Jon Drenning

{{short description|American musician and songwriter|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Jon Drenning

| image =

| caption =

| image_size =

| birth_name = Jon William Drenning{{cite web|url=https://www.metal-archives.com/artists/Jon_Drenning/30681|title=Jon Drenning |publisher=Metal-archives.com |date=2011-04-13 |accessdate=2017-07-17}}

| alias =

| birth_place = Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.

| birth_date = {{birth date|1965|04|05}}

| instrument = Guitar

| genre = Heavy metal, progressive metal

| occupation = Musician, songwriter

| years_active = 1983–present

| label = Roadrunner, MCA, Atlantic, Spitfire, Paradigm Records, Quadra Records

| associated_acts = Crimson Glory, Crush, Erotic Liquid Culture

| website =

}}

Jon William Drenning (born April 5, 1965) is an American musician and songwriter best known for being the lead guitarist of Crimson Glory.{{Cite web | last = Weingarten | first = Abby | title = Sarasota's Crimson Glory transcends once again| work = Sarasota Herald-Tribune | publisher = GateHouse Media | date = July 7, 2006 | accessdate = January 6, 2020| url = https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/2006/07/07/sarasotas-crimson-glory-transcends-once-again/28487676007/}}{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/crimson-glory-mn0000112204/biography|title=Crimson Glory Biography | accessdate=2017-08-16 |last=Bush |first=John |work=Allmusic |publisher=Rovi Corporation}} He is also known for his work in the bands Crush and Erotic Liquid Culture.

Biography

=Crimson Glory=

In 1979, guitarist Ben Jackson and drummer Dana Burnell co-founded the band Pierced Arrow, which was later renamed Beowulf. This band underwent multiple lineup changes before they were later joined by Drenning, bassist Jeff Lords, and finally vocalist John Patrick McDonald, Jr., who would become professionally known as Midnight, and settled on the name Crimson Glory in 1983.

Since their inception, Crimson Glory have released four studio albums with Drenning and Lords being the only members to appear on each one; Drenning would also serve as the sole guitarist on their third album Strange and Beautiful. Other studio members have been drummer Ravi Jahkotia and vocalist Wade Black, who appeared respectively on Strange and Beautiful and Astronomica. The original lineup eventually reunited in March 2005 with tentative plans for recording a fifth album.{{cite web |url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=45668 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130201132813/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=45668 |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 1, 2013 |work=Blabbermouth.net |publisher=Roadrunner Records |title=CRIMSON GLORY Announce Title For Reunion Album |date=December 16, 2005 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=33903 |title=Ex-CRIMSON GLORY Vocalist Says He Might Sing On Group's New Album |date=March 9, 2005 |work=Blabbermouth.net |publisher=Roadrunner Records |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050309114921/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=33903 |archivedate=March 9, 2005 }} However, Midnight passed away in 2009 at the age of 47 from a stomach aneurysm.{{cite web |url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=123282 |work=Blabbermouth.net | publisher=Roadrunner Records |title=Former CRIMSON GLORY Singer MIDNIGHT Dead At 47 |date=July 8, 2009}}{{Cite web | last = Weingarten | first = Abby | title = 'Hounded by...demons,' rocker dies | work = Sarasota Herald-Tribune | publisher = GateHouse Media | date = July 10, 2009 | accessdate = June 28, 2017 | url = http://www.heraldtribune.com/news/20090710/hounded-bydemons-rocker-dies}}

In 2010, Crimson Glory reemerged with new vocalist Todd La Torre and tentative plans for a fifth album. The band toured for three years before La Torre parted ways with the band to join Queensrÿche, putting the band on hiatus again.

=Other musical projects=

When Crimson Glory first went on hiatus after a brief tour in support of Strange and Beautiful with vocalist David VanLanding filling in for Midnight, Drenning along with Lords and Jahkotia formed the short-lived projects Crush (with vocalist Billy Martinez) and Erotic Liquid Culture (with VanLanding), releasing one label-supported, self-titled album for each project.

=Equipment=

Drenning is a long time user of Jackson guitars, normally favoring the Rhoads model. He also uses other guitars, most notably a Gibson Les Paul Gold Top.{{citation needed|date=March 2018}}

Personal life

Drenning and his ex-wife Danae Saree have a son and an adopted daughter.

{{cite web|url=http://bravewords.com/news/crimson-glorys-jon-drenning-and-wife-welcome-first-child | title= Crimson Glory's Jon Drenning and Wife Welcome First Child| publisher=Brave Words | last= | first= | date=2012-05-08 |accessdate=2017-10-08}}

In 2005, while playing in Crush, Drenning pursued a career as football journalist, mentored by senior ESPN NFL analyst and College and Pro Football News Weekly editor Frank Ross and appearing occasionally on ESPN2.{{Cite web | last = Canning | first = Michael | title = Rockin' jock | work = Tampa Bay Times | publisher = Times Publishing Company | date = October 6, 2005 | accessdate = September 12, 2020 | url = https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1994/04/21/rockin-jock/}}

In April 2014, Drenning was arrested on charges of conspiracy to purchase cocaine and use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony.{{Cite web | last = Kielty | first = Martin | title = Crimson Glory guitarist on drug charge | work = teamrock.com | publisher = Future Publishing Limited| date = April 12, 2014 | accessdate = October 7, 2017 | url = http://teamrock.com/news/2014-04-12/crimson-glory-guitarist-on-drug-charge}}{{cite web |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/crimson-glory-guitarist-jon-drennings-arrest-was-part-of-police-investigation-targeting-drug-dealers/|work=Blabbermouth.net | publisher=Roadrunner Records |title=CRIMSON GLORY Guitarist JON DRENNING's Arrest Was Part Of Police Investigation Targeting Drug Dealers |date=May 9, 2014}}