John D. LeVan on lead guitar at age 17
Hoy Hoy by Clyde Stacy & the Nite-Caps (1957 Top 40 Double-sided Hit)

 

 

John D. was a pioneer in rockabilly music beginning as a teenager with Red Foley on The Ozark Jubilee. His career has taken him on a journey through the U.S.A. and half the world appearing with such greats as Charlie Daniels, Tommy Overstreet, Roy Orbison, J. J. Cale, Sonny West, Clyde Stacy and many more.

Some of the awards he has received are: three time winner of the American Song Festival, C.M.A. Award (Country Music Association) of America ; in 2004 he was inducted into the National Rockabilly Hall of Fame; in 2009 he was honored by the the State of Iowa with his induction into their State Hall of Fame. According to noted writer John Wooley of the Tulsa World, John D. is also known as one of the original founders of the world famous “Tulsa Sound” as per an article in the Tulsa World,December, 2004, when he wrote, “LeVan’s work with Clyde Stacy and Gene Crose, two Tulsa music legends qualify him as a genuine Tulsa Sound pioneer.”

John D.’s repertoire ranges wide, from his show-stopping rendition of Louis Armstrong and the blues to contemporary country swing to rockabilly while retaining his original “Tulsa Sound” touch.