Johnny 99 melds Bakersfield and Laurel Canyon on his new single ‘Getting Over You’. Johnny 99 is the honky tonk pseudonym for John Sponarski, guitarist for City and Colour. The track features tasty dobro over brushed drums and 99’s subtly twangy vocals. Sponarki has been recording and performing under this alias since his debut EP in 2016.
He reflects on the meaning of the song’s lyrics, “Getting over someone is a season,” Johnny explains. “I think many people are uncomfortable with this. Most want these hard feelings and hard times to be over as quickly as possible, not only when it’s happening to them but also when it’s happening to their friends and loved ones—‘Let’s just get back to normal.’ But getting over someone is a process. It can be fumbling and it can be difficult, sad, and long. You’ll get there, but you shouldn’t rush it, and you certainly can’t skip it. I think we need to become more comfortable with sitting in these feelings and learn to celebrate these seasons of our lives. There can be a lot of beauty there. They are opportunities to come to know ourselves in deeper ways, and more importantly, to learn and to grow.”
A full-length album from Johnny 99 is planned for late 2025.
