John Denner

John Denner (born January 1, 1972, Hamburg, Germany) is a German guitarist noted for achieving technical proficiency on a level with top lead guitar players despite being born without a right hand. He is also known for advocacy and volunteer work with war veteran amputees and children with similar challenges.
Biography
Childhood
John Denner, son of Joe and Dolores Denner, grew up in New Haven, Connecticut. Born without his right hand, John was determined not to let a birth defect slow him down. According to childhood friend Dan Michalski, “he was the type of kid that always excelled at anything anyone else could do … he could always draw … he could master any video game.” From an early age, John had a fascination with guitars and a love of music.
Musical training
It wasn’t until his early 20s that Denner turned his dream of playing into a reality. He does not read music and has no formal training in guitar. He and his brother worked for six months to create a sleeved picking device, which they since patented, to fit over John's right upper arm. Once he could strum easily with his invention, John taught himself to play electric guitar.
After abandoning his passion for nearly a decade, Denner began to play again. In about a year, John taught himself to play “the hardest guitar solo on the planet”, Eddie Van Halen’s "Eruption" by ear. In less than three years of dedicated practice, he honed his natural talent to a new level, surprising even himself with his own proficiency.
Public recognition
Music Contest
Denner's first exposure as a musician came with an audio clip with which he won an online guitar contest. When he later submitted an accompanying video, revealing his birth defect, word quickly spread. Videos of John playing gained rapid internet popularity and earned him an appearance on a local Connecticut radio show, Sebastian in the Morning, and articles in the Hartford Courant and the New Haven Register. In quick succession, John was also featured in the “I Did It!” section of Play Guitar Magazine and booked for an April 2007 performance and interview on the Howard Stern radio show. Impressed with John’s talent, the Howard Stern show immediately contacted Les Paul, music legend and major developer of the electric guitar.
Les Paul
After viewing John’s video, Les Paul had this to say: “The fact that your a One Handed Guitarist is very cool. But the way you play Eruption better than anyone I have ever seen in my life is Mind Blowing!!! Eddie Van Halen would be very proud to see this Video I’m sure! One hand or not, you are an amazing guitarist. I’m a fan”.
Prior to Les Paul's death, John Denner played every Monday night with Les Paul and his band at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York City.
Recent events
In January 2008, John travelled to London for recording sessions with Rock maestros Phil Hilborne and Jamie Humphries - he played on a song called "Is This Thing On" - written by Phil Hilborne. He also did a video feature for Guitar Technique's magazine in the UK Future Publishing also known for Guitar World Magazine - which were filmed and edited by Phil Hilborne at W.M.Studios, Essex.
He also did further interviews and a new CD simply titled JohnDennerRocks due out winter of 2008.
Denner is also working on an instructional guitar lesson DVD with Hal Leonard Publishing to be released in the spring of 2009.
Advocacy work
In December, 2007 Denner joined the staff and volunteers of Operation First Response (OFR) for a visit to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C. OFC is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing personal and financial support to wounded veterans.
Denner recently allied with the Amputee Coalition of America (ACA) in support of its mission to reach out and empower people with limb loss. The ACA is campaigning for insurance coverage to make prosthetic care equally accessible to all amputees. Without the prosthetic coverage himself, John was forced to improvise in pursuit of his own dream of playing the guitar. He works to help others with limb loss to receive the support and assistance they need to make their dreams come true. Aligned with both OFR and the ACA, Denner will serve at a youth camp, teaching guitar to young amputee guitarists and also help petition state legislatures for better insurance coverage.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu