, Katchur.

John muses, “Thinking back on that time, you took it for granted there were so many cool places to play and you had a crowd. The cost of living was low enough I could have my little studio apartment for $385 a month. And what a life that was! But, I guess I got burned out on it a little bit, playing three nights a week, probably for four years.”

There followed a tumultuous period. His marriage to Margaret Morgan, piano teacher and world traveler; a six-month New Zealand trip that stretched to three years; pregnancy and return to San Diego, with family life, teaching guitar, producing records—and recording three of his own. That point in time was captured eloquently in John’s Troubadour cover story in October 2008, written by his longtime friend and accomplice Sven-Erik Seaholm.

The Missing Years
The years following the Troubadour story had their milestones, but those were out of the spotlight. Family changes, another daughter, and eventually divorce. An off-the-record music-related disillusionment, leading to John turning away from performing and leaning toward a different artistic career.

That career was intended to be Novelist, but careened into Photographer. To justify sitting in the sun and writing, John put a few of his photo prints next to his friend’s booth on the Ocean Beach pier. Well, whadayaknow, luckily those pictures sold the first day, and more the next day, and more the day after that; the career transition was accomplished.

Along with John’s new career came a new insight into his relationship with art. “I’ve always dabbled in different art forms,” John shared. “I took music very personally and seriously, but with photography I didn’t care. So, I would take a picture of anything, and I wouldn’t really judge it. I would just be like, maybe somebody will like this. And I was making them so fast, just throwing them out there, and people were buying them! It gave me this perspective that maybe I’m not the one to be deciding what is good. That was a perspective I’d been missing with my music, to just be more detached and put stuff out and not worry so much” about judging. Hold that thought, because the photography business carried John for 12 years.

But things changed, as they do. COVID pushed John and his photos inside. Then a cliché landlord situation pushed John and the photos back outside. In 2024, “I lost my business and my income and my place to live all at the same time. I woke up one day in a panic. I realized I was angry at the world, and I was angry at myself. And I was like, I need to forgive—what do I need to forgive? And I realized that I needed to forgive these things that were unforgivable.”

Desperate for answers, John consulted that perennial source of spiritual advice, Google, which led him back to a meditation practice he’d established and relinquished years before. This time it had an immediate and immense impact. It led him to a new quiet place, from which he could intuit a course of action. “I’ll fix up my van. I’ll drive. I’ll go photograph the eclipse [in Missouri]. I’ll crash Richard’s gig [in New York].” So, he did, practicing his stillness on the way. But not yet writing songs.

The songwriting came out of a chance encounter in a rainy-day coffee shop in Missouri. John found himself in the midst of a fortuitous writing workshop that fanned his dormant songwriting ember. It was a lot of miles between the Mississippi River and the Hudson—a lot of hours, and a lot of ideas. The songs started flowing.

“I wrote a song and I was like, okay, this is on a completely different level than any song I’ve ever written. And not so much that the song was that much better, but that that it was coming from a real place. My old songs seemed correct on paper, but I felt they were based on intellectual—rather than experiential—wisdom. Now I’m writing from a different place, so the material has a more of a conviction. And I’m all fired up and feeling like, oh, maybe I can write halfway decent songs.”

Spiritual epiphanies are not suited to prose descriptions [at least not mine!], so I’m not even going to try to relate John’s journey in that realm. You can listen to his songs and hear the poetry and conviction. You can spend a little time with him and feel the centered calmness. Or you can Google “how to forgive the unforgivable” and see where that takes you. “The answer was ridiculously simple,” according to John.

Revelation—The Here and Now
Across the country and back again, John arrived in San Diego in July 2024 with a new outlook (a new in-look?) and a handful of new songs written from that new place. Almost immediately, he was called to perform at the sold-out Java Joe Reunion Show (see his performance here)  hosted by San Diego Folk Heritage. “They sandwiched me right in between Jack Tempchin and Gregory Page and that was a total fear facing moment because I wasn’t prepared. But I thought: I’m just gonna get up there and play my two songs that aren’t even finished and to hell with it. It was like embracing failure. And I did not feel good about my performance, but people were like, oh, you sounded fine. So that was a real success, based on the fact that I just did it.” (The third Java Joe Reunion Show, including John and most of the musical characters highlighted here, is slated for January 2026. Get on the Folk Heritage email list for early notification.)

Katchur & Joe Rathburn at Vision recently. Photo by Dennis Andersen.

And he’s been just doing it since, with a series of dates shared with old chums that include Dave Howard, Calman Hart, and Joe Rathburn. Next up, a concert with Jeff Berkley on May 2 at Templars Hall in Poway. Will there be djembe involved???

In addition, John has been recruited into a new incarnation of The Ordeal. Cathryn Beeks tells us, “As The Ordeal prepares to make a comeback (after founding member Matt Silva moved away in 2017), we’re excited John is joining our family, which includes original members Marcia Claire , Rob Garbo, and myself, along with new members Jim Diez of Deadline Friday and singer/songwriter/piano player Josh Weinstein.” See them June 7 at the Julian Town Square Music Fest and June 14 at Adobe Falls house concerts.

On the home front, you might see John around town with Marcia Claire (“this girl is hilarious!”), our version of a musical power couple. Their fortuitous meeting involved an untimely case of COVID and a timely bowl of chicken soup. How does it feel? “I’m with a beautiful woman who’s who likes me, offering me soup. And I’ve got gigs….” Not to mention writing the truest, most meaningful, songs of his life. “I think that’s one of the most difficult and rewarding things that you can do.”

Turns out sitting on top of the world can also be a challenge to one’s commitment to staying centered and in the moment, but from all appearances, John is navigating that pretty well. Just taking what comes, without expectations, guided by that invisible light within.

