This month's featured solo comes from Louis Valentine Johnson! Click the video above to see Lou perform one of his original compositions, MOMENT #12 Always in my Heart.
Lou was the first guitarist to graduate from the Idaho State University School of Fine Arts Music Department. He later became a faculty member and founded the study of Classical Guitar as a standard curriculum at the University in Pocatello, Idaho. He received a Bachelor of Music Guitar Performance at Idaho State University, and a Master of Arts Guitar Performance with Honors from San Francisco State University.
In the following years, while continuing in music, Lou founded a company and began a career as an Insurance Executive for over 20 years. This business activity earned him the title from fellow musicians as “The Charles Ives of the Guitar” while composing, concertizing, and continually slaying dragons to feed to the hungry bulldog that eats money, creates bills and raises financial overhead for all of us every month.
A Vietnam Veteran of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division, Lou served in the 502nd Infantry (Rifleman) and the 321st Artillery Battalion, 105 mm Howitzers receiving an Honorable Discharge.
Lou and Conductor Kent Nagano were honored together by San Francisco State University as “Distinguished Alumni.”
If you enjoyed this song, please visit Lou's YouTube channel:
