By Joe T. O'Connor   joe@rocktownmail.com

Johnny Naparlo has put down the high tops and picked up the microphone to pursue a country music career. With an album, "Cowboy Up and Party Down," and several live shows under his belt, he's hoping to hit the big time.

John Naparlo is silent now, drowned out by the country tunes of Johnny Napp. Naparlo loves basketball and Napp, music.  It’s too bad Naparlo and Napp are one in the same.

Which is the reason why last Tuesday, the JMU senior had to announce his decision: pursuing a music career over basketball. 

Napp, which is his stage name, won out over Naparlo, but not completely by choice. 

“I wanted to do both,” says Naparlo, 22. 

But the NCAA ruled in September that Naparlo was violating league policy, according to JMU basketball head coach Dean Keener.

“It was a matter of what’s called amateurism,” Keener said.  “You can’t use a likeness of yourself, as a player to promote anything.” 

And Naparlo has likenesses all over.  From the cover of his debut album entitled, “Cowboy Up and Party Down,” released in September, to his Web site, johnnynapp.com, his mug seems to be everywhere. 

But the Williamsburg native doesn’t see a problem with that.

“It’s irritating,” Naparlo says.  “My parents and I talked with [the NCAA] about TV commercials out now that show students as professionals.  It’s like telling me I can’t go to school and have a job,” he adds.

But it wasn’t the school’s fault.

“This isn’t an issue with JMU,” Naparlo said. “It’s the NCAA.”

Tough Spot

It wasn’t easy for Napp to overcome Naparlo.

“The decision was real tough,” he said.  “It took two and half to three weeks to make up my mind.  I mean, I’ve been playing basketball since I was 3,” he said.

Naparlo said he and his family talked b-ball with the NCAA and Keener between trips down to Nashville to talk music.

Once Napp decided to oust Naparlo, he announced it to the team, but there was no bad blood.

“He left the team on good terms about a week or so ago,” said Gary Michael, director of sports media relations for basketball.

“I have no regrets [about this decision],” he says.  “I will miss basketball, though.”

Pushing the Image 

Napp is taking his future and running with it. 

On Oct. 12, he took the stage at The Pub in Harrisonburg in front of a crowd of 350 people.

Then, the next night, Napp opened for Jason Aldean at the NorVa in Norfolk. 

That was a big show, but nothing compared to the night of Aug. 27, when he opened for country music legend David Allen Coe.

“It was awesome,” Napp said.  “There were about 800 people there.  I was a little nervous…  but the crowd was real responsive.”

Napp’s next step will take him back down to Nashville to meet with Pam Lewis, founder of P.L.A. Media, a public relations/marketing firm whose first client was an unknown country musician named Garth Brooks.

While the whirlwind of attention is surrounding the young musician, Napp’s happy to focus on just one talent.  And he’s taking it all in stride.

“As long as everybody’s having fun, I’m having fun,” he said.