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John has produced recordings for labels as wide-ranging as Columbia Records and the National Geographic Society. A pioneer of professional multitrack recording and production, he designed and built the first 12-track recording studios in both New York and San Francisco and still writes extensively on the recording business for a variety of periodicals.

As founding president of The Confederate Naval Historical Society, he received the first-ever Federal award for leading an F.B.I. investigation and prosecution of looters of historic sunken ships under The National Historic Shipwrecks Act.

Former program developer at The Mariners' Museum in Newport News, Virginia and New York's South Street Seaport Museum, his papers have been published by the Society for Historical Archaeology, Mystic Seaport Museum, and the U.S. Naval Academy.

He has served as officer, crew, performer and instructor aboard various historical tall ships in the U.S., Canada, and Europe, including Polish staysail schooner Zawisza Czarny and Washington, D.C.'s Baltic trader Alexandria.

Music CDs and Videos by John Townley

A Chesapeake Sailor's Companion (CD listen)
A Chesapeake Sailor's Companion (CD notes)
The Starboard List (CD)
Classic Maritime Music (CD)
An Invitation To Cry: The Best Of The Magicians (CD)
O Glory: The Rev. Gary Davis Apostolic Studio Sessions (CD)
Gnany Wiatrem (CD)
Seaman's Fantasy (video)
Concertina Tutor (video)
Concertina and Accordion Repair (video)
Bones (the instrument, made by JT)

for recording buffs...the story of pioneering Apostolic Studios, where Frank Zappa recorded Lumpy Gravy and Uncle Meat...

and for astro-songwriters...
...the magical, mystical Harmony Crystal

...and just added, all twenty-two cuts of the ground-breaking album


...plus a new JT interview about the early days...click here!!!



...and more, just back in circulation...the complete maritime album




...all fifteen cuts, free -- listen, download and enjoy... ------>>>>

...plus ten more recorded in Poland, just added, featuring...

The Warsaw Mermaid! 








...and suddenly, for the first time, the Merseyside recordings of the performing crew of the Polish 140-ft staysail schooner


...a sixteen-cut musical documentary of her voyage, with photos!





Play "Wave Over Wave"
Photo by Susan Townley






Original Songs
 







Sailor! album



Zawisza Czarny album
  Copyright © John and Susan Townley 2006. All rights reserved.
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