Milwaukee musician John Calarco – also known as Johnny Cee – has won 11 WAMIs and played with local and national acts including The Willy Porter Band and The Blue Man Group.
Calarco, who started drumming at age 10, has received seven WAMIs and played in many local bands including Big Bang Theory, Greg Koch and the Tone Controls, Common Faces (from Madison), Tony Jarvis, Daryl Stuermer Band, NC-17 (Gabriel-era Genesis Tribute band featuring Todd Sucherman from Styx ), “H,” Chasin Mason, Kirk Tatnall Trio, Mike Standal, Dan Trudell Trio, The String Station, The Willy Porter Band, and many other side projects.
Calarco has also worked with Andy Summers of The Police, Bruce Springsteen guitarist Nils Lofgren, Pat Travers, The B-52s’ Kate Pierson, and Frank Zappa’s guitarist Mike Keneally.
Calarco might be best known for his performance on Willy Porter’s celebrated “Dog Eared Dream” CD, including the hit “Angry Words.” The success of the song led the band to open for Tori Amos in the mid-90s.
