Jan. 13, 1979 – Dec. 1, 2009

The loss of a child is a parent’s worst nightmare and the pain of losing John is overwhelming. But the celebration of his life and the outpouring of support from family and his many friends has sustained us.

John was a loving son, both as a child and an adult. He had a great, if not warped, sense of humor. He loved listening to records as a child and music became his life. He would practice piano, then go off on a tangent composing and playing the music in his mind. He played tenor sax in band and jazz band at Franklin Middle School and Southeast High School, and taught himself the bass in high school.

He was active in sports and Boy Scouts, but his love was music. He was part of the Springfield music community, playing in three bands and in Muni shows. He inspired younger musicians. He had a big heart and supported friends emotionally and, at times, financially. Some took advantage.

He had an infectious laugh and a great smile. He enjoyed playing pranks and drove us crazy at times, but he was full of love for us, his sister, Jessica, and his many friends. He was taken too soon, but his life touched many people. He has left a gap in Springfield’s music community and in many hearts. He will be sorely missed.

Dave and Barb Peterson
Springfield

The old saying tells us that love is blind and it may well be, but love is most certainly not deaf. That is precisely how I ended up in love with a musician. When you fall in love with a musician, part of what you fall in love with is their passion and energy, especially when on stage. Something that you have to understand about musicians, however, is that their first love will always be music. It isn’t something that you can really be offended by or take personally, because that is just the way it is. And, to be honest, it’s part of why you fell in love with them in the first place, so you can hardly fault them for it.

John Peterson defined himself as a musician and he really lived it. He began playing the piano and then moved on to the saxophone, then bass. He loved to create music in any form. Music was his emotional outlet. When he was pissed at the world, he played his bass; when he was elated, he did the same. He was the best bass player I ever had the privilege to hear. He was improvisational yet surprisingly strategic. He really had a way of communicating with his guitar. They had a relationship that was somehow extremely deep and terribly dysfunctional. He just really knew how to play his bass. He knew exactly what his instrument was capable of.

John could play with anyone, and pretty much did. There was never a time when he only played with one band. As much as he liked to challenge his fellow musicians, he liked to challenge himself more. He would play a certain style just to prove to himself that he could. He played everything from jazz to hip hop to Broadway shows at the Muni and everything in between. The combinations of musical genres made his style richly unique and completely flawless.

I miss everything about John in a million different ways. Even the things that always drove me crazy, I miss horribly. However, I think the thing that we will all miss most is watching him on stage. It was incredible because he didn’t just play; he banged and struck his guitar. He beat the shit out of his guitar every time he touched it and it created the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard. He was a genius and a musical prodigy and to say he will be missed is a gross understatement. And while I will never claim to be a musician, as a music lover, I think anyone who appreciates music and those who create it should give a nod to John Peterson. He dedicated his life to making music and played every show with more passion than most people put into their music in a lifetime. He will never be forgotten.

Lindsey Eyre
Champaign