Back to Gear

Jon’s Gear

click images for bigger pics

Studio Pics :

Pictures of Tommy Connell and some of the gear used to record Steel Guitar Air Show, taken in the Wavelab studio.

Haymaker – Haynnifer :

Jon’s latest, a square necked slide acoustic made by Haymaker (Don Windham – see “Friends” section for link)

Steel Guitar :

Mid 70s MSA Classic Single Neck 10 string, 3 pedals, 4 knee levers. E9 tuning, click images below for bigger pic.

Late 60s Gibson Falcon Amplifier 12″ speaker, click images below for bigger pic.

Hawaiian:

• 
• Reuter Hawaiian Guitar 1993
• Handmade by John Reuter of Tempe Arizona
• with EMG under the Saddle Pickup.
• Click image on right for bigger pic.

Guitar:

• 
• Slingerland Arch-top 1934-39, Aftermarket “Soap Bar” pickup from WD.
• Click image on right for bigger pic.
• Fender Twin Reverb Custom.
• Modified with a 15″ speaker, bottom left.
• Mid 60s Gibson Reverb III, bottom right.
• click images for bigger pics.

Acoustic:

• 
• Charles Wolff Model 08 Parlor Guitar
• Constructed with Paolo Escrito Back & Sides, Spruce top, Mahogany neck, Ebony fret board and head cap and a gun oil finish.
• “it plays and sounds great” – Jon
• Click image on the right for a bigger pic and close ups of the Headstock and back of the guitar.

Banjo:

Fender FB-59 all Walnut and gold hardware

click image for bigger pics of back and headstock

• Artist : Jon Rauhouse
• Album : For A Decade of Sin: 11 Years of Bloodshot Records
• Released & Label : 2005 Bloodshot Records
• Credits : Magnificent Seven – played everything (pedal steel, hawaiian guitar, and guitars) except drums and bass which were played by Bill Herzog
• Download at eMusic

• 
  Artist : Neko Case
• Album : Sweetheart 2005
• Released & Label : 2005 Hear Music Starbucks
• Credits : Hawaiian Guitar

• Artist : Neko Case
• Album : Hard Headed Woman : A Celebration of Wanda Jackson
• Released & Label : 2004 Bloodshot Records
• Credits : Pedal Steel
• Download at eMusic

• Artist : Jon Rauhouse
• Album : 2 Hours From Anywhere – A Collection of Arizona Songwriters
• Released & Label : 2004 Perfect Circle Records
• Credits : Plays and wrote the album’s hidden track
• Download at eMusic

• Artist : Neko Case
• Album : Live From Studio 2 Volume II
• Released & Label : 2003 104.1 KBAC Radio Free Santa Fe

• Artist : The Pine Valley Cosmonauts
• Album : The Executioner’s Last Songs, Vol. 2 & 3
• Released & Label : 2003 Bloodshot Records
• Credits : Hawaiian Guitar, Pedal Steel
• Download at eMusic

• Audio sample :
• Pardon This Coffin : Windows Media :: Real Audio

• Artist : Jon Rauhouse/Andy Hopkins
• Album : The Bottle Let Me Down: Songs for Bumpy Wagon Rides
• Released & Label : 2002 Bloodshot Records
• Credits : Vocals, Sample Arrangements, Guitar, Pedal Steel
• Download at eMusic

• Audio sample :
• Three Little Fishes : Windows Media :: Real Audio

• Artist : Various Artists
• Album : Respond, Vol. 2
• Released & Label : 2002 Signature Records
• Credits : Pedal Steel

• Artist : Various Artists
• Album : Making Singles, Drinking Doubles
• Released & Label : 2002 Bloodshot Records
• Credits : Guitar (Steel), Guest Appearance, Pedal Steel
• Download at eMusic

• Artist : Carolyn Mark & Her Room-mates
• Album : A Tribute to Robert Altman’s Nashville
• Released & Label : 2002 Mint Records
• Credits : Vocals, Pedal Steel

• Artist : The Pine Valley Cosmonauts
• Album : The Executioner’s Last Songs
• Released & Label : 2002 Bloodshot Records
• Credits : Engineer, Banjo
• Download at eMusic

• Artist : John Langford & Kelly Hogan
• Album : Don’t Let the Bastards Get You Down: A Tribute to Kris Kristofferson
• Released & Label : 2002 Jackpine Social Club
• Credits : Hawaiian Guitar, Pedal Steel
• Download at eMusic

• Artist : Neko Case
• Album : The Gift (Original Soundtrack)
• Released & Label : 2001 Will Records
• Credits : Banjo, Pedal Steel

• Artist : Neko Case & Grievous Angels
• Album : Down to the Promised Land: 5 Years of Bloodshot Records
• Released & Label : 2000 Bloodshot Records
• Credits : Producer, Pedal Steel Banjo
• Download at eMusic

• Artist : Anna Fermin & Friends
• Album : Poor Little Knitter on the Road: A Tribute to the Knitters
• Released & Label : 1999 Bloodshot Records
• Credits : Pedal Steel
• Download at eMusic

