Home From Here

John Burton is a singer/songwriter, writer, and the host of Home From Here. Burton suffered a personal mental health crisis 8 years ago, and having come back in an alternative way now dedicates much of his time to the cause of mental health advocacy. Burton describes himself as as a dad, a Christian and a Buddhist, and a very, very lucky man.
Home From Here is a music/talk show featuring host John Burton with a variety of guests. The show focuses on uplifting us all, mental health, music, comedy, the creative process, relationships, and anything else that makes a positive difference.
Home From Here is produced by John Burton.

Episode 55 - John learns more about people from Dr. Heather O'Leary, a veterinarian who studies people as much as animals. Heather is open, warm, smart, and by the end of the show makes you want to be a better person for your pet.

Episode 54 - Eric Archer rejoins John and Home From Here for an encore performance, then John asked for four more. Eric provided music, healing, philosophy, humor, and showed us what an enlightened person looks like.

Episode 53 - John sits down with hairstylist and musician and mom Jessie Lee Montague, who is so funny and talented and musical that John forgets to talk about... his hair.

Episode 52 - John plays with and for Dan Zlotnick, a rising singer/songwriter in the Hudson Valley and beyond. They talk about what it takes to still be in love at 90, Dan's rule that there must be food in every lyric, being a father..

Episode 51 - John gets harmony and lessons in life from Krisha Patenaude (don't worry if you can't pronounce it, she does that for you). They do Beachfires, Krisha does three of her own singles. John encourages Krisha to date men half her age (and Jen does not disagree), they talk teenage sleepovers, and they leave promising to do Part Two soon.

Episode 50 - John talks with Andrew Krivak who was found not guilty after spending more than two decades behind bars, and more than six years after his co-defendant and friend, Anthony DiPippo, was acquitted of the same crime. He is also joined by civil rights attorney Mayo Bartlett.

Episode 49 - John is joined by Clare Maloney and Nate De Brine. Clare is a recovering opera singer who has gone on to become a rock singer doing her own songs and Nate is a tremendous guitar player who sings with her. They cover John's nerves about his upcoming concert, Clare teaches breathing, Nate does an impromptu James Taylor cover, and they do three of their originals, some from their first album.

Episode 48 - John sits with sacred visual artist and baker Kasmira Demyan to talk about her overcoming Goldenhar Syndrome, 25 surgeries, and her formative years in a hospital. Kasmira has emerged with wisdom, humor, and fearless introspection.

Episode 47 - The Dutchess County Sheriff's Department joins The Package (Gramercy Burton) and her friends to talk through a swatting incident at their school, school shootings, school safety, and three teenagers get to thank three men who would get between them and any threat.

Episode 46 - John plays for and listens to Vicky Lynn Smith, a singer/songwriter who has scored multiple films and iwho is also licensed equine therapist (she also explains what that is).

Episode 45 - John interviews Taylor Seupeda who wrote and directed Suicide Eyes, a film about the aftermath of suicide.

Episode 44 - Singer and composer Cherilyn Ann returns to Home From Here with acoustic guitar player Dr. Perkes to perform and update us on her heart (not the organ).

Episode 43 - Allison Chawla stopped by to talk about her personal journey and her unique therapeutic practice.

Episode 42 - John greets musician, artist, poet, and meditation teacher Eric Archer. They talk meditation, travel, the freedom to create and how to hit your guitar.

Episode 41 - John welcomes Unison Arts Artistic Director Emilie Houssart in to talk about Unison’s Spring Fundraiser on April 15, then plays with and talks to musician and creativity advocate Taylor Bradshaw on the eve of the release of his new album The Man I'd Rather Be.

Episode 40 - Often described as the "same person" Seth, Marc and John have a roundtable on addiction, music, comebacks, and being middle aged dads. They swap songs and stories, and John gets called out on false self deprecation and finger picking.

