I CAN’T PROVIDE YOU ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT JOHN NEFF COLABORATED WITH IN HIS MUSICAL JOURNEY BECAUSE YOU WOULD GET DIZZY READING IT LIKE I DID. YOU’LL HEAR ME TALK ABOUT SOME, SUCH AS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE DRIVE BY TRUCKERS, THE ALLMAN BROS, WIDESPREAD PANIC, JAPANCAKES, PINK STONES, STAR ROOM BOYS, BLOODKIN AND PLAYED WITH BOOKER T OF THE INFAMOUS BOOKER T & THE MG’S.
NOW YOUR OWN YOUR OWN. YOU MUST DO THE READING YOURSELF. IT’S REMARKABLE.
HE BEGAN PLAYING GUITAR AT AN EARLY AGE AND TRANSITIONED TO PEDAL STEEL WHEN MOVING TO ATHENS. HE BASICALLY TAUGHT HIMSELF HOW TO PLAY THE PEDAL STEEL. HOWEVER, HIS SISTER MARRIED WILLIAM TONKS AND THAT’S A PRETTY GOOD BROTHER-IN-LAW TO HAVE. TONKS IS ONE OF THE GREAT MUSCIANS HERE IN ATHENS.
NEFF MOVED TO ATHENS IN HIS EARLY TWENTIES AND STARTED PICKING THAT PEDAL STEEL AND CONTINALLY TEACHING HIMSELF. WHAT CAME OUT OF THAT WAS THAT EVERYONE WANTED JOHN NEFF. HE PLAYED WITH SO MANY ARTISTS THAT MADE A HUGE IMPACT ON THE MUSIC BIZ BECAUSE HE MADE THEIR RECORDINGS BETTER. JOHN ADDED THE LOVE NOTES TO THE MUSIC.
WHEN I WAS READING ABOUT JOHN, I THOUGHT THE NAMES WOULD NEVER END. THE FACT THAT I’M NOT SURE I REALLY GOT TO THE END AND AM STILL IN THE VORTEX, IS HOMAGE TO YET ANOTHER GREAT MUSICIAN HERE IN OUR SPECIAL TOWN OF ATHENS GA.
THIS IS ME, TALKING TO JOHN NEFF
AthCastMusic (©): The Music of Athens Georgia, Now and Then
SEASON: 5 EPISODE: 49
LENGTH: 42.46
PUBLISHED: December 11, 2025
UPDATED BI - WEEKLY ON THURSDAYS
ENGINEER: KAYLA DOVER
MUSIC BUSINESS SCHOOL INTERN: RAYA ACKLEH
RECORDED AT TWEED RECORDING AUDIO PRODUCTION SCHOOL
https://tweedrecording.com (https://tweedrecording.com/)
Photos by Kayla Dover
Producer: Marlene Sokol Stewart
CONTACT FOR ATHCASTMUSIC:
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YOUTUBE CHANNEL: AthCastMusic. @MarleneSokolStewart-12
John Neff info:
FaceBook: https://facebook.com/john.neff.18
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