For the Bohlingers, music runs in the family

By KELLYN BROWN Chronicle Staff Writer

Bret Michaels, of the 1980s glam-rock band Poison, is on the television screen, singing in front of a packed house in Nashville, Tenn.

John Bohlinger, wearing a matador suit, walks up behind Michaels on the screen and tears into a guitar solo. The crowd screams in unison with the pyrotechnics and sparks rain down.

It's the opening sequence on the hit television series "Nashville Star," a country version of "American Idol." And the man on stage is not John Bohlinger, Montana's lieutenant governor, but his son, the 40-year-old musician and the show's music director.

The young Bohlinger grinned last week as he watched his videotaped performance at the home of producer Dave Goodwin, who owns a recording studio just north of Bozeman. Bohlinger is cutting his new album there.

He wore ripped jeans, earrings and a Wrangler button-down shirt. At first glance, one would assume the younger John is the polar opposite of his father, a Montana politician who is rarely seen in public without his trademark bow tie.

One would be wrong.

Last week, as the musician Bohlinger played guitar in the studio, his father and mother, Bette, were both on hand. Bette slapped her knee to the rhythm guitar while the white-haired lieutenant governor tapped his foot on the wood floor.

"I remember when he was 14 years old and he got his first gig in Billings," the lieutenant governor said. "We had the whole family there."

The Bohlinger family has somewhat of a rock 'n' roll history. Bette's parents were both musicians, "gypsies traveling the country," she said. Bette plays piano and all six of her children took music lessons.

The younger John, who doesn't go by junior, remembers listening to his parent's Beatles and Eric Clapton records growing up. Music was always encouraged in the family.

"But with John, the music took," his father said.

Young John moved to Nashville 14 years ago, had brief record deal with Atlantic, added instrumentals to a slew of albums and has been a regular on "Nashville Star," which draws about 4 million viewers a week, for the past four years.

The new album may be called, "I suffer for my art, now it's your turn," John said with a sly grin.

In truth, he's enjoyed a level of success in the overcrowded music industry. He's opened for George Straight. He performed in Italy and Germany and his parents were in the audience at both shows.

Now he's back in Montana to record an album with an old friend.

It's not really country, he said. "And it's not Americana, but it is a hybrid of American music. Maybe, country eastern."

Bohlinger is the first signing on Goodwin's and Tom Mickel's new label, Smile Records. Goodwin said Smile emphasizes giving recording artists a fair slice of the profits during a time when major labels are short-changing musicians.

"We wanted someone who would really allow us to sell our label to a national market," Goodwin said. "And we think John's the best guy for that."

Goodwin and Bohlinger had kicked around the idea of recording an album together for several years. It will finally come to fruition when the not-yet-titled CD is released in February.

Bohlinger's father probably will be the first to buy a copy.

"I just appreciate good music," said the lieutenant governor, who, along with following his son's career, remains hip to new artists. He includes Coldplay on his play list.

For the younger John's part, he mostly follows his dad's political career from afar. But he did perform at the inaugural ball in Helena after Gov. Brian Schweitzer and his dad were elected.

"I always like to hear about what my dad's doing," he said, his arm wrapped around him. "I'm proud that he's setting a standard the rest of the country can really learn from."

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