Episode 39 - John brings master guitarist Angelo Santilli. They discuss depression and the various approaches to it, the music business, and Angelo's success.

Episode 38 - John has his cards read by intuitive life coach and hair stylist Cristin Ann Roe. Her insights are remarkable.

Episode 37 - John sits down with workout buddy and WNBC News Correspondent Chris Jose to talk about how the news works, the mental impact of reporting on mass shootings and other tragedies, how Chris practices dignity in his work, fatherhood, work/life balance, and Chris shows John how to be a good guy.

Episode 36 - Ragtime and jazz pianist Jeff Weinman brings his keyboards to the studio and plays in between his own survival story of cancer and depression, and tells John how, at nearly 70, he has emerged from both to be the happiest he has ever been.

Episode 35 - John talks with mother, teacher, and cancer survivor Trish Burton. They celebrate the end of her treatment thank the Home From Here audience for all their support.

Episode 34 - John talks with the inspirational Merritt Minnemeyer about stories of adoption, foster care, death, and a glorious rebuilding of a life by a courageous woman.

Episode 33 - Join John as he sits with Erika Sherger, an extraordinarily talented singer/songwriter who just found her voice telling you stories about her blind horse and his seeing eye mini-donkey, or how she watched monkeys in South America perform a funeral.

Episode 32 - John learns how to play naked from the dynamic Singer/Songwriter Chris Raabe as Chris plays originals, covers James Taylor, talks about how he gets so lost in the music he hurts himself on stage, and the healing power of music.

Episode 31 - John sits down with Faheem Haider, Executive Director of the Unison Arts Center in New Paltz. Faheem talks about how the act of creativity and the arts is not only beneficial mentally, but also community-building. They also make some personal revelations, talk about race and politics, and talk about John's upcoming performance of Home From Here, the show that launched the podcast, at Unison Arts on April 15. All proceeds benefit Unison Arts, and tickets can be bought here: https://www.unisonarts.org/events/home-from-here-fundraiser

Episode 30 - John sits down with kindred spirit and singer/songwriter Marc Delgado to talk addiction, 12 step programs, being a dad in your 50's, and guitars. Marc performs three of his originals so that John doesn't have to perform any of his.

Episode 29 - John sits with his friend Elena Ramirez, who rebuilt her life after a devastating divorce. She talks about how she recovered, appeared on Dancing With The Stars, and raising her children.

Episode 28 - Gala was a young girl when her parents got divorced, and a little girl when her house burned down. Now 13, this talented singer/guitarist sits down with John to figure out how music heals broken things.

Episode 27 - John performs in the RFR studio with singer Cherilyn Ann and her partner, guitarist Angelo Santilli. It starts out with funk, goes to a group cry, ends with a moving exchange of life lessons, and a tribute to David Crosby.

Episode 26 - John tries not to play guitar for rock legend Marshall Crenshaw. They talk about Marshall’s career, the creative process, Marshall plays 3 of his own, and they trade guitars. Thank you to Marshall Crenshaw for visiting. Marshall’s rerelease of his first album on its 40th anniversary is out on all formats later this month.

Episode 25 - John talks to Nurse Practitioner Heather O’Keeffe who turned her life around when, at 45, broke and divorced with three kids, she decided to become a nurse practitioner. Heather spent nearly every day of two years in a covid ward, which she says was harder than being John’s first girlfriend in high school. They talk about choices, about “the one that got away”, about Covid, and about Heather’s inspiring life and career, and about how change is really possible.

Episode 24 - John sits down to swap stories and Christmas Carols with Tom Heany. Tom reads the list of things his father and mother taught him - then says he made the whole thing up. John tells part of his origin story, quits a song because he is too tired, Tom does his own Christmas original, and two friends with guitars see the year out.

