Probation Officer to Play at Lunchtime Concert

John Hull grew up immersed in music – he was making noise on the drums at age 5, slapping the bass guitar in high school and strumming his six-string at Missouri State, where he was awarded a music scholarship. But the Missouri native knew after just a year and a half of college that teaching music wasn’t for him.

“Music was my passion. It’s what I loved doing. But with a music degree, all you can do is teach. And I wanted to keep music my passion. So I chose a career on the opposite spectrum,” Hull said.

A friend convinced Hull to take a criminal justice class and he was hooked. He worked as an intern in the Midwest at a probation department which opened the door for his future: San Diego County’s Probation Department.

Ironically, though, it was music that brought him out west in 2004.

“I wanted to get my feet wet in the musical community,” Hull said. “I worked as a program coordinator with YMCA youth at the time, which gave me time for small tours and vacations… I met all of my band members and started playing at almost every coffee shop and music venue in San Diego.”

Hull followed in the footsteps of San Diego favorites like Jason Mraz and Jewel, filling their local haunts with his tunes. His very first show was at Lestat’s West, on Adams Avenue in Normal Heights – a venue he occasionally still stops by and plays at.

But playing live music wasn’t quite the substantial career. Hull wanted something that would provide him with stability. He didn’t want to be crashing on couches for the long-term.

“Having something to fall back on was instilled in me from a very young age. It’s important,” Hull said. “Everyone should have something to fall back on.”

So in January of 2007, Hull started working for the Probation Department, specifically in institutions. And for the past two years, he’s been a Deputy Probation Officer monitoring offenders that became the County’s responsibility under AB109, the California Public Safety Realignment Act.

It’s certainly not the same as picking up your instrument and putting on a show, but Hull loves it just the same.

“Every musician has to have a day job and I just have to really enjoy my day job,” he said. “From day one working for the County, I say, ‘I get paid to do this?’

And Friday, Sept. 19, Hull gets to combine both his passions, sharing his talent with co-workers at a lunchtime concert at the Waterfront Park at the CAC. The singer/songwriter, whose sound might be described as a blending of Jason Mraz and Adam Levine, will be playing acoustic melodies from his latest album, Shades of Gray, from noon-1 p.m.

Of course, if you can’t make it, Hull shows off his skills every Friday downtown at The Tipsy Crow from 8-10 p.m. Bring your song requests.

“It’s one of those fun gigs where I get to interact with the crowd and it really builds your stage presence,” Hull said. “I’ve always stressed to engage the crowd and Tipsy Crow is definitely one of those places I get to do that.”

For the future, Hull looks forward to continuing offering a positive outlook for offenders and working on a new album, with a funkier, more electronic sound to it.

“I would enjoy making a song for a television show and then it sells and I could actually make roots here in San Diego!” Hull said. “But I’m happy and I love my job. Every day is something different.”

For a sample of Hull’s music he’ll be performing Friday, check out the video below.