Most do not know of Johnny's history as a musician which formally started in 5th grade (drumming on pots and pans when he was 4 may count to some) in Elementary school. By Junior High, he was in Stage Band, Concert Band and Choir.

When his high school band teacher, Dennis Olerich heard him play for the first time, he saw something in Johnny's ability and he insisted on Johnny acquiring a new trumpet and felt he had something special so he set him up with tutor Roy Cummins, who, at the time, was the Jazz Band Director for the University Of Washington. At the end of his Freshman year, Johnny received the coveted 'Outstanding First Year' award which most past recipients went on to teach or perform music as a career.

Johnny would often stay with his middle sister who lived on Capital Hill in Seattle during his high school days. This was during the pre-birth pf the "Seattle Grunge" sound when she was roomates with some friends, all in different bands. JM would often find himself on their living room couch surrounded by drum sets, guitar amps & microphones. The guys would always let our JM play around on their gear. Eventually her room mates formed a band together. They are called "Presidents Of The United States Of America". Having dated Soundgardens Chris Cornell & befriended Love Battery bass player "TopHat Kevin", she had a big influence on Johnny's taste in music and having so many friends inside the Seattle scene before it became commercial, many of those bands remember "Jessica's little bother".

After hours during his freshman year, Johnny was asked by some upper classmen to join their band Black Sabbath cover band "Addicted" and play drums.They didn't play out anywhere and they sucked but it was a start.

By his Sophomore year, his day consisted of 4 band classes in a single day as first chair in Jazz Band. Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band & Marching Band.

His first bar gig was at the age of 17 when he joined the funk band Collision City Groove downtown Seattle playing his horn in dark, smokey bars and lounges on 1st Avenue. At 19, drummed for another downtown Seattle band called Jonestown. He was looking down the road of a full scholarship for his trumpet playing to either Cornish School of Performing Arts or Berkley but chose a different path altogether.

In addition to performing,he has been a studio recording engineer and a sound engineer for concerts.

After moving to this area, ran into the "Coastal Sasqwatch" Tom Decker and joined his solo act on drums eventually finding a bass player, lead guitarist & singer forming the band "Layman Raw" playing from the Harbor to Olympia/Tacoma. Video of a show will be posted soon and see Johnny with HAIR! It was around this time, Johnny was asked to join the horn section of the band Fine Silver Thread (Terry Carriker, Steve Jenkins, Bill Seaman, Zane Carriker)

The one year he attended Ocosta, he changed instruments to help the small bands percussion section playing the tri-toms, timpani's and more but would break out his trumpet when the band teacher needed him to help the brass section with their parts.

Early on, Johnny noticed that most in the area, had not been exposed to rap music so he changed that. In the very early 90's Johnny booked the first rap acts for the areas first local rap shows to help spread some flavor on the Harbor. Many locals didn't like Johnny because of his passion for hip hop but he hooked up with a couple of other transplants and they began to write. Damian Write (who moved from Chicago) & John Bailey (an AHS grad who moved from Seattle) along with Johnny formed D.V.S. Being a rap DJ for various MC's, he would book his crews as the opening act for the headlining acts that performed. The first rap show in the area was Silver Shadow D & the Lost and Found Crew which Johnny booked & coordinated. Many locals would call the venue before the show and say things like "we don't want that type of thing here..." and "we're going to stop him before he gets it started..." though none of the shows ever had any problems.

It was during the Silver Shadow show that Johnny's crew was approached by Tyrone Bradley of RSAP/Lynx Records. A producer from Tacoma who showed interest in their group. Over the years, Johnny has recorded/performed with numerous rap & RnB acts from Lynx and most recenty performed with the group Tap Tap downtown Seattle for industry record reps from Virgin, So So Def, Atlantic & many more.

It was not long after the rap show days that Johnny's confidante John Bailey convinced him to apply as a DJ at Sidney's Nightclub. Johnny was hired on the spot and within 3 months, was appointed the Senior Music Programmer/Head DJ and eventually Promotions Manager, Head Of Security & Co-Bar Manager. Sidney's owner Rick Burgess was so ecstatic about Johnny's DJ performances, he sent him to Houston Texas to Core Music to be certified in Nightclub & Bar Music Programming.

It was during his 6 year stint as Sidney's head DJ that Johnny was better acquainted with radios Rhys Davis, Randy Roadz, Roger Nelson & Pat Anderson. It was Randy Roadz who offed him a part-time job in radio.

Johnny's good friends Galine Johnson (aka Big Daddy Rock, aka G--Ride) & Mike Peterson had asked Johnny to play with Olympia band Dead Porn Starz and later, Johnny would accompany them to practice for Jed but due to scheduling conflicts, Galine focused on other things. Johnny was asked by Mike Carr to record for a track for Jed's Sactuary album so at 9 AM in Brian Smiths studio, Johnny brought his turntables and 2 40 ouncers of Old E and layed the tracks. That morning, Mike asked Johnny to join the band. So that year, Johnny did shows with Jed from Eugene to Seattle and in between and performs with them from time to time.

In the last few years, Johnny has DJ'd for a few local nightspots and helped get them going but he's quick to point out that once he leaves, the places close down.

MUSIC

Band - Jackson Elementary - Trumpet (Everett)
Band - North Middle School - Trumpet/Percussion (Everett)
Band - North Middle School - Choir (Everett)
Band - Everett High Jazz Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble (Everett) ***, ****
Band - Everett High Jazz Band, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Wind Ensemble (Everett)
Band - Everett High Jazz Band, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Wind Ensemble (Everett)
Band - Addicted - Drummer (Everett - Black Sabbath Covers)
Band - C.C. Groove - Trumpet (Downtown Seattle - Funk)
Band - Jonestown - Drummer (Downtown Seattle - Original Progressive/Rock)
Band - Ocosta High - Percussion/Trumpet (Westport)
Band - Spic N Span - Vocalist/DJ/Producer (Westport - Rap)
Band - Layman Raw - Drummer (Westport - Rawstasurfarian Punk Rawk)
Band - W.C.C. - Vocalist/DJ/Producer - (Aberdeen - Rap)
Band - Fine Silver Thread - Trumpet/Studio Engineer (Grayland - Contemp/Rock)
Band - D.V.S. - Vocalist/DJ/Producer (Aberdeen - Rap) Band - JM Vox - DJ (Tacoma - Rap)
Band - Tyrone Bradley - DJ (Tacoma - Rap/RnB)
Band - Dead Porn Starz - DJ (Aberdeen - Metal)
Band - Tap Tap - DJ (Tacoma - Rap)
Band - Jed - Vocalist/DJ (Aberdeen - Rock)
Band - Livid - Vocalist (Aberdeen - Rock)

*** Tutored by University Of Washington Jazz Band Director Roy Cummins

**** Recipient of EHS Band directors "Outstanding First Year" Award