Editing John Sebastian (section)

==Later career==

Since the 1980s, Sebastian has been active in several music-related areas, not only writing and performing his own material but also performing roots music, developing soundtrack and instructional material, hosting and appearing on television programs, and writing a children's book about a harmonica-playing bear.

===Live performances===
[[Image:John Sebastian 1979.jpg|thumb|Performing at the Woodstock Reunion 1979 at [[Parr Meadows]] in [[Ridge, New York]]]]Sebastian left the Lovin' Spoonful in 1968 and did not play with any later versions of the band, except for a brief reunion with the other three original members to appear in [[Paul Simon]]'s 1980 film ''[[One-Trick Pony (film)|One-Trick Pony]]'', and again for a single performance at their [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] induction ceremony in 2000.<ref name="RRHOF" />

{{quote box|quote= [The Lovin'] Spoonful couldn't compete in 1974 because only two of its members [are] still in music.{{nbsp}}... I'm enjoying playing with other musicians and wouldn't trade it for what at best would be propping up [an] old idol for the bucks its memory might evoke.<ref name="VV 1974">{{cite news|last1=Smith|first1=Howard|last2=Van Der Horst|first2=Brian|title=Scenes: The Lovin' Half-Spoonful?|date=December 9, 1974|newspaper=[[The Village Voice]]|page=14|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ef5NAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA14|via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref> |source=– John Sebastian, 1974|width=25%|align=left|salign=right|style=padding:8px;}}

Sebastian has continued to tour and play live, both solo and with a variety of backing bands. He had a long association with the eclectic rock band [[NRBQ]], dating back to the early 1980s, when he played on NRBQ's album ''Grooves in Orbit'' (1983). He has said that NRBQ "to a large extent, picked up where The Lovin' Spoonful left off" because of NRBQ's "wide range of musical styles that they're not only able but accurate at playing," and he expressed appreciation for NRBQ's support during a low point in his career.<ref>DeAngelis, John, [http://www.nrbq.com/history/js_interview.html "Keeping the Magic Alive: The John Sebastian Interview"], ''DISCoveries Magazine'', excerpted at nrbq.com. Retrieved June 7, 2015.</ref> In turn, Sebastian helped NRBQ by using them on his own [[Nelvana]] and [[Disney Channel]] soundtrack projects during a period when litigation prevented them from recording.<ref>Freedman, Sam. [https://web.archive.org/web/20151016205628/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/nrbq-rsvp-19900111?page=2 "N.R.B.Q. R.S.V.P."], ''[[Rolling Stone (magazine)|Rolling Stone]]'', January 11, 1990, archived at Rollingstone.com. Retrieved June 7, 2015.</ref> Sebastian has used NRBQ as his own backing band,<ref name=boone /> appeared regularly at their concerts,<ref>Holden, Stephen, [https://www.nytimes.com/1982/05/26/arts/rock-sebastian-and-nrbq.html "Rock: Sebastian and NRBQ"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', May 26, 1982, archived at NYtimes.com. Retrieved June 7, 2015.</ref><ref>Catlin, Roger, [https://www.courant.com/1999/11/25/its-nrbqs-time-at-toads/ "It's NRBQ's Time at Toad's"], ''[[Hartford Courant]]'', November 25, 1999, archived at courant.com. Retrieved June 7, 2015.</ref> and recorded frequently with the band members,<ref>[http://www.nrbq.com/history/js_discography.html John Sebastian/ NRBQ Discography], nrbq.com. Retrieved June 7, 2015.</ref> and NRBQ founding member [[Terry Adams (musician)|Terry Adams]] refers to Sebastian as an "honorary member" of the band.<ref>Oates, Bridget, [http://www.slideshare.net/BridgetOates/016017key0515hearroadwarriorsterryadamsspreadlow-res "Terry Adams: NRBQ Co-Founder Goes From Funk to Monk"], ''Keyboard'', May 2015, p. 16.</ref> Although he performed Lovin' Spoonful songs solo and with NRBQ (who were themselves promoted in the 1980s as "the new Lovin' Spoonful"<ref name=boone />), he declined to reunite with several former Spoonful members in 1991.<ref name=larkin>Larkin, Colin. [https://books.google.com/books?id=_NNmFiUnSmUC&pg=PA2714 ''The Encyclopedia of Popular Music, 5th Concise Edition.''] Omnibus Press, 2011, p. 2714. {{ISBN|978-0-85712-595-8}}.</ref>

