About Johnny
Johnny Phoenix
November 22, 1959 – Johnny Harp was born in the small town of Ashcroft, British Columbia – a town he never lived in. Since that day Johnny has lived in a multitude of towns and cities.
Coming from an abusive background, Johnny knows about the blues. Leaving home at age 14, he was bound and determined to make a new life on his own. Living from place to place, he always ran into the wrong type of people who introduced him to drugs. Johnny spent the next 20 years on drugs, almost overdosing 4 times. Johnny never abused anything or anyone but himself, but not anymore.
Life changed for Johnny after drugs destroyed his marriage, his business, and just about ended his life. Divorced, broke and alone, it all came to a head. He hit rock bottom. He lost everything, including his identity. Suicide was constantly on his mind.
The Dream
With no home and living in his truck in the winter of 1994, Johnny would have perished alone if it had not been for friends that gave Johnny a place to eat and sleep with warmth and kindness.
It was during that time Johnny had a very realistic dream. People – thousands of them gathered together to watch an unbelievable show – a show with Johnny playing a variety of different instruments at the same time.
Those instruments are a complete set of drums that Johnny plays with his feet. The drum kit is specially designed for him, so he can play his guitar at the same time. He also invented a harmonica holder for the microphone so he does not have to use his hands to play the blues harp.
Since then Johnny has grown to become a respected entertainer, opening for Patricia Conroy and Rick Tippe for a benefit concert at the Chandos Pattison Auditorium in Surrey B.C. to raise money for the second phase of the New Children’s Health Centre at Surrey Memorial Hospital.
Johnny has performed for the annual Run for Multiple Sclerosis at Stanley Park, the Bluey Days – to help raise money for cancer research, the Merritt Mountain Music Festival, the Vancouver Regatta, the Whiterock Sea Festival, the Desert Festival By The Lake in Osoyoos B.C., and many more. He has performed at events that had musical greats such as BB King, Doug and the Slugs, and Nickelback, just to name a few.