John Gold is All About the Music

John Gold can hardly remember a time when music wasn’t the center of his world.

At 21, he’s already releasing his fourth full-length album. Titled “The Aleph,” the CD features a variety of self-composed and self-recorded songs in the folk style Gold has become famed for in local music circles.

Gold has lived in Land O’ Lakes most of his life and began recording his own albums at the age of 17. He began taking guitar lessons at age 13 and had taken piano before that.

“I don’t stop,” he said. “I don’t want to lose steam.”

While he doesn’t have a record label or contract to his credit just yet, Gold doesn’t seem to mind. For now he’s happy having total musical control of the songs he chooses to write and record and how they sound when they’re recorded.

“A career in (music) is my entire life,” said the 2008 graduate.

Though the years Gold has performed with bands, but says he prefers going it alone musically when he can.

“I don’t like sharing my music,” he said, adding that he does “love to give it to people (in the audience).”

Gold describes his music as uplifting and even inspirational.

“(I try to get my listeners) to step out of the prisons they’ve built for themselves and the limitations they’ve set on themselves,” he said. “People get used to living as less than they are.”

Through his music, Gold hopes to show people they can dream, do and achieve. He would know something about that, too. As a child, he said he was sick quite often and even suffered from kidney disease. Despite the obstacles, he continued moving forward and reaching for his dreams and he believes others can, too.

Gold will debut his new album this Friday, Aug. 19, at the . He plans to have about 140 copies on hand for sale and will share the stage with several local bands that are also coming out to put on a free concert for area teens.

“It’s kind of like one of our Battle of the Band concerts,” said Paul Stonebridge, the library system’s teen services manager.

Letting Gold have an album release party at the library was a natural fit, Stonebridge added.

“John helped us with a lot of our events," he said. "We’re happy to have him coming here. It’s going to be pretty awesome.”

The album release party begins at 6 p.m. and runs until 10:30. In addition to Gold, Wolf in the Fold, Jessi Sherbet, Drake Sweet, Donna Lu, Introvert and Halibut will also perform. Entry to the event is free, and CDs and refreshments will be available for purchase.