Episode 217 - Van Johnson

🎸🎶 In this episode of And If Love Remains, host Mike Leavitt welcomes the legendary musician Van Johnson, a staple of the Phoenix music scene. They discuss the realities of life as a working musician, from early influences to crazy tour stories, the changing music industry, and the magic of live performance. Van shares insights on the power of classic music, the evolution of learning instruments, and the importance of community among local artists. Plus, he performs live, bringing the conversation to life with timeless melodies! 🎶🔥

👉 Tune in for a deep dive into the musician's journey, the industry’s transformation, and some unforgettable moments from the road!

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📢 Listen on:
🔗 Podcast Website: www.andifloveremains.com
🔗 Follow Van Johnson: https://www.facebook.com/Vanw.johnson]

#MusicLife #VanJohnson #PhoenixMusic #LiveMusic #RockAndRoll #MusicIndustry #BehindTheScenes #CoverBands #ClassicRock #MusiciansLife

Detailed Show Notes
Episode Title: "The Road, The Music & The Stories – Van Johnson on And If Love Remains"
📌 Host: Mike Leavitt
📌 Guest: Van Johnson – Musician, Performer, Local Legend
📌 Published On: All three podcast channels

🎤 Episode Overview:
In this episode, we dive into the life of professional musician Van Johnson, who has spent decades in the industry playing everything from classic rock to R&B, country, and beyond. Van shares his origin story, from learning guitar due to illness to becoming a full-time performer. He and Mike explore the challenges and rewards of being a gigging musician, the evolution of music learning, and how the industry has shifted from albums to singles, from artistry to algorithms.

Topics Covered
🎶 Van’s Early Years: How a bout of rheumatic fever at 14 led him to pick up the guitar.
🎸 The Life of a Cover Band Musician: The reality vs. the rockstar dream.
🎼 Learning Music Then vs. Now: From figuring out songs by ear with a $5 guitar to YouTube tutorials.
📀 The Death of the Album Experience: How streaming changed the way we listen.
📣 Crazy Tour Stories: Biker rallies, double-booked gigs, and the occasional close call.
🎧 Modern Music vs. Classic Hits: The disposable nature of today’s hits compared to timeless classics.
🎹 The Business of Music: Making a living in the industry while staying true to the craft.
🎶 Live Performances & Song Requests: Why some songs always work and why some never do.
📻 The Future of Music: Will we ever see another Beatles or Queen?
🔥 Live Music Alert!
Van also plays some tunes LIVE on the podcast, including classics and even an original song!

📍 Catch Van Playing Live:

Phoenix Venues (Check website for schedule)
Pine Top (Summer Gigs!)
💬 Have a favorite cover song request for Van? Drop it in the comments!

📢 Follow the Podcast
🌐 Website:www.andifloveremains.com

#MusicPodcast #LocalMusicScene #CoverBand #ClassicRock #VanJohnson #MusicianLife #LiveMusic #AndIfLoveRemains #MusicIndustry #BehindTheScenes