by Leigh Ann Laube

John Francis Coughenour left Kingsport soon after graduating high school and began his journey of exploration. For the last six years, he’s lived in Oregon doing what he loves most — making music.

Coughenour has returned to his hometown with a new name — Cornflower — for several area performances beginning at 10 p.m., today at the Acoustic Coffeehouse in Johnson City. He travels to Knoxville’s Valarium for a show on Friday, moves on to Athens, Ga., on Saturday, then returns to Kingsport for performances at the Kingsport Grocery Co. at 8:30 p.m., Oct. 15 and Oct. 22. On Oct. 16, he’ll appear at The Garage at Biltmore.

A 1995 graduate of Dobyns-Bennett High School, Cornflower — his spirit name — grew up listening to music thanks to his parents, Barbara Coughenour and the late coach Tom Coughenour.

“They loved music. Played it all the time in the house. Some of my earliest memories were listening to Stevie Wonder. I sang at church. Sang in the shower,” he said. “Music was always around me. My parents loved all kinds of different music. My dad listened to jazz and classical, and he was always playing music in the van on [Dobyns-Bennett] cross country [team] drives.

“In middle school, my cousin taught me how to beatbox. He was into rap music at the time. At the same time, Bobby McFerrin came out with the song ‘Don’t Worry Be Happy,’ and I walked around the house making goofy sounds. I used to walk around the house imitating sounds like the phone ringing.”

During high school, Cornflower and a few friends formed the rock band The Lounge, but it wasn’t until years later that he found his calling — vocal-instrumentation.

“I loved noises and sounds but didn’t really get serious about it until I got into the band Phish. They’re sort of reminiscent of the band Grateful Dead, but a little more rock- and jazz-based. They do a song ... called ‘You Enjoy Myself,’ and at the end of that song they segue from the instruments to their voices and it would turn into this improv vocal jam.”

In the audience at Phish concerts, Cornflower would jam along with them.

“They were my first music teachers. I learned so much about music communication, the whole musical conversation that goes on between musicians, and musicians and the audience, which I think is one of the primary reasons I’m doing what I’m doing musically — for that conversation, to have that experience with the audience.”

Around that time, Cornflower was splitting his time between Atlanta, Ga., and Athens, Ga., and he had the chance to take his unique style to the famed Georgia Theatre.

“I make music with my mouth. I sing. I make drum sounds. I can make just about any instrument sound that I’ve listened to, or at least a close version of it,” he said. “For me, it is a musical happening that has to be experienced live. You have to see it. You have to feel it. You have to watch it to fully understand the depth of what’s happening. I’m a one-man band and do everything with my voice.”

The use of a loop station allows Cornflower to layer these many vocal instrumentations into a virtual symphony.

Cornflower has studied with 10-time Grammy winner McFerrin. He has collaborated and appeared with McFerrin, Victor Wooten, Kenny Loggins, Jeff Pevar, Chris Deckker, Wisdom, Dubconscious, EntropyFunk, Uprise Live PA, The Everyone Orchestra, Freebo, Scott Huckabay, Bohemian Soul, The Rogue Suspects, James Twyman, Michelle Bellamy, Elemental Harmonics, Phillip Daniel, Amy Steinberg, +Elijah- & the Band of Light, K.J. and Quetzatl.

Cornflower released his debut album, “Journey into Sound,” on his record label Time is Art Records in April. “Journey into Sound” is described as an improvisational fusion of world, funk, electro-pop, trance and beatbox with tinges of indigenous and aboriginal influences.

The title track is an invitation to the listener, communicating the ride that one is about to take. Then emerges “In the Moment,” a jazzy, improvisational scat piece reminiscent of one of his main influences — Bobby McFerrin. The songs “Heartshine” and “One Drop” are upbeat and emotive, while giving a glimpse deeper into the personal path that Cornflower is on. “Calling to Source” is the epic of the album, showing off his jam band and electronica musical roots, as he segues from a hip-hop rock groove into a classic drum and bass loop.

Cornflower dedicated “Journey into Sound” to his late father, with whom he had a unique relationship.

“My dad and I had a really deep, intimate friendship I think not many people have with their dad. We just dropped into a place I don’t think many people get to in general with friendships,” he said.

Recalling his dad’s concern for his wandering ways, Cornflower remembers when his dad accepted his way of life.

“I looked him in the eyes and he saw my head was firmly locked on my shoulders and my decision was one made in integrity and I was going to take care of myself and make the right decisions. ... He saw in my heart what it meant to me to be doing this. Really, it was my first step that far away from them and that was big for all of us.”

All along, Cornflower has had the support of his mother.

“With this ‘Journey into Sound’ album, and pretty much all my life, my mom has been pivotal and deeply supportive in everything I’ve done and she was a huge catalyst to making this album happen, helping it get off the ground and running,” he said.

Cornflower received his nickname from a 2-year-old Indigo child when he was 18, and he later learned that Cornflower was an indigenous name from this area.

“I’m not denouncing my given name from my parents,” he explained, “and I’m not expecting my old friends, people who knew me, to call me Cornflower. It is my spirit name.”