Jonny Olsen is a expert khaen player of Lao Folk Melodies and a singer of Lao Folk Opera(Mawlum). He is the first non Lao/Thai or "Farang" to win a khaen playing contest(look at the backround of this page and you can see my award for first prize) Jonny is also the first American or "Farang" to sing Lao Morlum Folk Music and make an album in Laos. He learned to play the khaen and sing Morlum in Thailand and Laos. Jonny's style offers a new side to Morlum because of his stories of a "Farang" American looking from the outside in. One of Jonny's songs "Farang Muk Sao Dum" is about a white western city man who becomes attracted by a dark skinned exotic village lady. He finds her beauty and customs very unique to what he has experienced in a western world. He ends up ditching western food like hamburgers and pizza, for Lao food like spicy papaya salad with sticky rice. Jonny's music offers a more modern approach by mixing Morlum with western music like pop, rock, dance, and hip-hop.. Jonny's hit song "Gued Pit Bon," which means born in the wrong place, is all about how non Laotians or Westerners have grown to love Laos and feel like they should have been born there. They feel more at home in Laos with the Lao people. They like to live their life more simply and peacefully. He plays the perfect narrating role for these kinds of stories.

Jonny has appeared on Thai TV numerous times and has performed with Ponglang Saon on their Amazing Thailand Show at Muang Thong Thani September 1, 2007. He is very proud to promote the Lao and Esan culture through playing music. Jonny used to work at a Thai restaurant, and that's how he found out about Thai and Lao culture.

He started studying the khaen in Buriram in 2003, then in 2005 he decided he wanted to sing Morlum Lao Folk music. Before he could sing, he couldn't even speak the language that well, but there was something about the music that he loved so much he just wanted to sing it! Through the music he learned more of the language and kind of picked it up along the way. He found a teacher in Khon Kaen by the name of Mae Ratree Sivilai, who is a famous Morlum Folk singer in Isan/Esarn. She taught him how to sing Morlum, but not how to speak the language! Haha, kind of strange you suppose.

Other people back at the Thai restaurant used to called Jonny "Fun pai gone" which means a daydreamer, but Jonny's dream came true! "Fun ti pen jing!" Jonny followed his dream to be a khaen player and a Morlum singer and now he is. He plans to keep studying about the music, language, culture, and the people of Laos. He's proud to be able to play the khaen and sing Morlum, and wants to promote the Lao culture wherever he goes.
Jonny has made two albums in Laos. His latest one is "10 in 1"(2009) Jonny's first album is "Jonny Yak Pen Khon Lao" (2008) E-mail jonnyplayskhaen@hotmail.com to see how to order.