{{Anchor|Jband}}

Throughout the 1990s, Sebastian frequently appeared with the J-Band, a [[jug band]] including [[Fritz Richmond]] from the [[Jim Kweskin|Jim Kweskin Jug Band]], jug band pioneer [[Yank Rachell]], [[Jimmy Vivino]], and [[Geoff Muldaur]].<ref name="SHOF" /> Sebastian and the J-Band were featured in ''Chasin' Gus' Ghost'' (2007), a documentary about the roots and influence of jug band music.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://chasingusghost.com/bios/cast/ |title=''Chasin' Gus' Ghost'' documentary web site |publisher=Chasingusghost.com |access-date=October 14, 2010 |archive-date=May 13, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513141016/http://www.chasingusghost.com/bios/cast/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1087795/ IMDB entry for ''Chasin' Gus' Ghost'' documentary.]</ref> The film screened in August 2007 at the San Francisco Jug Band Festival (where Sebastian performed with other musicians featured in the film, including [[Geoff Muldaur]], [[Maria Muldaur]], [[Jim Kweskin]] and [[David Grisman]]) and made its film festival debut in October 2007 at the [[Woodstock Film Festival]]. In the film Sebastian humorously explains (with musical accompaniment) how his song, "Younger Girl", was inspired by [[Gus Cannon]]'s "Prison Wall Blues."

Sebastian's live performances in the 2000s have included performing as a trio with country blues duo [[Paul Rishell and Annie Raines]] in 2002; touring with [[Maria Muldaur]] and her Garden of Joy jug band in 2009; and occasional appearances with mandolinist [[David Grisman]], with whom Sebastian played in the [[Even Dozen Jug Band]] in the 1960s and more recently collaborated on a CD album release, ''[[Satisfied (David Grisman and John Sebastian album)|Satisfied]]''. In 2008 he performed solo, but with Roger McGuinn of the Byrds in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Each would play songs solo, but alternate their sets with each other.

===Record releases===
After leaving Reprise, Sebastian continued to occasionally release CD albums through a variety of small labels. Although a number of these releases consisted of compilations or live performances of his older material from the 1960s and 1970s, some, such as ''Tar Beach'' ([[Shanachie Records|Shanachie]], 1993) and ''[[Satisfied (David Grisman and John Sebastian album)|Satisfied]]'' (with [[David Grisman]]) (Acoustic Disc, 2007) have contained significant new recordings. ''Tar Beach'' in particular contained eleven previously unreleased songs written or co-written by Sebastian; four songs were composed by the team of Sebastian and songwriter Phil Galdston,<ref>Mason, Stewart, [https://www.allmusic.com/album/tar-beach-mw0000095210 " AllMusic Review: John Sebastian, Tar Beach"], Allmusic.com. Retrieved June 8, 2015.</ref> with whom Sebastian also collaborated on the score for the [[Sig Shore]]-directed feature film ''[[The Act (film)|The Act]]'' (1984). According to [[Colin Larkin (writer)|Colin Larkin]], Sebastian had written many of the songs that appeared on ''Tar Beach'' more than a decade prior to the album's release.<ref name=larkin /> Two later releases, ''I Want My Roots'' (Music Masters, 1996) and ''Chasin' Gus' Ghost'' (Hollywood, 2000), focused on Sebastian's work with the J-Band.

