It was a sunny autumn day ...
My friend Kevin Johnson
was a big and friendly man, very round in spirit and girth. He had a heart as
big as the great outdoors and a body to put it in. Kevin had a big smile, a big
handshake, a big voice and had a knowledgeable laugh that had the patina of
wisdom embedded in it.
Kevin knew a lot about
recording and sound. We worked together often. I would demo my songs and
recorded a couple albums with Kevin. He had a little recording studio at the
time called Planet III, nestled in a garden right behind a little cafe. I had
this idea of a radio show and wanted to run it by him. So, on this sunny autumn
day I rang him up, met him at the Denny's on Nicholasville Road and told him
what I had in mind.
"You're crazy, you
know that," was his response. "Everybody else will think you're
crazy, too."
Then he blinked a few
seconds and said, "I'm in."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
wrote: "One of the blessings of good friends is that you can afford to be
crazy with them."
So on that sunny autumn
day we decided to be crazy, and thus was the birth of the WoodSongs Old-Time
Radio Hour. And, like he did with so many of his friends, he committed himself
to it and donated the use of his little studio on Monday evenings so we can
start producing this volunteer run show.
Let me be clear: Kevin was
the best audio engineer in the state of Kentucky. Because of his size and
booming voice I would joke to him about sounding like Darth Vader on STAR WARS.
I watched him sit behind his audio board, moving the channel faders up and down
and, soon enough, we had his nickname set for life: Darth Fader.
He loved that goofy name.
And show by show, week by
week, artist by artist he proved he was the best. Famous musicians like Judy
Collins, Exile, Bela Fleck, Ralph Stanley, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Kenny
Loggins, Neko Case and Brandi Carlile trusted his ear. New artists that no one ever
heard of came on the show and bowed to Kevin's knowledge to make then sound
good. Unknowns at the time like Nickel Creek, Jake Shimabukuro, The Kruger
Brothers, Avett Brothers, Tommy Emmanuel, JJ Grey, and our friend Ben Sollee
who came to WoodSongs as a scrappy, excited skinny 17 year old kid whose cello
was almost as big as he was.
Wherever I was
performing around the country on Sunday I would be back in Lexington on Monday
for WoodSongs ... Kevin "Darth Fader" Johnson was always there, too.
Kevin volunteered his
time, his Mondays, his heart and his wisdom to make WoodSongs grow and he was
so proud of it. For over 700 shows Kevin's booming voice could be heard in the
Kentucky Theatre and now the Lyric. His health and size didn't always allow him
to celebrate the growth of the show but when WoodSongs went to Ireland this
summer Kevin burst with pride for the one's he personally trained ... Bryan
Klausing, Brandon Eaves and Jerome "Cyber Boy" Gallt who ran the
broadcast in his place. Kevin was very proud of his friends on the WoodSongs
crew.
I have learned over the
years that people work harder out of passion than they do payment. And Kevin
was a very passionate man. Loyal. Committed. Involved. I have also learned that
a close sister to passion is stubbornness.
Kevin was, in fact, one
of the most stubborn fellows I knew.
But
"stubbornness" is the corner stone of "loyalty," so my
friend was one of the most honest and loyal men I knew as well.
As a technical engineer
he was brilliant and, like many engineers, long winded and totally incapable of
a simple answer. "Kevin, can I plug this in" would be the question.
"What kind of plug? Is it grounded? Is the cable shielded? How many cycles
is the power source? Is it a clean line?" would be his response always
ending with the same comment,
"It's not that
simple."
Well, dude, I just want
to plug the ding-dang thing in, says I.
Kevin Johnson was my
friend, my brother, musical partner. He was my chief critic, number one
nemesis, shelter-in-the-storm and most dependable companion.
It was also a sunny
autumn day on Monday, September 30th. It was 4 in the afternoon and I arrived at
the Lyric Theatre, looking forward to seeing my big round friend walk down the
aisle. He struggled so hard with his health this past year and we talked often
about it. And after years of effort and disappointment, he was finally turning
it around. He lost nearly 150 pounds this year. He looked better. He sounded
better. His mood was tempered by the fact that he was finally feeling good.
He did it because he
loved his son Taylor and wanted to set the right example. How proud he was of
his boy and Kevin beamed with pride when Taylor came with him to WoodSongs just
a couple Mondays ago.
For over 732 shows Kevin
was the silent pilot behind the board allowing the world to listen to what
WoodSongs had to offer.
But on that one sunny
autumn day he didn't walk down the isle of the Lyric Theatre as expected.
Instead, I got a call from the Fire Marshal telling me that my dear friend was
gone. Kevin's big heart ended its' journey on that sunny autumn afternoon.
To his dad Harry, his mom
Peggy and especially his son Taylor ... he loved you all so much. And in turn
you have so much to be proud of with Kevin.
Words do not come with
ease right now. The world is so much smaller than it was a few days ago and
words will not fill the silence that has fallen over everything at the moment.
This week the show he helped start and nurture since day one, Kevin's friends
and fellow crew members filled the theatre with applause in his honor ... and
the audience gave you a standing ovation. You deserved it.
Emerson also wrote:
"The only way to have a friend is to be one."
I believe life exists in
the confidence there is a tomorrow ... and in the regret that we often
miscalculate that. I hope I was as loyal and good a friend to you as you were
to me.
This is a nice autumn day
as I write this and I miss my friend. I will miss you always.
And yes, Kevin ... it's
"that simple."
Michael Johnathon
michael@woodsongs.com
michael@woodsongs.com
friend
DONATIONS NEEDED: our
friend was rich in friends but poor in material things.
Donations are needed to help pay for Kevin's funeral and, most especially, to
set up a fund for his son Taylor. Can you kick in $5, $10 or more to help? In
an age of dishonesty, I can understand hesitance so I am letting you all know
that I am donating $150 because I know his situation to be true. Starting
tomorrow morning please make a secure, easy donation to the KEVIN JOHNSON
MEMORIAL FUND in person or by mail c/o Bank of Lexington, 761 Corporate
Dr. Lexington, KY 40503 or
call (859) 219-2900
