About John Swickert
John had worked for Hix Bros Music since 1996, starting just after the great flood. His responsibilities included: guitar, piano, bass guitar and ukulele instructor, shipping and receiving manager, data entry and inventory ordering/managing, band instrument rental manager, website manager, sales, boss baiting, dog catcher, and employee flogging. He is now excited to join Musical Expressions to further his love of teaching music.
John enjoys getting to know his students and believes having fun fosters a more meaningful learning experience. He tailors his lessons to each individual student’s needs.
John has taught for over 25 years and has been involved in music since birth, hearing his father Jerry and mother Mary Lee sing and play various instruments including piano, guitar, banjo, tenor sax and others. His first paying gig came before the age of nine playing guitar and singing with his dad at a local pub. John has had professional instruction in guitar, piano and voice. In 1981, John had his first guitar lesson with John Hix, the founder and original owner of Hix Music. After just 2 lessons, he was shipped off to Carl Hix for lessons.
While attending West Aurora High School, John was a state finalist in voice and sang in organized choral groups all through school and after. John generally no longer sings as a result of an unfortunate chipmunk watching expedition that went horribly wrong, scarring his vocal cords forever. He has played in various bands and done many wedding gigs, but no longer plays out as work and life with his lovely family of four keeps him very busy.
John has an Associate’s Degree in Applied Science from Waubonsee Community College and another year and a half of education at NIU, when in the middle of school, he was dragged kicking and screaming to teach at Hix Bros Music.
John was also an accomplished amateur auto racer. He raced Formula Fords on and off between 1982 and 1994. In 1992 John finished third overall in the Skip Barber Midwest Formula Ford Championship and was chosen as a finalist in what was called “The Big Show”. The ten best drivers from the continental US and Hawaii were brought to Sebring Florida for a shootout. The winner won a $100,000 racing scholarship. Alas, John did not win this obviously rigged event but is very satisfied with his racing career and still enjoys watching and attending racing events. Playing music with his daughter and teaching continue to give John much joy today.
