

Welcome
to the
Home of
Johann Löwenberg

Take your shoes off
& meet me
on the Dance Floor
Jumpin' in
is the thing!

Start up your engines
& get ready
for the Ride
Fasten your seatbelts
& roll down the windows!
Born in Yorkville Village springtime 1950, Johann Löwenberg was Toronto’s very first rock ‘n roll baby. “Music was always around me” says Löwenberg, “be it early Elvis recordings or my dad’s collection of jazz, swing and big band tunes.” Johann was a boy soprano performing with various youth choirs before his big debut as soloist, opening for the Vienna Boys Choir at Massey Hall in 1962. “I had a front row seat at Maple Leaf Gardens for the Beatles in 1964” says Johann, “and there was no lookin’ back.” His dad took him to Ronnie Hawkins’ club on Yonge Street where he started to learn the ‘art of performing’ from the master himself. “I had a couple of guitar lessons with Bruce Cockburn over at the Folklore Center” says Johann, “and thought I was ready for the big time.” He was a regular visitor at the ‘pad’ on Dupont St. where visiting folk artists would stay. “With the likes of Peter, Paul and Mary, The Mamas and Papas and The Lovin’ Spoonful, I was on cloud nine. Gordon Lightfoot was my idol and Murray McLauchlan my template.” Löwenberg started writing his own songs in 1966. When people shouted out requests, he’d play one of his own and pass it off as one of theirs. In the early 70’s, he became quite active in the coffee house circuit at Fat Alberts with Tony Hanik, Glen Hornblast and Sam Larkin. Around this time he started recording some of his songs. His first pro recording gig was with Steve Hurej at Clare Burt Recording in 1976. “I remember this like it was yesterday” says Löwenberg . In the early 80’s, Johann worked with Dennis Hill at Great Shakes. From about 1986 on, he worked with Terry Clements at Studio North. “We had been friends since he first came to town to work with Lightfoot.” This resulted in some fine crafted songs with Terry, Red Shea, Lou Moore and Rick Haynes. In 2010, after a long career as editor/producer in the ‘world of animation’ and ‘broadcast news’, Löwenberg picked up his Gibson with pen in hand and forged out a new batch of material. With co-producer Andreas Schuld he has put forth two marvelous Yukon themed albums. ‘Echoes of the Road’ 2016 and newly released ‘Waltz of the Blues’ 2018. “This has been a long and winding road” says Johann.