A Whale of a Tale

A swashbuckling, seafaring version of the Biblical story of Jonah
Copyright © by John thomas Oaks and Tommy Oaks, Caliora Music Publishing, ASCAP

Please check out the work of the photographers on Unsplash.com who helped me put the collage together:

Dave Shaw (island)
Donald Teel (Jonah)
Iswanto Arif (fish and sea)

change a life

Bless your life, your family's life, or the life of a friend by sponsoring a child (or children) through Living Proof, a ministry of the Hippo Valley Christian Mission. HVCM currently has twenty-seven schools, where over 19,000 students receive a top-notch education that includes Bible-based, Christ-centered curriculum. Their orphanage (Chiredzi Christian Children’s Village) supports 60+ children, and includes a Halfway House for orphans age 18 and over who are still completing school or serving job apprenticeships. HVCM has also planted and now helps support 20+ churches across the low-veld of Zimbabwe. They also have helped start and support four church plants in Mozambique.

Sponsor a Child!

Join the Club!

 Subscribe today by using the form to the left, and I will link you to a folder online that only subscribers will have access to. I will regularly upload MP3s, videos, scripts, and updates to that folder for you to access and download at any time, without limit. I will also send you regular email updates when new material is in the folder.

​Thanks for your interest in my work!

Marshmallow Bunnies

Sally Ann Crockett

How to Cure a Toothache

Davy's Brag

Tough Guy

"[HIM] has everything...Stephen Foster, Scott Joplin, Ragtime Gal...plus Jt Oaks." -Loretta Novick.

"...the old hymns come to life in technicolour without words..." -Jim Ferrie

Farther Along

If you haven't heard VEGAS BLUE yet, you're in for a treat. Engineered by Steve Gulley and Bryan Turner, and featuring Barry Bales, Mark Boling, Dale Ann Bradley, Justin Moses, Tim Stafford, Adam Steffey, Ron Stewart and Jenna Weaver. Also featuring the writing talents of my collaborators, Andy Corbitt, David Cornue (also a co-producer), Sam Holtzapple, Jerry Hughes, and Brian Woodbury.

Redhead

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BLUE YORK: "A pure country/bluegrass album with its feet firmly planted on Manhattan island! Here you'll find it all; complex harmonies blended with direct storytelling peppered with lyrics that are unique in their ability to turn a phrase." - -Tom Ollis, November 11, 2008 "Imagine the technical excellence of bluegrass as played by the Del McCoury Band, melodies as if written by Jimmy Webb, story lines Spielberg would be proud of, hook-filled lyrics that set the scene like they came from the pen of Hal David - this'll give you some idea of what to expect from this excellent "no-filler" offering from JtO." - -Jim Ferrie and the Studio Dawgs, February 15, 2009. Engineered by Trevor Reddick, and featuring Jeff Zona on guitar, Gary "Biscuit" Davis on banjo, Tim Caudill on bass, Tony Dingus on Dobro, Kevin Moore on fiddle and mandolin, Amos Oaks on harmonica, Robert Allen on guitar, Jimmy Bryant and Lakieta Bagwell on background vocals. Collaborators include David Cornue, Andy Corbitt, Sam Holtzapple, and Amos Oaks. Also featuring a Larry Norman song to commemorate his death the year this album was released. The song, "THE DAY THE MARKET FELL" was voted song of the year by David Van Biema.

Goin' Up to Harlem

"Knoxville banjo player and singer John thomas Oaks recalls his years in the big city on Blue York, a solid set of contemporary and classic bluegrass songs based on Oaks' recent stint in the music and theater world in New York. Oaks and his band effortlessly swap back and forth between traditional barnburners ("Goin' Up to Harlem"), country-inspired ballads ("Worth It All," with lovely lead vocals by Emilee Cook), and bluesy stomps ("Roseangela"), never straying too far from their roots in smooth, Blue Highway-like (and audience-friendly) pop bluegrass." [Matthew Everett, METRO PULSE]

This double-CD cast recording of the country-western musical revue LOVE AUSTIN features the talents of Jimmy Bryant singing the role of Austin and Melissa Greene singing Misty's role. Also appearing on the CD are Bryan Sutton (featured on Dolly Parton's LITTLE SPARROW CD) and a stellar group of backup singers (Dirk Donahue, Elizabeth Ledger, Carter Maysilles, Dave McCutcheon). Also featuring the harmonica prowess and artwork of Amos Oaks, the guitar stylings of Jeff Zona, solid bass tones by Stuart Weed, and the brilliant beats of J. Vincent Harris.

Rob Harris is one of my favorite songwriters of all time. Download Rob's latest, "Winnebago," and be sure to listen to the final track, "How to Bend."

I was recently interviewed  on Steven James' podcast, THE STORY BLENDER. Steven James is a critically acclaimed novelist and author of more than 30 books of fiction and nonfiction. His Thriller THE BISHOP, was Suspense Magazine's Book of the Year, and EVERY WICKED MAN was the winner of 2020's Christy Award for Mystery/Suspense/Thriller.

I hope you enjoy the interview! CLICK HERE! or HERE!

The Broadway to Main Street Podcast from 88.3 FM in Southampton, NY recently featured the talents of Sutton Foster.

I wrote a song for Sutton when she won the Tony Award for her performance in THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE in 2002. This song was also featured in the podcast (beginning at 30:30).

Click HERE to download THE SONG OF SUTTON FOSTER from Jt Oaks' first bluegrass album, BLUE YORK. Feel free to send the link to all your friends.