"I was looking for an outlet to create," Fro said.
His father owned a guitar, and one day Fro picked it up and began teaching himself to play.  Rather than reading music or chords, he approached the task by working to make sounds come out of the guitar that were pleasing to his ear.  

Fro jumped into music wholeheartedly, forming the group SylphID. He played bass guitar, as well as writing and arranging music for the band. When SylphID broke up two and a half years later, Fro performed with the worship team at his church, gaining experience with performing in front of an audience. It was during this period, in 2003, that he recorded his first John Fro CD: "Afterthoughts."

Fro later formed the group NuClear. The band, which was together for three years, played music ranging from hip-hop to rock, jazz, and blues. NuClear played throughout the Northwest and released one CD.  During this period Fro also collaborated on an experimental hip-hop CD titled "Room4."  

Since NuClear disbanded, Fro has focused on solo projects. His latest CD, an acoustic collection "Archives," was released in February 2008. This CD is a compilation of favorite songs that Fro has recorded in the past five years.  

"Every song has a different vibe," Fro said in describing "Archives."

"Birth" is a piano solo. "Excuse Me," recorded with Gabe McGraw, is a blues song with a rap sound to it. Many of the songs are simply Fro, his guitar, and his words.  

Fro doesn't write out music notes, and he typically doesn't even write out chords.  

"Basically, I go off how I'm feeling. I fiddle around and if I like something I record it or play through it again and again until I know it by heart."  

Fro's process in writing lyrics is similar to his process for writing music.  

"I start playing and singing. I write in the moment, and I keep going until I'm done because that's when the best stuff arises."

Fro never runs out of ideas.  

"As long as I start dabbling, it will grow into something and take on a life of its own."  
Ideas for lyrics might come from past experiences, or from what he is feeling as is he playing.  

The first word Fro uses in describing his sound is "eclectic."  Blues, alternative rock, and hip-hip, influences his music. He feels that if he stuck to one style it would inhibit his creativity.  

Influences include Smashing Pumpkins, Beastie Boys, Richard Ashcroft, and Radiohead. Bruce Cockburn is a big acoustic influence.  

Fro supplements his musician's income by working as a bartender. In order to work as a musician full-time, he feels he would need to have a manager to ensure consistent bookings, or sign with a label. Fro hesitates to pursue a label, in part because he prefers to have a high degree of control over his music.  

"I don't believe in corporate music. Music isn't about money."

Having a label influence his recording choices
would be a difficult for transition for Fro.

However, now that he has released "Archives," he might look for more sponsorship.  

While Fro doesn`t define success in commercial terms, he has a clear sense of what he wants to accomplish: "I want to continue to improve, to be true to myself.  I want to be proficient in my abilities -- to be the best possible musician and songwriter."

Fro says that his music lately has had a sadder tone to it, and he's hoping that his writing takes a less melancholy direction in the future. His next recording goal is to do a blues/hip-hip album.  

Fro performs primarily in Salem, in addition to occasional gigs in Portland. To learn about Fro's upcoming gigs, check out myspace.com/johnfromusic. Fro's new CD "Archives" is available for purchase at Ranch Records in Salem, and online at cdbaby.com.