Rineyville musician releases second CD

FOR MORE: Rineyville musician Sean T. Johnson, backed by a full band, will hold a CD release show for “Fairy Tales for Fools” at 8 p.m. today at ZoZo’s Bar & Grill at 593 W. Lincoln Trail Blvd. in Radcliff. The CD is available at www.cdbaby.com, itunes and www.Amazon.com. To find out more about Johnson, visit www.seantjohnson.com or find him on Facebook.

Robert Villanueva

Rineyville resident and musician Sean T. Johnson, 40, has released "Fairy Tales for Fools," his second CD. He described his music as "folky-pop" and will hold a CD release show tonight in Radcliff.

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Unlike many musicians, Sean T. Johnson of Rineyville didn’t begin playing music at an early age. In fact, by the time Johnson first discovered guitar, he had already graduated from high school.

But that late start didn’t stop Johnson from pursuing and honing his craft, and he hopes perceptions don’t stop people from listening to his music.

“Some people might look at a 40-year-old fat guy and say ‘I don’t want to hear it,’” Johnson said.

Overcoming such a perception, he said, is his biggest musical challenge.

Johnson has just released his new CD, “Fairy Tales for Fools.” A CD release show is at 8 p.m. today at ZoZo’s Bar & Grill in Radcliff.

Describing his music as “folky pop,” Johnson is no stranger to producing music. His first CD, the all-acoustic self-titled “Sean Thornton,” was released in 2001.

For “Fairy Tales for Fools” Johnson once again wrote, played and recorded the material with the exception of harmonica and backup. He got help from local musicians Mark DeWitt and Kim Webber, fellow bandmates he plays with in the band 3 on the Floor.

“I’ve had a lot of fun playing with Mark and Kim,” Johnson said.

Born in Florida and raised in Tennessee, Johnson served in Desert Storm during his stint in the U.S. Army. It was in 1993, during his military service, that he began playing guitar.

While he was a military policeman, Johnson would spend down time “dabbling” with music. He was influenced by ‘90s bands such as The Smashing Pumpkins and acoustic groups such as The Indigo Girls.

“I started writing in 1998,” he said.

After leaving the military, Johnson began work as an employee of the U.S. Bullion Depository and lived in San Francisco for a while.

“It was a great scene out there,” he said.

Johnson eventually transferred to work at the depository at Fort Knox and began living in Rineyville, where he makes his home with his wife and 11-year-old son.

For years, he stayed close to home because he wanted to be around for his son, who is autistic.

Now that he’s older, Johnson has allowed himself more time to play gigs.

“I try to get out a couple of times a month,” he said.

Though Johnson admits to having had a bit of stage fright in the past, he’s gotten over it and enjoys playing gigs in the area, solo or as part of 3 on the Floor. Recent shows have included concerts at Freeman Lake Park and Via Colori, a street painting festival in downtown Elizabethtown.

Over the years, he’s accumulated songs.

“I have enough for another project, probably,” he said.

Production on “Fairy Tales for Fools” began in December 2011, but some of the songs on the 10-track CD had been around for 10 years or more in one form or another. It’s all part of the other side of being a musician: songwriting.

“Everybody likes playing; nobody likes writing,” he said.

Generally, Johnson creates a melody and then finds a story for it.

“I like to do the melody first, but sometimes that’s not quite how it works,” he said.

The draw to acoustic guitar, Johnson said, is due to his fascination with how it can weave in and out of a song. His taste, however, is not limited.

“I love all types of music,” he said. “People say that’s a cop out, but it’s true.”

In the future Johnson hopes to do more with 3 on the Floor.

For now, he’s happy with his music career.

“The most fun I’ve had is this last year, gig-wise,” he said.

Robert Villanueva can be reached at (270) 505-1743 or rvillanueva@thenewsenterprise.com.