John R. Butler spent the first seven years of his life in a West Virginia coal town, in a house with no running water. That is why, even to this day, he tends to flush toilets over and over with a look of wonderment on his face. Butler spent most of his formative years in Ohio, learning the pleasures of beer, bowling and Buckeye girls. Oh, and also guitar. When Butler was 11, a World War II era Gibson archtop fell into his hands via a hillbilly uncle and the rest is history. Really obscure history. Throughout high school, college and after, Butler kept his hand in the local entertainment business, playing venues all over northern Ohio, northern Indiana and lower Michigan. Meanwhile, he pursued a career in public relations and film/TV production. Eventually both pursuits led to the same intersection: writing. In 2003 Butler released his second solo CD, “Surprise!,” featuring the song, “The Hand of the Almighty.” Apparently the country was ready for some outright blasphemy because the CD caught fire across the U.S., Canada and in the U.K. strictly on word-of-mouth promotion. Terrestrial radio stations in Memphis, Atlanta, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Little Rock, St. Louis and Austin played bleeped versions of “Almighty” on morning and afternoon drive time. In 2007 the song was featured on Howard Stern’s show on Sirius Satellite Radio, was included in the 2007 independent film, “Throwing Stars,” as well as the compilation disc, “The Best of Red Peters.” The independent film, “Catechism Cataclysm,” to be shown at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, will also feature his music. After a two-year stint in Nashville in which Butler succeeded in going through all his money, he came to southwest Florida in 2006 in order to play music full-time. In his spare time, Butler enjoys stunt flying, mountain climbing and lying about his hobbies.