• Artist : Various Artists
• Album : Jukebox Cantina Combo Platter
• Released & Label : 1998 Hayden’s Ferry
• Credits : Mandolin, Pedal Steel

• Artist : Earl C. Whitehead & The Grievous Angels
• Album : Straight Outta Boone County
• Released & Label : 1997 Bloodshot Records
• Credits : Pedal Steel
• Download at eMusic

• Artist : Earl C. Whitehead & The Grievous Angels
• Album : Hell-Bent: Insurgent Country, Volume 2
• Released & Label : 1995 Bloodshot Records
• Credits : Pedal Steel
• Download at eMusic

• Audio sample :
• Get It While It’s Hot : Windows Media :: Real Audio

Back to Discography

Nicknames: “Orchid Fingers” “Pumpkinhead” “Nicest Guy in Show Biz”

Raised on Easter Island in the Southern Pacific, his destiny as the next tribal chief was derailed when he was struck on his ample head by an eleven-pound coconut…* OK this is how it really happened in his own words…

I started playing the banjo in 1977 (I was 19) on a dare and ended up playing in a bluegrass band for several years, in the late 70′s I started up on the pedal steel. Tommy Connell joined the band in the late 70′s early 80′s and they played music that sounded like Air Show, we actually used to play “Choo Choo Ch’boogie” back then.

After that I played multi-instrumentalist for years in a dozen bands, lost track of Tommy and lost track of my mind. Joined Grievous Angels mid 90′s, got the Bloodshot deal and the rest is history.

Touring with Neko opening up for the Jayhawks in Los Angeles, Tommy Connell was in the crowd. Got reacquainted after 18 years.

Always wanted to make a steel guitar record paying homage to previous steel players who made (good) bad steel records and I wanted to record with friends (and great musician) Neko, Kelly, Sally, Tommy, Tom V. Ray, Joey, John, Kevin, Nick and Craig.

Since I knew Tommy again, it added a Speedy & Jimmy element not to mention his amazing ability.

Played for years and made my own style without using effects and then hooked up with Jamal Ruhe and formed Sleepwalker which, by the way the steel was saturated with effects. One released Sleepwalker record and two in the can waiting.

Been touring fairly heavily for the past 3 to 4 years with Neko Case (this was in about 2003, so it’s been longer now) and before that with Grievous Angels, Waco Brothers, John Langford, Chris Mills, Sally Timms, and Kelly Hogan.

Influences & Heroes

Pure Prairie League with John David Call on steel guitar
Joe Ely with Lloyd Maines
Asleep at the Wheel with Lucky Oceans
Commander Cody with Bobby Black

All Big Band music and the Big Band leader Alvino Rey whose instrument was steel guitar.
Definitely Speedy West and a Guy in Austin named Mike Hardwick.

• On his current playlist are :
• Chet Baker
• St Vincent
• Visqueen
• Skull Orchard
• more Artie Shaw
• Alvino Rey
• & the Buddy Emmons Jazz record

He is also revered in Nottingham, England. Seriously.
*Find the end of this story at Bloodshot Records

• Booking Information for Jon contact
• Mary Brabec – brabec@billions.com
• The Billions Corporation – http://www.billions.com/
• 833 W. Chicago Ave., Ste. 101
• Chicago, IL 60622
• tel: (312)997.9999 ext. 8235
• fax: (312)997.2287

Jon has an interview with GearWire on their site.

Going through what he uses to get his sound and why, including liking “really old strings”.

Here’s what Nick Luca has to say about Jon’s appearance on his new record.

Hey Ya’ll Jon Rauhouse fans – just wanted to let you all know that Jon played on the new LUCA record entitled “Sick Of Love” – it comes out August 22 on Funzalo Records. Jon contributed some amazing pedal steel, Hawaiian Lap Steel and Banjo on 4 tracks! The record also features Howe Gelb, M Ward, Chris Scruggs (BR549), Joe and John from Calexico and Tony Furtado. I hope you enjoy

- and thanks Jon Rauhouse for playing so darn well – love ya, babe!
Cheers!

More info at Nick Luca’s site

Remember folks Jon will be appearing on the “Late Show with David Letterman” that’s recorded on Wednesday June 14th.

Jon will be twanging his banjo on the Neko Case track “Maybe Sparrow”.

So check out your local listings for the show, (I know in the UK it’s shown the night after on ITV4 usually), for those that miss it I’ll try and get a recording of it to put up on the site.

Here’s a small video clip of Jon & Paul Rigby tuning up before the Neko Case gig at the Shepherds Bush Empire (London May 24th 2006)

Neko and the band opened with “Favorite” at the recent Shepherds Bush Empire gig (May 24th) and I recorded this small clip.

You can also check out a video for the making of Neko Case’s latest album “Fox Confessor Brings The Flood” at MSN, just have to wait for a cheesy ad to run before it.

Jon’s been sponsored by Fender so now has a shiny new banjo and amp to play with, pics of these (banjo – FB-59, amp – Fender Twin Reverb Custom) and his MSA Pedal Steel have been posted in the gear section.

A couple of pics of the Steel Guitar Rodeo tour have been put up (click the On Tour menu link)