The Band
Mike Johnson, Dallas’ premiere sax artist, has been performing since the age of 16. Mike’s high- energy style playing, coupled with an array of seasoned musicians,brings ambiance to any room or venue. “MJ’s” resume includes performing with contemporary jazz band Potential Difference in the 80’s. In the late 80’s, Mike took his skill set into the progressive blues scene joining forces with Ty Haynes.The 90’s brought more engagements with a bevy of blues artists, including the Barflies, Roger Shayne & Roy Coyote. Mike also recorded and toured with the exotic swing / lounge acts: The NecroTonz & Cocktails for Five through 2004. Mike is well respected and known in and around the Dallas Blues scene and can be seen performing with any number of bands in the Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex as well as the five-state area.
Originally from Ft. Worth, Texas, Dave has been playing guitar since the age of 12. He studied piano & guitar privately, has played professionally since 1978, and hopes to, one day, 'get it right'. Dave has played with various rock, r&b, jazz and blues bands, including Revival, Andrea Dawson, the late Sam Meyers, The Silvertones, soul legends Lou Hampton & Bobby Patterson, Superstar Harold Walker, Jackie Don Loe, Bugs Henderson, Junior Boy Jones, Keri Lepai, The Barflies, Joe Johnas, Tommy Hill, The Fins and of course, THE Mike Johnson Band, among other notorious North Texas musical legends. Dave's influences include, but are by no means limited to: Duane Allman, Dickie Betts, Jeff Beck, Bugs, Robben Ford, Allan Holdsworth, The Three Stooges and Icky Twerp & Slam Bang Theatre.
Tommy Hill was born in the Deep South in the small town of Magnolia, Arkansas. Early in life he knew that music would be his calling. As a child he would tune into R&B played on the radio and turn all of the furniture in the house into a drum set. Later, when finances allowed it, his mother bought him his first set of real drums.In high school Tommy played across Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas in a band headed by his high school band director. He developed his talent quickly and began gaining the knowledge he would need later in life.After high school, Tommy moved to Denver, where his dreams of becoming a full time musician began to unfold. His uncle, stationed at a nearby Air Force base, took Tommy to a jazz club to show him the level of playing required of a professional player. Tommy practiced with dedication and was soon ready to move into the spotlight. In the early '70s, Tommy was working with an R&B and jazz band in Denver. The band was hot and landed a steady job at the well known Warehouse Club. There they opened for national acts that toured through Denver, including Grover Washington, O. C. Smith, Della Reece, Gene Harris and Three Sounds, Eddie Harris, Dizzy Gillespie and Charles Lloyd. On a very special night, the renowned Hammond B-3 player Jimmy Smith played and asked Tommy to join him onstage. Tommy was moved and changed forever by the experience.In the years to follow, Tommy toured with The Coasters on the Reno/Vegas circuit with Tommy on drums and vocals. After coming off the road, Tommy moved to Dallas and played with the Johnny Taylor Band. During this same period, Tommy became active in his church and was influenced by the great traditions of Gospel music. Tommy's close friend Andrew "Jr. Boy" Jones asked him to go back on the road with famed harp player Charlie Musselwhite. In the eight years that followed, Tommy played on three CDs, toured domestically and abroad, won the W.C. Handy Award for Best Blues Band of the Year, and played the major blues and Jazz festivals around the country. After years on the road with Charlie Musselwhite, Tommy and Andrew returned to Dallas to form their own band, and were soon signed with JSP Records, where Tommy played on Andrew's first two CDs. Over the next two years, Tommy also played on CDs for other artists including Cookie McGee, Randy McAllister, Gregg Smith, R.L. Griffin, Bob Kirkpatrick and Eugene Church. Tommy began writing his own material and recorded Hanging with Tommy in 1995. On the CD, Tommy played drums, keyboards and sang all the vocals. After this first release, Tommy formed his own band, The Hilltones. In 2000, Tommy Hill and The Hilltones recorded Rolling with Tommy.
Bart was born the 5th of 6 children and came out feet first. He hit the ground running and has not slowed down yet. He began playing percussion at an early age using spoons, trash can lids, wine glasses or anything else he could get his hands on. Repeated pleas by his mother to "stop beating on those things" only deterred him momentarily. After getting his drivers license he graduated to steering wheels and dashboards. He actually cracked three dashboards, broke two steering wheels and ripped out a steering column due to the continuous beatings. Inspired by a performance by Ray Cooper at the British Invasion in 1983, Bart adopted Mr. Cooper as his mentor and began his own wild style of playing. Bart works hard and has been accused of moving around way too much for slow songs, but he can't help it. It's in his blood. Bart, affectionately known as "Bartman", possesses many toys and carries more equipment with him then any other band member. His high energy dazzles and occasionally cracks up fans. Previous local engagements include work with Plaid on Swayed, Kevin Moore, Night Vision and Phil & the Phat Cats, The Fins & Genetic Hippies, along with East Texas staple, Eric Hall & The Rock Bottom Band. In addition to Ray Cooper, other influences include: Santana (of course), Phil Collins, Neil Peart, his brother Brian and many others. |
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