Episode 23 - John and Lesya Verba spend an hour together on Christmas and war. Lesya is the Ukrainian Taylor Swift, an award-winning actor, singer, songwriter and artist. They open the show with Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas in English and Ukrainian and close with Silent Night in Ukrainian and English. Lesya talks about the realities of war that her people are suffering, how she learned to project her voice by calling to her family over hills in Odessa, together they lift Ukraine for peace, and in the end we learn about a beautiful culture from a magnificent, famous, and authentic Ukrainian citizen.

Episode 22 - John plays, talks, and hugs with Seth David Branitz. Seth is the author of The Trouble With Kim (Kim is his brother who took his own life), a singer/songwriter and an artist. Seth gives John the best reaction he has ever had to one of his original songs ("... Holy S---") and they talk about suicidal ideation, depression, being tied to a tree and having your pants stuffed with leaves then being lit on fire, having your pants torn off of you by friends in public, the consideration of leaving your mother to die in the snow, relationships, and how the act of creating saved both their lives.

Episode 21 John sits and plays with Jim Wegrzyn, the bass player of Sheila & The Deep End. John tells the story of getting a prostate exam in front of a prisoner, Jim talks about his recent cancer diagnosis and his plan going forward. They play some James Taylor (planned), one Jim Croce (unplanned), and Jim sings Sweet Baby James. At the end of the show they agree that there is no difference in moving 1 person with music or 1 million.

Episode 20 John interviews Jed Gore - they talk about getting arrested, fatherhood, making music, and how their often parallel journeys brought them to the best places of their lives. The Package sits in as well. Jed walks us through how he ran into a married woman he was seeing checking into a hotel with another man, and the song that came from that. Jed also lifted us up with a message of how every challenge has been a chance to make himself a better man and the blessings of his family, hedge funds, John Meyer, and crushes three Americana Blues songs. By the end, Jed checked both boxes, he cried and sang, and we left the episode as perfect examples of how sad songs done right actually make you happy.

Episode 19 John tells the story of a miracle dentist who performed acts of real grace and healing for Trish as she beats cancer, botches You’ve Got A Friend and then talks to Joe and Marissa Spoleti of Hempability how a “creative” father works for his 23 year old daughter, marijuana, CDB, and about how hope heals.

Episode 18 THE PACKAGE. Gramercy Burton, John’s daughter, comes into the studio and talks about saving John’s life, Trish’s cancer, and teaches that “Strict parents raise sneaky children.” John gets through a song he wrote Gramercy without crying. Gramercy is joined by two friends, Lila and Matthew, and they deliver a fantastic State Of The Union on post-Covid teenagedom.

Episode 17 John talks to Richard Press, a friend of Frank Sinatra, who sings Jimmy Durante and Al Jolson, and who is a gifted storyteller who also happens to be the "patriarch of the most important family in men's traditional fashion.' The show opens with a Springsteen cover, the Richard takes us from his thoughts on Kanye to the most important life lessons he has gleaned in his 85 years, the secret to his 61 year thriving marriage, and why he is still so cool to teenagers.

Episode 16 John talks with singer/songwriter Tom Heany. Tom’s wife passed of a disease so rare that it was not named at the time she had it. And he “fell apart for awhile.” Tom sings and talks about “losing our house and 90% of everything we owned,” and a grief that never goes away. THEN. Tom chose music, and several years later the acclaimed folk musician has rebuilt everything, found himself, and found love again with an amazing woman who, to John’s jealous dismay, knows the words to his songs.

Episode 15 John talks with Barry Adelman about his non-profit Music For Humanity, which raises scholarship money each year for the study of music and donates instruments to Hudson Valley public schools in need. Barry is also a singer/songwriter and performs three of his own songs. They cover birds that fly from Buffalo to Brazil but know to leave early for hurricane season, Barry's mother passing the day after he said it was okay to, and the power of music in development and education.

