'Johnny Washboard' fills a tall order
John Lodholz gives wife the gift of a lifetime
By CHRIS CLINE
Daily Journal Staff Writer
Daily Journal Staff Writer
Sunday, August 10, 2008
So to make up for his lost time, he asked his wife if there was anything that she wanted for her birthday that could make up for all the time he had spent on the concert. She told him she would like him to play with country music recording artist Toby Keith in St. Louis. That would be a tall order to fill for most husbands, but not for the man whose nickname ends with Washboard.
Back in the day, as Lodholz refers to with a grin, he lived in Nashville and was the drummer for country music recording artist Mark Collie. Lodholz toured with Collie and various other acts overseas. One of the other acts was Toby Keith. Keith and Lodholz became friends during the tour.
In addition to playing drums, Lodholz also played the washboard.
He learned to play the washboard while living with a guitar-playing roommate in Nashville.
“My roommate was into bluegrass,” Lodholz said in a previous interview. “Drummers are outlawed in bluegrass so I had to learn how to play something else. I started playing the drums when I was 8 years old and I knew rhythm, so it wasn't that tough.”
During the overseas tour it was Toby Keith that gave Lodholz the nickname “Johnny Washboard.”
“It just stuck,” Lodholz said. “I’ve had it ever since.”
The North County graduate moved back to St. Francois County in 2000 and is now a marketing liaison for Pyramid Home Health Services. He hasn’t lost his musical itch though, performing with local bands and with Toby Keith on occasion.
“I’ve performed with Toby on four occasions in St. Louis and Columbia over the years,” Lodholz said. “The stage manager told me during a concert in 2006 that I should feel honored to get to sit in with Toby because there is only one other person he allows to do it. That made me feel pretty good. This year though, I didn’t know what to expect. Toby’s tour keeps getting bigger and bigger and I didn’t know if I would get to play with him or not.”
Keith was scheduled to perform at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in St. Louis on July 31. Lodholz said he e-mailed Keith’s tour manager the Monday before the concert. At the time Keith and his entourage were in New York City filming various TV programs to promote his new film “Beer For My Horses.”
“On Wednesday I got an e-mail back saying it was a go and to check in at the security gate as a member of the band,” he said. “My wife was thrilled.”
Lodholz said when he arrived at the concert, he and his wife got to pose for pictures with Keith and hung out backstage with the band and crew.
“It was awesome,” he said. “My wife and I are huge Cardinals’ fans. I wore my Rick Ankiel shirt. It was pretty funny because Toby’s promotions manager is a huge Cubs’ fan and he told me ‘nice Washboard, but lose the shirt.’ I looked at him and said see you in the playoffs.”
Lodholz played his washboard on stage during Keith’s song “Who’s Your Daddy.”
“The feeling on that stage is like no other,” he said. “When you walk out there and see all those people, it’s an amazing adrenaline rush.”
He said in previous concerts he only got to play during a portion of the song, but this time he was on stage throughout it.
“Toby Keith is such a real person,” Lodholz said. “What you see is what you get with him. He is as genuine as they come. It’s such a privilege and an honor to get to play with him.”
While Lodholz said he feels his musical roots are well grounded in the Parkland now, he said he wouldn’t rule out an occasional tour if the opportunity presents itself.
“It would be nice,” he said. “But I am content playing around here. I’m in the process of putting together a Web site. Most people either know me as a drummer or for playing the washboard. The Web site will show me playing both.”
So how does Lodholz plan on topping his wife’s birthday this year for next year?
“That’s going to be tough,” he admitted. “We might have to go on the road and do a Toby show or two.”
Chris Cline is a reporter for the Daily Journal. Contact him at 573-431-2010, ext. 114 or at ccline@dailyjournalonline.com.
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