Tom Johnson is an eclectic performer, composer and arranger based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. A multi-instrumentalist, Johnson’s main focus is guitar, but he also plays and teaches: dobro, pedal steel, mandolin, bass and banjo.

 

At the age of 16, through the inspiration of Jimi Hendrix, he taught himself how to play guitar. Johnson refined his studies by going to Minnesota State University Moorhead, putting aside rock music and focusing on studying jazz and classical guitar. When he graduated in 2007 he immediately started teaching at MSUM as an Adjunct Guitar faculty professor.

 

He has in the past 15 years performed across the United States and Europe, with such diverse groups as: The Johnson Family Band (Blue Grass), The Carluster Crumplebee Orchestra (Gypsy Jazz), People’s People (Modern Jazz), and D Mills and the Thrills (Hip-hop), as well as playing solo classical or jazz guitar. Johnson has also collaborated and performed with Minnesota musicians: Trampled by Turtles, Pert Near Sandstone, Tim Sparks, Charlie Parr, and Todd Clouser.

 

In 2014 Tom was the only musician to have 3 separate groups be nominated by the North Dakota Music Awards, the nominations where for: best bluegrass band, best hip-hop band, and best instrumental band.

 

Johnson has just recently moved to the Twin Cities to work on his Masters of Guitar Pedagogy at the University of St. Thomas while working as a freelance performer, educator, composer, and arranger.