At some point, you have probably seen Jon E. Gee perform and just didn’t realize it.
The musician has, after all, appeared on stage with some of the most popular names in the music industry, from Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger and Mariah Carey, to Destiny’s Child, Willie Nelson and India.Arie.
Currently, Jon E. Gee (Gunnell) tours the country and world as the bass guitar player for rock star and fellow Indiana resident John Mellencamp. He can be seen in concerts playing such Mellencamp favorites as “Small Town,” “R.O.C.K. in the USA”, “Jack and Diane” and “Crumblin’ Down,” where he enjoys demonstrating his skills the most.
“I’ve been blessed and fortunate enough to be one of the people that is able to do what they love,” Gunnell said.
A native of Kentucky who moved to Indianapolis with his family as a child, Gunnell was inspired to become a musician after seeing James Brown perform in the 1960s film “Beach Blanket Boogie.”
Gunnell credits music with keeping him out of trouble as a youth. He began playing trombone and drums in school bands, then switched to the bass. Over the years he followed the work of such bass guitar players such as Larry Graham, Stanley Clarke, Bootsy Collins and James Jamerson.
“Larry Graham brought a lot to the entire industry,” Gunnell said. “He invented a new way of playing. When it came to his band, he was the leader, the singer and the bass player. You didn’t see much of that back then.”
Gunnell sharpened his talent by playing with local bands representing a variety of genres, from country and jazz, to R&B and rock. His playing style caught the attention of ‘80s rock star Henry Lee Summer, who hired him for performances.
Another great opportunity arrived for Gunnell when he was asked to work as the bass player for Ted Nugent, a highly respected hard rock guitarist who continues to have a significant following today.
In a statement, Nugent described Gunnell as “my ultimate soul brother of real American spirit” and called him “rock and roll and rhythm and blues personified.”
Although he enjoyed playing with Nugent, Gunnell learned (in 1999) that Mellencamp needed a new bass player. He auditioned for the position, and someone else was hired, but did not get along with Mellencamp. Gunnell was chosen as the permanent replacement.
“I guess when the smoke cleared I was the only one left,” he said, laughing.
Since then, Gunnell has fit in perfectly with the Mellencamp camp, being part of a popular touring and recording ensemble.
“We’ve had some good and bad days, but mainly good,” Gunnell said. “We’ve also had some great historic experiences.”
Gunnell remembers how Mellencamp’s band became the first to perform in Boston after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
“It was definitely a memorable and impactful performance,” he said. “I can still see the reaction of the people in Boston. It was amazing to see that kind of patriotism.”
Troye Kinnett, a keyboardist with Mellencamp’s band, said, “It’s always fun playing with Jon because you can tell he’s really into what he does. He’s a motivating kind of guy.”
In addition to playing with Mellencamp, Gunnell also leads his own group, the Jon E. Gee Band, which he says sounds like a “modern tin lizzie” and performs both cover and original songs for audiences.
Gunnell also takes time out of his schedule to contribute his talent and resources to The Gift of Music scholarship program and Kid’s Rock, a charitable organization that provides musical instruments to students in school systems that are removing music classes due to budget cuts, or come from families who cannot afford them.
When he’s not on the road, Gunnell enjoys spending time with his wife Sondra and their son. During some afternoons, he can often be found teaching students bass guitar technique at his office in Carmel, working with both children and adults.
“There’s no emotion like watching someone struggle with a part, song or technique and see them the moment the ‘light bulb’ goes on,” Gunnell said. “It also helps with the learner’s self-confidence.”
Gunnell is not taking his success for granted, and believes divine intervention and “being at the right place at the right time” brought him to where he is today. He encourages people getting started in the music industry to never give up, even if society’s stereotype of success doesn’t immediately materialize.
“There’s also a lot of people such as songwriters who make a great living but have never put out a record, been on the charts or in a major band,” Gunnell said. “Everyone wants to be famous, but you don’t have to have fame to be successful. The key is to do whatever it is you actually enjoy doing.”
