Guitarist John Carey
John R. Carey is a Chicago-born guitarist, composer, producer, and engineer whose career spans more than four decades. Raised on the South Side, he taught himself guitar before joining his high-school jazz band and entering the city's club scene as a teenager. Early road experience with the Chi-Lites helped launch a journey that later took him to California and, eventually, Georgia.
Carey's work bridges smooth jazz, soul, blues, Latin rhythm, and R&B. He has opened for artists including George Benson, Earth, Wind & Fire, Natalie Cole, Ledisi, and Queen Latifah; produced and written for other vocalists; and released a substantial independent catalog of his own. His recent projects continue to pair a warm, Santana-influenced guitar voice with original melodies and polished production.
For Sunday Jazz Lounge, expect expressive lead guitar, soulful grooves, romantic originals, and occasional tributes that reveal Carey's roots in blues and classic soul. His performance style is seasoned but personal—music shaped by survival, gratitude, and a lifelong commitment to the instrument.