TJ “holyboy” Johnson is a London based Guitarist, Arranger, Composer, Producer, Songwriter, Tutor and Mentor.
He started playing the Guitar at an early age just for fun then with the encouragement of family and friends, he went to work on the Continent of Europe playing six nights a week performing all night gives you a lot of opportunity to experiment then it quickly turned into a profession and continues to be so.
TJ’s first big influence was the mighty Beatles after hearing them for the first time as a ten-year-old boy he knew straight away that he was going to be a pro musician, (he was particularly interested in the bass playing of Paul McCartney) they totally blew him away and to this day they remain one of his biggest influences of all time because of their great songs and for changing the landscape of the music industry forever, Before the Beatles Most artists got their Tin Pan Alley and a
variety of music publishers because nobody wrote their own material
James Brown is another great performer whom TJ admires a great deal for his singing and dancing, but most of all, for his contribution to the Civil Rights movement. Other influences are, Jimmy Hendrix, George Benson, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, the three kings, BB, Albert and Freddy Magic Slim, Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf, Robert Johnson, Wes Montgomery Bob Marley and The Wailers, Dennis Brown, Bobby”blue”Bland, The Small Faces The Hollies The Rolling Stones Bob Marley Dennis Brown, The Brothers Johnson Sly & The Family Stone and Stevie Wonder etc
TJ has toured and recorded with many well-known Artists’ like the great Chaka Khan, “still the greatest singer he’s ever played with”, Linda Lewis, Madeline Bell, Hamish Stewart, The legendary “Mighty Sparrow” The Baron, “the sweetest voice in Soca music”, Cymande, Demon Fuzz Assagai, way too many to mention but they’ve all been a great learning curve
TJ has been writing songs for many years, both for himself and for other artists with some success, especially in Europe even now some of his records are changing hands for big money,he’s also been writing music for Films and Television which he finds both very challenging and very rewarding
TJ is a working musician so he’s always out there traveling the length and breadth of Britain and the rest of the world he fronts several bands like “BOLD AS LOVE” a tribute to Jimi Hendrix. TJ Johnson & the Preachers playing mainly Blues and Funk. NATUAL MYSTIQUE. a tribute to Bob Marley and The Wailers and playing miscellaneous gigs all over the country and beyond so hopefully we can all catch up on one of those.
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Interview with Natalie Bedeau
https://youtu.be/werzUXkIL30