John B. Sebastian (album)

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| released = {{Start date|1970|01}}

| released = {{Start date|1970|03}}

| recorded = Late 1968

| recorded = Late 1968

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'''''John B. Sebastian''''' is the debut album by the American singer-songwriter [[John Sebastian]], previously best known as the co-founder and primary singer-songwriter of the 1960s [[folk rock|folk-rock]] band [[the Lovin' Spoonful]].Holzman, Jac and Gavan Daws (2000). ''Follow the Music – The Life and High Times of Elektra Records in the Great Years of American Pop Culture,'' FirstMedia, {{ISBN|0-9661221-1-9}}, p. 123-124. The album, released in January 1970, includes several songs that would become staples of Sebastian's live performances during the early and mid-1970s. Most notably, the album included "She's a Lady", Sebastian's first solo single (released in December 1968Kama Sutra Records advertisement for "She's a Lady" in ''Billboard'' magazine, December 14, 1968, edition.), and an alternate version of "I Had a Dream" which was used to open [[Woodstock: Music from the Original Soundtrack and More|the soundtrack album]] of the 1970 documentary film ''[[Woodstock (film)|Woodstock]]''. ''John B. Sebastian'' also featured support performances by [[David Crosby]], [[Stephen Stills]] and [[Graham Nash]] several months before that trio agreed to work together as [[Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young|a performing unit]].Zimmer, Dave and Henry Diltz (1984), ''Crosby, Stills and Nash – The Biography'', Da Capo Press, {{ISBN|978-0-306-80974-3}}, p. 79.

'''''John B. Sebastian''''' is the debut album by the American singer-songwriter [[John Sebastian]], previously best known as the co-founder and primary singer-songwriter of the 1960s [[folk rock|folk-rock]] band [[the Lovin' Spoonful]].Holzman, Jac and Gavan Daws (2000). ''Follow the Music – The Life and High Times of Elektra Records in the Great Years of American Pop Culture,'' FirstMedia, {{ISBN|0-9661221-1-9}}, p. 123-124. The album, released in March{{nbsp}}1970, includes several songs that would become staples of Sebastian's live performances during the early and mid-1970s. Most notably, the album included "She's a Lady", Sebastian's first solo single (released in December 1968Kama Sutra Records advertisement for "She's a Lady" in ''Billboard'' magazine, December 14, 1968, edition.), and an alternate version of "I Had a Dream" which was used to open [[Woodstock: Music from the Original Soundtrack and More|the soundtrack album]] of the 1970 documentary film ''[[Woodstock (film)|Woodstock]]''. ''John B. Sebastian'' also featured support performances by [[David Crosby]], [[Stephen Stills]] and [[Graham Nash]] several months before that trio agreed to work together as [[Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young|a performing unit]].Zimmer, Dave and Henry Diltz (1984), ''Crosby, Stills and Nash – The Biography'', Da Capo Press, {{ISBN|978-0-306-80974-3}}, p. 79.

The album's release was marred by legal controversy, with two record companies, [[Reprise Records|Reprise]] and [[MGM Records|MGM]], claiming ownership of the recording and simultaneously distributing the album (with different cover artwork as illustrated, but essentially identical content) for several months in 1970. Reprise, with whom Sebastian signed as a solo artist in 1969, ultimately sued MGM, Sebastian's former distributor, for copyright infringement to settle the dispute,{{cite magazine |date=April 2, 1970 |title=WB Sues MGM for Bootlegging |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |publisher=Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. |issue=55 |pages=14 }} with the MGM release of the album subsequently withdrawn from the market. ''John B. Sebastian'' would be the artist's most successful solo album, ultimately peaking at No. 20 on the U.S. ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' pop albums chart.

The album's release was marred by legal controversy, with two record companies, [[Reprise Records|Reprise]] and [[MGM Records|MGM]], claiming ownership of the recording and simultaneously distributing the album (with different cover artwork as illustrated, but essentially identical content) for several months in 1970. Reprise, with whom Sebastian signed as a solo artist in 1969, ultimately sued MGM, Sebastian's former distributor, for copyright infringement to settle the dispute,{{cite magazine |date=April 2, 1970 |title=WB Sues MGM for Bootlegging |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |publisher=Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. |issue=55 |pages=14 }} with the MGM release of the album subsequently withdrawn from the market. ''John B. Sebastian'' would be the artist's most successful solo album, ultimately peaking at No. 20 on the U.S. ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' pop albums chart.

===1970: Release and "bootlegging" controversy===

===1970: Release and "bootlegging" controversy===

Reprise issued ''John B. Sebastian'' in March{{nbsp}}1970, name="Release date">{{multiref2|{{cite magazine|author=Anon.|title=MGM's 21 March LP's|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=March 14, 1970|page=4|quote=MGM Records will release 21 new albums in the firm's March program, including{{nbsp}}... albums by John B. Sebastian.|ref=none}}|{{cite magazine|title=March Delights From|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=March 21, 1970|page=9|quote='''JOHN SEBASTIAN: John B. Sebastian''' (RS 6379)|ref=none}}}} over a year after the album was recorded, and about a year after its originally scheduled release on the Kama Sutra label. The album would be Sebastian's most successful release as a solo artist, reaching No. 20 on the ''Billboard'' album chart. Despite the album's success, however, Sebastian would for years harbor frustration that the album did not reach the marketplace sooner:

Reprise ultimately issued ''John B. Sebastian'' in January 1970 (catalog no. RS 6379{{cite web

|url=http://bsnpubs.com/warner/reprise/reprise6200.html

|title=''Reprise Album Discography, Part 3: R/RS-6200 to RS-6399 (1966–1970)''

|publisher=Both Sides Now Publications

|access-date=December 22, 2012

}}</ref>), over a year after the album was recorded, and about a year after its originally scheduled release on the Kama Sutra label. The album would be Sebastian's most successful release as a solo artist, reaching No. 20 on the ''Billboard'' album chart. Despite the album's success, however, Sebastian would for years harbor frustration that the album did not reach the marketplace sooner:

{{quote|... the important thing was losing that year and a half. Because music, especially our popular music, changes so fast that the shelf life on a style can be six months, and I was very aware of that. It was one of the first [albums] of the sort of singer-songwriter [genre] … but you couldn't realize it by the time the album came out, 'cause so many other guys with the same approach by then had gotten out there.}}

{{quote|... the important thing was losing that year and a half. Because music, especially our popular music, changes so fast that the shelf life on a style can be six months, and I was very aware of that. It was one of the first [albums] of the sort of singer-songwriter [genre] … but you couldn't realize it by the time the album came out, 'cause so many other guys with the same approach by then had gotten out there.}}