Howdy Friends,

My name is Royce John Schwienebart, or otherwise known as Royce Johns. I’m a husband, father, guitar picker, and singer/songwriter. I've been pickin' and grinnin' for the last decade, and have been fortunate enough to work with some talented singers, songwriters, and musicians.

During my time playing music I've had the opportunity to open for some great acts in the industry including Sammy Kershaw, Deana Carter, Sawyer Brown,  Collin Raye, Aaron Tippin, Eric Paslay, The Cadillac Three, Trick Pony, Walker McGuire, and Sunny Sweeney.

After recording an EP and two records comprised of other songwriter's songs and co-writes (Truckstop Souvenirs -  2018) (One Last Two Step - 2020), I finally go talked into writing and recording my own songs, thanks to Caleb Elliott. He encouraged me to make a record called Thank Ya Kindly which was released August 23'. Since then it's received some good press, but also opened my eyes to what being a songwriter can be outside commercial interest.

I feel like I’ve learned a lifetime of lessons in the last decade since starting my musical journey, but the further down the road I get, I feel like I’m only getting started. With all the love and support my home state of Iowa has shown me, it makes me never want to leave. And I don’t think I ever could. No matter where this journey takes me, I’ll always have a 515 area code.

Called Thank Ya Kindly, it takes inspirations from the neotraditional country that this Iowa-based musician’s previous works entail. But the album also finds that moment in country history when a bit more of the folk and songwriting influences crept into the Countrypolitan sound of the late ’60s and ’70s, enhancing songs with strong poetic notions reminiscent of artists such as Roger Miller, Tom T. Hall, and John Prine. 

Your first inclination is to flip this record over and check the copyright date, because it feels a half century old, in the best of ways of course. Not just the sounds, music, and approach, but the temperament of Royce Johns’ calming and articulate delivery really make you savor the words and hang on them intently to absorb their meaning in full. - Saving Country Music 1/1/2024