
For over 20 years, John Stanger has performed live in front of local crowds. He will be doing it once again with his band, the Angry Johnny Stangery Band on Feb. 1, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Old Station Bar and Grill outside of Waynesburg.
“’Miss you’ by The [Rolling] Stones, Tyler Childer’s ‘Country Squire,’ Jerry Reed, [The] Marshall Tucker [Band]’s ‘Can’t You See’, Van Morrison,” are a few artists and songs the band will perform, said John Stanger, band founder and leader. The song list shows Stanger and his band are not confined to a specific sound. Stanger explained, however, that their sound jumps around from rock to classic rock to country. If Stanger had to place a label on his band’s sound, it would be progressive blues.
“That’s probably the perfect description to describe what I do,” Stanger said, “but I’m all over the place.”
Stanger became a musician over 20 years ago in the 1990s. With guitarists Eric Clapton and Eric Johnson in their hay day while Stanger grew up in Herminie, Pennsylvania, Stanger “studied” how they played and who influenced them. He has played in several bands before his self-titled group, Timberline and Charlie Good Time are a couple. He decided to start his own group in 2012.
“I have different members that I work with,” Stanger said. “I work with four to five guys, and they all know their stuff really well.”
The band used to play under the name The John Stanger Trio, but that changed when the band went up to play at Speal’s Tavern in New Alexandria, Pennsylvania. The owner of the tavern coined the term “Angry Stangry.” After the performance, the audience called the band that from then on, and the name stuck.
“After that I had to keep that name,” he said.
For more information on the performance, call the Old Station Bar and Grill at 724-627-6927.