TESTIMONY
Marcia Claire: The Chicken Soup Story
“ I had decided that I wanted to get to know John better and had bought a ticket to his show at Vision in early February [2025]. Unfortunately he contracted COVID and needed to postpone the show. I felt very bad for him, knowing how much he was looking forward to the show and tried to think of ways to be supportive to him. This led to me offering to make him chicken soup and bring it over as well as providing some light-hearted humor each day to help cheer him up. The silly things I sent him each day sort of catapulted our relationship into the next level as we began chatting incessantly, ultimately discovering our shared appreciation for the likes of Steve Martin, Buddhist practices, and Beavis & Butthead.” [We’re pretty sure this phrase has never before appeared in the Troubadour or any other major publication.]

“John actually proposed that we perform together before we started dating. I was incredibly flattered but equally nervous as to whether I could cut the mustard. I am having a wonderful time learning tunes for us to do as a duo and learning the more rocking tunes with the rest of the Ordeal. His chord changes are oftentimes unconventional but when combined with his well thought-out melodies, the chord changes make perfect sense. I am really enjoying the challenges that come with taking established bass lines and making them my own whilst remaining true to the spirit of the songs and the highlights of the original bass lines.”

Frank Drennen
“I love that man and his music. He’s been an integral part of my music life.”

Frank has stayed connected to the San Diego community since moving to LA in 2000. Dead Rock West will play the Casbah on August 7. Look for their new album Clear Blue Night.

Jeff Berkley
“John was the one that introduced Java Joe’s to San Diego. My very first open mic was with him. I learned a lot about recording, performing, and playing from John.

“I first met him when he was in a duo with Frank Drennen. I was going to Southwestern College and I knew Frank. I was looking for a guitar player for a band I was in and he suggested John. The three of us became friends and started sharing music with each other. The truth is they started sharing music with me! Through them, I discovered Bruce Cockburn and David Wilcox, as well as several others that would go on to become huge influences.

“More than all of that, though, John was a lightning bolt in the San Diego songwriting community. He somehow was able to unite everyone. John’s Tuesday nights at Java Joe‘s were what made Java Joe‘s our clubhouse. Everyone would just show up. John would have them up to play a song and his audience would discover that person. He created that whole scene. I’m so glad to have him back!”

Dave Howard
“John has been like a brother to me. For 30 years he has kept my songs alive more than anyone else. What Tony Hawk did for skateboarding, John Katchur did for acoustic guitar in San Diego in the early 1990s. Everyone that followed, including me, Jack Johnson, Berkley Hart, Jewel, Gregory Page, and Jason Mraz were drawn to and traversed a path that HE pioneered. Without John, the folk scene would have ended with Drowsy Maggie’s.”

Sven-Erik Seaholm
“John renders his songs in an alluring, vivid way, pulling you in rather that coming out at you.” Check out Sven at upcoming Spacebar shows, and watch for a new album later this year.

Joe Rathburn
“It was John Katchur, ten years my junior, who caused me to get out my acoustic guitar again when I saw him accepting the San Diego Music Award for best acoustic artist back in the mid ’90s. He’s impressed me ever since. His recording of Dave Howard’s song “Into the Wind” is one of the best recordings of all time IMHO. I still get inspiration from him as I gig along into my 53rd year as a musician.”

Lisa Sanders
“I love him dearly; I don’t know where I’d be without him. He played guitar on my first two records. He’s an understated genius, playing without fanfare, just sublime.” See Lisa at the Joshua Tree Music Festival May 15-18, and watch for a new record coming soon.

Peggy Watson|
“John is a masterful intuitive guitar player and I really enjoyed working with him on stage and in the studio. He played on some of my albums, and he also recorded my album ‘In the Company of Birds.’”

Gregory Page
“JK has been and will remain a key part of the SD music community regardless of his sabbatical. His songs and voice remain as relevant today as they were when we first heard him in the early ’90s at Java Joe’s. As far as I’m concerned music never left John for a second, it was always there inside him gently comforting him through his amazing life’s journey.”

SONGS

Invisible Light | John Katchur
Life is a dream
A fleeting vision
Looking deep into me
I sense a changeless mystery

There’s invisible light inside you
Invisible light within
Invisible light to guide you
Invisible light

Once you were here
And now you’re gone
So cold, so clear
Like the dark before the dawn
There’s invisible fire that rises
With just a gentle breath of love
It doesn’t reside outside you
It doesn’t come from above

You don’t have to believe
You don’t have to know
It’s okay to hang on
It’s alright to let go

Invisible light inside you
Invisible light within
Invisible light will guide you
Invisible light

Love Won’t Let Me Down | John Katchur
Since you arrived
Everything is brighter
Love like the sun
Is shining down on me
And I’m ready to go
Wherever you go

Since you arrived
Everything is kinder
Everyone I see
Is smiling at me
As if they know

Love Love
Such a precious find
The gift that you have given me
Is like no other kind
The moon is blue and bright
The stars are all aligned
Love won’t let me down this time

Just as the tide will always rise and fall
The heart is ever free
The current surging inside us all
Flows from the spring to an endless sea

When you arrived
I gave up my pain
Now there’s a rainbow
Where once was only rain
And now I know

Love Love
Such a precious find
The gift that you have given me
Is like no other kind
The moon is blue and bright
The stars are all aligned
I won’t let love down this time
I won’t let love down this time

LINKS
John Katchur home page

John Katchur photos

John’s animated series, A Prayer for the Bleeding, trailer on Instagram

San Diego Folk Heritage concert series

Troubadour article Oct 2008: https://sandiegotroubadour.com/john-katchur-living-the-life-authentic/

Albums
Mercy Road
Friend of the Moon
Beauty and the Terrible Things, Jan. 2009