Episode 14 John sits down with Christa Hines, the President and CEO of Hudson River Housing, Inc. a non-profit that provides outreach, care management and support services for youth, veterans, the homeless and other special needs populations. They have built over 1,500 homes in the Hudson Valley, and create pathways out of homelessness through emergency, transitional and permanent housing. Not only that, but she can sing, and does an fantastic job on Billy Joel's You're My Home. To support Hudson River Housing, visit www.hudsonriverhousing.org.

Episode 13 John talks to Jillian Hanlon who is making history as the first transgender candidate for the office of County Sheriff in the country. Jillian opens with a song and it was so good John didn’t play after it. They cover compassion in law enforcement (it isn’t what you think it is), hardcore police stories, Buddha, and a science-based approach to the office of Sheriff. To find out more about this historic candidate, her broad experience, and her positions on issues, visit www.jillianhanlon.com.

Episode 12 John learns how acupuncture works, what Chi is, and explores a reversal of life’s energy with Holistic Healer Amy Hausman. John covers a Lifehouse song, apologizes to anyone who likes early 2,000’s music, and shows Matt and Jen how Gramercy texts him during the show asking for money on her card. Later in the show, John welcomes Ola Rubinstein, Director of this weekend’s Rhinebeck’s Oktoberfest.

Episode 11 Part two of John's interview with Alexia Christina Evans. They discuss the weight of the soul, Fleetwood Mac, how Reiki works, Alexia's creative process and John's trials with his teenage daughter's social calendar. Songs include Landslide, Dreams, Something In The Way She Moves, and John's new original Until You.

Episode 10 John does the first of a two-part interview with Alexia Christina Evans. Says John, "If Alanis Morissette and Sheryl Crow had a baby, it would be you." They cover big break ups, fingerstyle guitar playing, a little bit about what God is, Christina's love of sacred texts, and the songs they don't know. John plays Close Your Eyes, Christina does three originals.

Episode 9 John plays with Rich Dashnaw, a master musician who can play literally every instrument and demurred when asked which ones he can’t play. They covered music education, Rich’s upcoming album, gigging, and being Christian not playing Christian music. Rich played some songs from the album, they both cried, and Rich accompanied a Springsteen song.

Episode 8 John talks to Actor and Singer/Songwriter Aaron David Gleason about his journey with hypochondria, managing your head with creativity, and depression. John covers John Prine’s Angel From Montgomery, Aaron performs three of his originals.

Episode 7 Cover Me. From John's live shows on Facebook, a series of covers where John messes up a James Taylor song he has only played about 3,222 times previously, talks guitar styles, tells a funny Rob Thomas story then covers Hang on a 12 string, does Springsteen, and drinks wine.

Episod 6 John plays guitar for the only person he ever took a lesson from, Mr. Alan Lighty. Alan is a professional guitar player and teacher, with roots in country blues. Two friends talk blues, liver transplants, generous musicians and not-generous musicians, family, guitar, and the joy of music.

Episode 5 John interviews Joe Delfino, the founder of Hope Rocks, who is using music to do great work in suicide prevention and addiction treatment. They clean up some past, Joe tells an incredible story, and John plays a few.

Episode 4 John sits back down with his friend (for now because when she gets her Grammy things change) Jennie Angel to celebrate his birthday with some originals, play E on a 12 string, and Jennie covers Jewel. Jennie is gaining national attention, and you can support her career by voting for her as a finalist in the Jack Daniels’ Battle Of The Bands and for Ms. Stars N Stripes by clicking the links below:
Vote for Jennie in the Jack Daniels' Battle of the Bands
Vote for Jennie in the Stars N Stripes contest

Episode 3 John hosts The Four26, the musical partnership of Peter Carucci and Becki Fleischer. Yes, somebody cried. John and Peter performed Beachfires, Becki and Peter then sang, talked about writing songs to tell veteran’s stories, writing songs with family, how their creative process works, and their upcoming album.

Episode 2 - Guest Trish Burton, a third grade teacher, a mom, and an author.

Episode 1 - Guest Jennie Angel, country music singer/songwriter.