David Wayne John
"Music is God's gift to man, the only art of Heaven given to Earth, the only art of earth we take to Heaven" -Walter Savage Landor
After seeing The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, he developed a love for music and with some help from his older brother Bill, taught himself how to play the guitar, and that fateful night is what began his love for the Beatles as well.
David started his first band, Isaiah with his brother Bill at the age of 17 (1974) and Trixie at the age of 19 (1976). He began teaching guitar lessons at students homes at the age of 20, (1977) and then finally needed to find a studio to teach at. David taught at several music stores during his 32 years of teaching at: Jack's Drum and Guitar, Highland Music, Hart Bros Music, Wagstaff Music, Much More Music and finally Holladay Music until the store closed in 2009. He then retired from teaching, giving just a select few private lessons. Concentrating on performing professionally. He shared his gift with hundreds of students from ages 5-65
Throughout this time, David played lead guitar in several bands including Road Work, Wind River, Elvis and the Teddy Bears and Vital Signs, playing top 40 songs in clubs, weddings, corporate events and Christmas parties all throughout Utah.
In 1993, Vital Signs embraced David's older brother Bill and formed a Beatle Tribute band called Imagine: Remembering the Fab Four. They performed every weekend during the 1994 - 1995 Seasons at Lagoon.
Imagine also had the honor of performing at the Nokia Sugar Bowl halftime in New Orleans, New Year's Eve 1995.
Imagine toured and performed at many Classic Car Shows, The Utah Summer Games, Theaters, State and County Fairs including the Big Fresno Fair where they opened for Jay Leno, also opening in 2000 for Chicago at Rice-Eccles Stadium for the Red Hot Fourth of July celebration. 3 years later, Imagine was the first band to ever perform on the USANA Amphitheater stage when they had the honor of opening for the Beach Boys at USANA's grand opening and new home of the Red Hot 4th of July in 2003. The four lads performed more than 1000 shows across the United Stated and had the privilege of sharing the stage with other acts such as: Three Dog Night, Carrie Underwood, America, Glen Campbell, The Temptations, The Commodores, The Madrell Sisters and a favorite band of David's Badfinger!
In 1998, David was inviated to perform with the orchestra that played for the 8 week Sold Out run of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream coat that stared Donny Osmond and Nephew David Osmond when Donny was ill.
In the year 2000, David had the opportunity to try out for "George" in Beatlemania Live, and of course he passed the audition. They performed all over the world from Australia to Hong Kong in the "New World Center" and performed on over 200 Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, being chosen as headline entertainers for a lot of their Maiden voyages for their new, bigger ships: Liberty, Freedom, Independence, Oasis, Allure and the most recent Quantum of the Seas, which they were on with Jimmy Fallon and Higgins as they tried out the RipCord iFLY simulator when it was docked in New York. Nov 2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0ebUst7u4s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7yJzTh4Z3c
Beatlemania Live performed annually at the Rib America Festivals in St Louis, Indianapolis, Des Moines and the Detroit Arts, Eats & Beats Festivals opening for bands including one of his favorites; Kansas, Cheap Trick, Peter Frampton, Dennis DeYoung, Ted Nugent, Little River Band, Hootie and the Blowfish, Hall and Oates, America, Lover boy, Chaka Khan, and REO Speedwagon. They performed week long runs, four times a year annually at Casino Arizona, also performed for the Cardinals for their ‘BIG RED" Festival at the Cardinals NFL
stadium 5 years in a row.
May 11 2001, David even filled in last minute and played an entire Led Zeppelin show when a member of the Canadian Tribute band "Black Dog" had trouble with his passport and could not get into the US to play the gig. They were on thesame bill together at a "Fake Fest" concert. His Beatle band mates were blown away as he easily stepped into the Zeppelin persona and played every note flawlessly with no rehearsal!!
In March of 2002, Beatlemania Live performed in Hawaii, a place George Harrison lived and loved, Harrison's sister, Louise who had never been to Hawaii reminisced before the concert and hit if off with the lads. They met again at "Abbey Road on The River" in Cleveland Ohio 2002, 2003, 2004 where Louise Harrison, remembered David from previous events in Salt Lake and Hawaii. She embraced David as her 2nd baby brother, and presented David with a signed memorial card from George's funeral.
In November of 2006, they were hand picked to be involved in GuitarMania, a street art fundraiser for Big Brother's Big Sister's of Central Arizona. Working with Alice Cooper and Fender Guitar Co, where they performed on the rooftop of Casino Arizona reenacting the Beatles famous last rooftop gig.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2bJ8K6qhnM
They played annually at Snoqualmie Falls Washington where the drummer, Alan White of "YES" and the bass player Steve Fossen of "Heart" live. Each year the 2 of them would make a special appearance on stage and play with Beatlemania Live every year!
http://www.davidconger.com/galleries/2015/01/beatlemanialive/
They performed at the Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Invitational PGA tournament, where they were seated at the head table. The guests included Arnold Palmer, Yogi Berra and Homeland Security director, Tom Ridge.
Their biggest honor was to play at the Texas Wyoming Ball for President George W. Bush's second inauguration on January 20 2005. They were shown in the background on FOX news while Sean Hannity and Alan Colmes anchored their show Live from the Ball.
