Maybe the only thing Charles E. Johnson Jr. (aka J.J.) loves more than music is his home state New Orleans Saints and fishing.
But then again, neither the Saints nor any amount of time on the water trying to catch bass, trout, or perch could keep Johnson from playing music. And he does so darn near every day of the week, gracing multiple congregations with his skills as the official musician-in-residence while also traveling the region and country performing with his group, J.J. and the Perfect Strangers Band.
The Defender spoke with Johnson about his rising fame in Houston’s church and club scenes as a musician unparalleled in his ability to play anything, anywhere, anytime.
Defender: How busy and hectic are your Sundays playing for multiple churches?
Johnson: Yeah, I play for several different churches on Sundays, and it can be hectic. But the way it is now, it is pretty smooth. You know, everything is kind of centrally located and close to each other. So, it’s kinda like a flow on Sundays, from one church to the next.
Defender: When were you first introduced to music?
Johnson: Oh, I was about seven years old. And a guy moved to Louisiana from Massachusetts, and he came to our church and he was offering music lessons for the kids in the church. So, my mom signed me and my sister up, and she bought us a piano and put the piano in the house, and it just kinda went from there, man. I started banging on the piano and found out that I had a gift. And that was about 44, 45 years ago. I’ve been playing ever since.
Defender: So, where were your first performances? Were they at the house, at school, at church?
Johnson: Of course, at the house, at school. We would do talent shows and stuff. And then, I actually started playing for my first church when I was about 10. I couldn’t even reach the peddles on the organ, and I was playing for my first church.
Defender: When did you know that music was this thing that was going to bring you both joy and a paycheck?
Johnson: Probably about the age of 12. Because I started when I was like 10, but I was 12 or 13 when churches started really paying me. They started at $40, $50. Then, as I got older, it just went up. It went up from $50, $100, $150, $200. It just kept going up, up, up because my ability was increasing. I was developing my gift and my ability and it got better and better. And they didn’t look at me as this little kid who could play. They were going by what they were hearing when I played. By gift, my ability grew, and so did the pay.
Defender: You don’t just do your thing in the church. You have your own group and y’all play gigs, concerts, and events. When did that start for you?
Johnson: I was about about 20 or 21; when I first came here to Houston. A guy by the name of Sly Green, put me into a band called The Slam Band. Actually, I moved back to Houston. I was in Massachusetts after a while and moved here, and I started playing, I was gigging probably like four or five nights a week down here. That kinda got me in the groove of gigging and taught me the business and how it really goes and everything.
Defender: So, what does a common week look like for you?
Johnson: Right now, it’s pretty smooth because I pick and choose when I work. Like, this week I’ll be at Bee’s Wine Bar. Last Friday, I was in Shreveport. It just varies. But on a common week, it’s pretty smooth. I have rehearsal on Tuesdays, rehearse on Thursdays, and also my churches on Sundays. And in between that time, I’m fishing and playing dominoes.
Defender: So, how did you choose The Perfect Strangers as your band’s name?
Johnson: Because when I came here, and tried to put my band together, I said, “Man, I don’t know any of these guys.” So, I said, “Perfect Strangers,” and came up with it like that. It was like everybody was brand new.
Defender: What’s the thing that would surprise most people about the life of a professional musician?
Johnson: A real musician, it takes dedication and practice. People see the performance, but a real musician prepares. They take the time to learn the music, perfect the music, and also retain the music. It’s no good if I learn a song, then when I get to the gig or to the church if I can’t remember it. And being a musician takes a lot of memory, to take a song, learn a song, retain that song. Not only that, but sometimes you have to take that same song and play it in another key. Well, another key is just like another language. So, it’s a lot of work, but I love it. And with musicians, there’s different levels. I thank God for my gift, and I’m just trying to get better and better.
Defender: What is it that you love most about music?
Johnson: It’s the preparation, and when the preparation manifests itself at the performance. When you go and you rehearse and you take the time to work out the songs and everything, and then you’re able to deliver a good performance on that Sunday or that Saturday, Friday, whenever it is. That’s what I love to do. I love to rehearse, and I like being around musicians who love to rehearse and perfect what we’re going to do. If we’re going to do three songs, let’s do the very best we can do on these three songs. A lot of musicians, especially in the Houston area, they just gig. They just show up, no practice, and wanna play. Nah, man. Not for me. I don’t do that.
Defender: Any advice for up-and-coming musicians?
Johnson: One good piece of advice I could give a young musician that’ll take them a long way: try to learn how to play in all of your keys. Some keys are easier than other keys. Any real musician will tell you, some keys are very uncomfortable to play in, but you have to do it. That’s the only way to get better. You can’t run from those keys and you can’t “transport.” I play a lot of keyboards at one time. They have a transport button where you can play in one position and transform different keys. That doesn’t work when you’re playing the organ or when you’re playing multiple boards. So, I would say, learn to play in all of your keys. And less is more. A lot of guys, young guys, they play too much. They’re just all over the place. Less is more. And keep your ears open, too. Listen to the music. Keep your ears open.
