Bios
Warren Payne
Warren Payne started his songwriting career when he was twelve, cranking out “hits” to impress his friends. Since then, he has performed from Alaska to Nashville and written over 200 songs.
Warren has performed with his bands and solo in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Colorado, Montana, Arizona, California, Nevada, Nashville and Canada. He also worked in studios in Los Angeles as a bassists and singer.
With his band Alki, he had a regional hit in the ’70s with “Someone Like Me,” a song he wrote and performed on the Warmsong Records single. Two of his songs, “Questions” and “Let Me Go” have been arranged and published for vocal jazz groups by Kysar Publishing with hundreds of performances of each throughout North America.
Warren holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts/Music degree from Seattle University.
Ed Johnson
Ed’s music career started when, at the age of 13, while holding a plastic guitar under the Christmas tree, he asked his father, “Dad, do you think I could learn how to play a real guitar?” Thanks go to his mother for helping him pick out his first guitar with tender, loving care and to his father for inundating him with every hit by Elvis Presley.
Growing up in the eastside suburb of Kirkland, Washington entailed a certain degree of rock and roll hero worship. Every guy wanted to be Eddie Van Halen. Ed’s influences came from The Beatles; The Who; Cheap Trick; The Police; all three members of RUSH; Boston; The Ramones; Bruce Springsteen and Heart (for so many reasons). Okay, even “Frampton Comes Alive” by Peter Frampton (described as standard issue in the suburbs).
In the dual role of lead singer and rhythm guitar, Ed has played in various cover bands throughout the Puget Sound area, including Fury, Epic, Demetrius and the Strobe Tunes, The Gravity Brats, The Newsies and GRIP.
Musical genres have spanned 50s/60s rock & roll, classic 70s hard rock, 70s/80s punk/new wave and in one band a unique combination known as 90s alternative/80s wave-punk.
Ed’s musical journey took a decidedly mellow turn from various travels through Mexico and the Caribbean in which he developed a strong appreciation for the music of Bob Marley and Jimmy Buffett; clearly strong influences in his contribution to the Po’ Boys.
Ed holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications/Marketing from the University of Washington.