In June of 2013, original Beatles drummer Pete Best played with Beatlemania Live at the Freedom Hills Amphitheater in Detroit Michigan!
https://vimeo.com/69599256
In 2012, David stepped into a bigger role performing as "George" with Classical Mystery Tour playing with orchestras and symphonies all over the world, including: Canada, Denmark, Germany and South Africa.
David was a perfectionist until the end.... Classical Mystery Tour will be performing the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album in it's entirety to celebrate it's 50th year anniversary. David was worried about playing "With In You Without You" and was practicing daily to perfect the sound of the sitar on his guitar.
David had an amazing and beautiful music career and his music will continue to play in our hearts forever until we are reunited with him in glory.
Not only was David an amazing musician and performer, but he was also an amazing family man. David was first married to Char Cannefax for a short period, But they shared a beautiful gift together- his one and only child Angela aka An-g Cunningham. Char and David kept a healthy friendship throughout the years to raise their daughter.
David loved An-g with all his heart and did everything he could to support, love and guide her throughout lifes journey.
They had a beautiful relationship that continued to grow over the years. Once Ang married and had children, David became "Pappy" which was a name he wore loud and proud. Whenever David wasn't on the road performing, he spent as much time as he could helping An-g, who suffers from secondary progressive M.S. and playing with his grandkids, Macoy and Quincy. He spent a lot of quality time playing pickle ball, catch, basketball or going on bike rides with his grand daughter Quincy, He was her #1 fan at her fast pitch softball games, and he enjoyed Macoy's Sponge Bob production's and funny jokes. They were so grateful to know that when they were with Pappy, they were loved, valued and important. The love he poured into them will be cherished and never forgotten. It is a priceless gift, and they will never be the same. But his memory will live on in the love that they pour into others knowing that's what Pappy would have done.
David married his beautiful wife Carol Wagner September 12 1997, they just celebrated 29 years together and were looking forward to many more years together sharing his musical talents, traveling, love of the Lord and spending quality time with family.
She had the pleasure of being one of his students, they fell in love, and that is where their journey of playing beautiful music together began. They played together in Our Saviors Lutheran Church Worship team, headed the youth choir "Sonlight" for many years, Then later played together at Grace Bible Church with their worship team.
When Carol would say she married her guitar teacher.... David would always say "and we still make beautiful music together".
David supported Carol in her hobbies and interests, and she enjoyed supporting him in his.
David was survived by his loving wife Carol, his amazing mother and father-inlaw Leo and Mary Ann Wagner, his beautiful daughter An-g and son-in-law Adam Cunningham, two grandchildren: Macoy and Quincy, who were the light of his life, his sister Teri (Brad) Green, Brothers Bill (Cindy) John, Dan (Jacqueline) John, Joe (Kay) John, sister-in-law Janet Wagner, brother-in-law Mark Wagner and 13 niece's and nephews. His faithful dog Squirt and 3 cats Sister Kitten, Millie Moo, and Monkey Bean, and 2 horses, Starbuck and Sundance, that he would always say "I didn't sign up for this rodeo" But was always willing to help Carol out with them.
David was preceded in death by his parent, his mother Barbara just passed away four short weeks prior to Davids passing and now we have the hope that they have been reunited in The Loving Arms of Jesus.
We would like to thank the staff at IMC NICU Critical Care Trauma Unit, David's Dr., Dr Rosenberg "Rosie", and their wonderful night staff. They took such good care of both of us when I started spending the nights at the hospital with David. We want to send a special thank you to Nurse Blake, also to the amazing Norwegian housekeeping angel, Kjersti. She was a breath of fresh air that blew into our room every day! And last but not
least, we want to share our gratitude for LeNae Peavey-Onstad of Intermountain Donor Services who cared for us during the donor process.
Since David was an organ donor, we were hoping David could donate organs to grant others miracles and answers to their prayers. Unfortunately, we received the devastating news that he could not donate because of his bout with leukemia 14 years ago. However, she did advise us he could still donate his eyes to the Utah Lions Eye Bank. Although we were disappoint that more miracles were not possible through donation.... We are rejoicing because the eyes are a window to your soul and David had a beautiful one. Our prayer is that somebody will be the recipient of his eyes and will now be able to view this beautiful world as he did!
A celebration of life will be held on Friday, October 21, 2016 from 6-8PM at Starks Funeral Parlor, 3651 South 900 East, Salt Lake City. Complimentary valet parking provided on the north side of the building. Funeral services on Saturday October 22, 2016 at 11:00 AM at Calvary Chapel 460 Century Drive West (4350 South 460 West).
In lieu of flowers, please consider a love donation to establish a Education Trust for Pappy's Greatest treasures Quincy and Macoy. and help An-g start her nonprofit organization "Changemakers For Christ" or donate to Davids favorite charity: The Rescue Mission of Salt Lake.
Donations can be made online at www.rescuesaltlake.org or by mailing a check to them at P.O box 1431 Lake City Utah 84110
We will miss David's friendship and musicality greatly, but he will be warmly remembered by many, and we are comforted by the words of our Lord to know this is not goodbye but see you soon.
John 14:2-4 My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."