===Soundtrack work===
Sebastian is a frequent contributor to film and TV soundtracks.  In particular, he has written and performed music for a number of children's films and TV productions.  He wrote the music and provided the singing voice of "Daniel Mouse" for the Canada-based [[Nelvana]] animated television special ''[[The Devil and Daniel Mouse]]'' (1978) about two mice attempting to succeed in the music business. He supplied music for several more Nelvana productions, including ''[[Strawberry Shortcake: Housewarming Surprise]]'' (1983), ''[[Strawberry Shortcake Meets the Berrykins]]'' (1985), ''[[The Care Bears Movie]]'' (1985), ''[[The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland]]'' (1987), and "Care Bear Countdown", the theme song for Nelvana's ''[[The Care Bears Family]]'' TV series.  He also wrote and sang the theme song/narration for Nelvana's TV pilot ''[[The Get Along Gang]]''; however, none of it was kept when [[DIC Entertainment]] took over the project. He wrote and performed the theme song of the [[KNBC]] syndicated children's program ''[[That's Cat]]'' (1976–1979), and hosted a 1986 [[Disney Channel]] family special entitled ''What a Day for a Daydream''.<ref>Scripps Howard, "The Disney Channel Not Just Kid Stuff", ''[[The Pantagraph]]'' (Bloomington, Ill.), September 29, 1986, p. C5.</ref>

===Television presenter===
Since the 1980s, Sebastian has hosted several television programs about 1960s and 1970s music, including [[infomercial|paid program]]s for compilation sets, a syndicated live music and interview program called ''Deja View'',<ref name=boehme /> and a half-hour program called ''The Golden Age of Rock and Roll,'' which featured video footage of 1960s bands performing on variety shows. He also hosted a Lovin' Spoonful retrospective broadcast on [[PBS]] in March 2007, talking about various Spoonful numbers in between vintage video clips of the band up to the time he left.

===Children's book author===
In 1993, Sebastian authored a children's book, ''JB's Harmonica'', illustrated by his godfather [[Garth Williams]], about a young bear whose musical aspirations are overshadowed by the talents of his famous musician father.<ref name=boehme />

===Instructor at Homespun Tapes===
Sebastian has released a series of instructional DVDs, CDs, downloads, booklets, and (prior to the use of digital media) analog tapes for learning to play guitar, harmonica, and autoharp, or for learning specific styles or songs. These instructional materials are distributed by [[Happy Traum#Homespun Tapes|Homespun Tapes]], a company founded and operated by folk musician [[Happy Traum]].<ref name=sebastianwoodstock /> Materials offered with Sebastian as an instructor have included ''An Easy Guide to Tuning Your Guitar'', ''John Sebastian Teaches Eight Lovin' Spoonful Hits (and "Welcome Back")'', ''John Sebastian Teaches Blues Harmonica'', ''Learn to Play Autoharp'', and ''The Fingerpicking Blues of Mississippi John Hurt: A Spoonful of Classic Songs''.<ref>[http://www.homespuntapes.com/Instructors/john-sebastian "Homespun Music Instruction: Homespun Category – John Sebastian" (instructor page)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150621035719/http://www.homespuntapes.com/Instructors/john-sebastian |date=June 21, 2015 }}, Homespuntapes.com. Retrieved June 3, 2015.</ref>

===Other appearances and activities===

In November 1992, Sebastian made a cameo appearance on the sitcom ''[[Married... with Children]]'' (Season 7, Episode 9, "Rock of Ages") as himself, along with other 1960s rock stars [[Spencer Davis]], [[Richie Havens]], [[Robby Krieger]], [[Mark Lindsay]], and [[Peter Noone]].

Sebastian appeared on the [[Eels (band)|Eels]]' 2005 release, ''[[Blinking Lights and Other Revelations]]''.<ref>[https://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/e/eels-blinking.shtml Pop Matters entry for review of ''Blinking Lights and Other Revelations.''] Retrieved January 12, 2009.</ref>

On January 12, 2014, Sebastian appeared on ''[[CBS News Sunday Morning]]'' to talk about his career with and without [[the Lovin' Spoonful]], [[Eric Clapton]], and the [[C. F. Martin & Company|Martin guitar]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/videos/the-mystique-of-martin-guitars/|title=The mystique of Martin Guitars|website=cbsnews.com|access-date=November 3, 2017}}</ref>

In 2016, Sebastian appeared on [[Richard Barone]]'s ''Sorrows & Promises: Greenwich Village in the 1960s'' album, playing harmonica, autoharp and making a vocal cameo on Barone's cover of the Lovin' Spoonful song "Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?"