In Christ Alone!

~ Staying Together Through Music ~

Hello Everyone,

Last Monday (basically a week ago) we were interviewed by Dawn Thompson in our living room. That was fun and interesting. After the general interview we played and sang two songs for her and she took lots of pictures. In today's Messenger Newspaper in the Entertainment section we got FRONT page! Filled the whole page! We also took up the entire center section on pages 12 & 13. The following is the article she wrote on us. I found it interesting and thought I'd share it with y'all. In total there were 9 different pictures of us. Two family shots and seven of us kids more individually. I hope you enjoy getting to know our family (or about us) a little bit more. Note: I only had to make a few minor edits. Have fun!

THE JOHNSON FAMILY SINGERS
 ~ Staying Together Through Music ~

Music brings together Humboldt family .... The Johnson Family Singers sing and play for audiences across the state by DAWN THOMPSON Entertainment Editor
     HUMBOLDT -- Music is the thread that binds the Johnson Family Singers.
     Living in rural Humboldt, the Johnsons also use music to capture audiences and entertain friends across the state.
     "With a family of 12, music provides us an opportunity to all do something together," said Susan Johnson. "While we might each enjoy a different aspect of it, making music still brings us together as one."
     Her husband, David Johnson, agreed.
     "I'm proud to stand up there with my children and watch them perform," he said. "It's so fun to see them smile and enjoy the music, and then to see the crowd enjoy them. It's just an awesome feeling."
     Originally from the Rolfe area, David grew up in a vocally active family. His father was a member of a barbershop quartet that won a district championship in Iowa and competed internationally in California. The group was also invited to join the 1969-1970 USO tour to perform for the troops in Vietnam.
     "When they prepared for contests, they would come to our house," David said, "and I would hear them singing. I went to bed hearing harmony and I woke up hearing harmony."
     His father has since passed away, but his uncle continues to sing barbershop and is a member of a quartet in Mason City.
     Surrounded by song at home, David said his passion for singing was further encouraged by William Kolbe, his high school voice instructor.
     "He was my mentor," David said. "He gave me a whole new dimension to my vocals."
     With singing as her husband's forte, Susan brought to the union a love for instrumental music. A Humboldt native, she found her passion for playing music in high school while under direction of Reginald Schive, a former director of the Karl L. King Municipal Band.
     She went on to major in music at Buena Vista University, becoming a professional Clarinetist as well as mastering several other instruments, including the organ [edit: should be "keyboard" not "organ"] and alto saxophone.
     "When you look at the family in the context of her passion for instruments and my passion for vocals, it just makes sense," David said. "We had two kinds of mentors, and our family is just bringing what they taught us together into a cohesive whole."
     Susan agreed, saying it was natural for their children to join in the music that surrounded them."
     "When we were first married I would accompany him," she said, "and as we started having kids, they just started singing along."
     The family's first performances were at family reunions and church programs. Since then, word of the Johnsons' talents has spread and they regularly sing at the annual National Traditional Country and Bluegrass Festival in Missouri Valley, as well as serving as an opening act for the Fort Dodge Area Symphony. They also performed when RAGBRAI made an overnight stop in Fort Dodge two summers ago.
     The family has sung at a funeral as well as for private Christmas parties and multiple Valentine's Day events. Next on the Johnson's concert schedule will be an appearance at a ministerial association benefit at Faith United Methodist Church in Humboldt on April 23.
     They also have plans to be the praise team during a Sunday service at a Team National convention in Louisville, KY., as well as being part of a Christian crusade June 5-7 at Phillips Middle School. Also they will sing at Thor's sesquicentennial celebration in August.
     The family's repertoire includes several gospel and Christian music selections as well as favorites such as "Swing Low," "The Star Spangled Banner" and "Grandpa" by the Judds. Often, the group will add their own twists and nuances to popular pieces.
     "We will have the kids perform duets or as a quartet," Susan said. "The rest of us will provide the back up, often a cappella."
     Vocals isn't all the children can do. Joshua, the oldest at 21, plays the electric bass; Caleb, 18, plays the drums; sisters Stephanie, 20, and Rebekah, 15, play the electric guitar; Micah, 13, plays the cello and Anna, 16, Abigail, 12, Deborah, 9, and Josiah, 7, all play the violin. The youngest of the clan, Elisabeth, 4, doesn't yet play an instrument although there's a violin waiting for her.
     Music, whether instrumental or vocal, is a part of daily life for the band of brothers and sisters.
     "There's almost always singing going on," Stephanie said. "And, Caleb, he will come in, get on the drums and ask one of us to play along. We're always goofing around and making up new songs."
     The children have a musical knack, their mom said.
     "They are really good at harmonizing and they create their own parts," Susan said. "I keep trying to teach them to read sheet music, but they just like to do it on their own."
     Deborah agreed.
     "I like making it up in my head and just singing it," she said.
     Crafting music is a talent they all share, with Stephanie taking the lead in song writing. On the spur of the moment, she joined a gospel songwriting contest a couple of summers ago. Overnight, she came up with the song's melody and then the family worked on the harmony before going on stage. The song was called "Love Your Enemies," and it won third place. The next year, Stephanie wrote "Brotherly Love" and took second place.
     "When I was younger I cried every time we sang," Stephanie said. "I was so shy, but over the last couple of years I've grown to love singing and songwriting. It's truly become my passion."
     Susan and David hope such passion blooms in all their children.
     "I suppose we could all go our own separate ways and do our own things," David said, "but I think we have visions of sticking together and creating music as a family."

So, how was it? Not nearly as awesome without all the large bright pictures of my beautiful family, and the dry feel of an authentic newspaper that leaves black ink all over your fingers.... but at least you get the general idea of the article itself. Pretty good huh? I was really amazed at how well Dawn wrote this from the information we gave her at our interview. She gets a 10 on my score board. I did fix like two other grammatical/spelling typos but who knows, I may have typed up my own without realizing it. hehe

My favorite line in the entire article, I believe, is: "Music, whether instrumental or vocal, is a part of daily life for the band of brothers and sisters."

Thanks for the comments I've been getting everyone. Let me know if you read the article and what you thought! !!!Hugs!!!