John Helliwell

{{short description|English musician}}

{{Use British English|date=December 2012}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}

{{for-multi|the biophysicist|John R. Helliwell|the Canadian economist|John F. Helliwell}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = John Helliwell

| image = Supertramp - 2024101215503 2024-04-10 Rock Meets Classic - Sven - 1D X MK II - 1751 - B70I7621.jpg

| landscape = yes

| caption = Helliwell in 2024

| alias =

| origin =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1945|02|15|df=y}}

| birth_place = Todmorden, West Riding of Yorkshire, England

| instrument = {{hlist|Saxophone|clarinet|vocals|keyboards}}

| genre = Rock, pop, jazz, blues

| occupation = Musician

| years_active =

| label =

| website = {{URL|johnhelliwell.com}}

}}

John Anthony Helliwell (born 15 February 1945){{Cite web |title=John Helliwell - Biography |url=http://www.johnhelliwell.com/bio.php |access-date=2024-08-06 |website=www.johnhelliwell.com}}{{Cite web |title=John Helliwell Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & M... |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/john-helliwell-mn0000811993 |access-date=2024-08-06 |website=AllMusic |language=en}} is an English musician, best known as the saxophonist, secondary keyboardist, and backing vocalist for the rock band Supertramp.{{cite web|author=Stephen Thomas Erlewine & Andrew Leahe|title=Supertramp|publisher=All Music Guide|url=http://mog.com/music/Supertramp/bio|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091004064200/http://mog.com/music/Supertramp/bio|archive-date=4 October 2009|df=dmy-all}} He also served as an MC during the band's concerts, talking and making jokes to the audience between songs.

Helliwell played with The Alan Bown Set, replacing Dave Green when he joined in January 1966,{{cite web|author=Jeff Bannister|title=The Alan Bown Set|year=2007|access-date=2010-07-01|url=http://www.alexgitlin.com/npp/alanbown.htm}}{{Cite web |title=Breakfast In Spain - Roger Hodgson and Supertramp website - John Helliwell |url=https://www.breakfastinspain.com/index.php/john-helliwell |access-date=2024-08-06 |website=www.breakfastinspain.com}} before joining Supertramp in 1973 along with bassist Dougie Thomson, who convinced Helliwell to make the move.{{Cite web |last=Brad |first=Bad |title=Q&A with John Helliwell |url=https://ringsidereport.com/?p=124112 |access-date=2024-08-06 |website=RingSide Report |language=en-US}} In 2004, Helliwell formed the band Crème Anglaise with Mark Hart, who had joined Supertramp in 1985. This group recorded their eponymous debut album in 2005.

In 1987 Helliwell played on Pink Floyd's album A Momentary Lapse of Reason; his name was misspelled as "Halliwell".A Momentary Lapse of Reason This was after Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour had played on Supertramp's album Brother Where You Bound. Helliwell also played on French singer Jean-Jacques Goldman's 1985 album Positif, and clarinet on Sara Hickman's 1990 album Shortstop.

During a professional lull in the 1990s, Helliwell began studying for a music degree at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, but he discontinued his studies to join Supertramp on tour when Some Things Never Change was released. In 2004 he contributed saxophone work on the Simon Apple album River to the Sea.{{cite web|url=http://www.johnhelliwell.com/biography.php|title=johnhelliwell.com|website=johnhelliwell.com|access-date=25 May 2019}}

Helliwell contributed clarinet to The Pineapple Thief's song "Fend For Yourself" from their Your Wilderness album which was released in 2016.{{cite web|url=http://louderthanwar.com/pineapple-thief-wilderness-album-review/|title=THE PINEAPPLE THIEF - YOUR WILDERNESS – album review|last=Ainscoe|first=Mike|date=17 July 2016|website=louderthanwar.com|publisher=Louder Than War|access-date=20 November 2017}}{{Cite web |last=Mind |first=The Prog |date=2016-08-02 |title=The Pineapple Thief – “Your Wilderness” |url=https://theprogmind.com/2016/08/02/the-pineapple-thief-your-wilderness/ |access-date=2024-08-06 |website=The PROG Mind |language=en}}

Helliwell fronts the Super Big Tramp Band,{{Cite web |title=Supertramp's John Helliwell from geeky kid to rock icon |url=https://abreathoffreshair.com.au/episodes/supertramp-saxophonist-john-helliwell-from-geeky-kid-to-international-rock-star/ |access-date=2024-08-06 |website=A Breath of Fresh Air |language=en}} which has a jazz big band line-up of trumpets, trombones, saxophones and rhythm section. It plays versions of Supertramp tunes, arranged by members of the band, with no vocals, but with Helliwell as the chief soloist. The band first played in Manchester in June 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.robbuckland.com/content/rncm-big-band-supertramps-john-helliwell|title=RNCM Big Band with Supertramp's John Helliwell - Rob Buckland - Saxophonist|website=robbuckland.com|access-date=25 May 2019}} In 2019 the band played at the Manchester Jazz Festival{{cite web|url=https://manchesterjazz.com/programme/big-band-super-tramp-featuring-john-helliwell/|title=Big Band Super Tramp featuring John Helliwell|access-date=25 May 2019}} in May and was scheduled to play in Hull and Hamburg later in the year.{{cite web|url=http://www.johnhelliwell.com/|title=johnhelliwell.com|website=johnhelliwell.com|access-date=25 May 2019}}

In October 2020, Helliwell released Ever Open Door, a CD album of ballads with Helliwell on saxophone and clarinet, with a string quartet and Hammond organ.