Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

SCHNEIDER, John

(b 8 April '59, Mount Kisco NY) Country singer, actor. Appeared in local prod. of Mikado; performed magic shows; acted in high school plays, commercials, bit parts in movies and on TV. Played guitar in local clubs, recorded for small labels; landed role of Bo Duke in The Dukes Of Hazzard TV series '78-85, signed with Scotti Brothers Records '81 and had major hit with revival of "It's Now Or Never'. Further pop and country hits followed '81-3; moved over to MCA and hit no.1 country with "I've Been Around Enough To Know' '84, "Country Girls '85, "What's A Memory Like You (Doing In A Love Like This)' '85, "You're The Last Thing I Needed Tonight' '86. Unlike most actors who switch to country singing, he has a natural twang to his voice and a soulful feel for the music. Appeared in numerous TV movies incl. Dream House, Happy Endings, Stagecoach (with Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson), Christmas Comes To Willow Creek and cinema films Eddie Macon's Run, Cocaine Wars, The Curse, Highway Heartbreaker, etc. By the time of his last country top ten hit "Love Ain't Seen the Last Of Me' '87 he was concentrating on acting.