When jazz guitarist Randy Johnston graduated from the University of Miami in 1981, he took off for New York City in a used Plymouth Volare and $200 in cash – both of which were given to him by his father.
Armed with a jazz degree, a Gibson ES-175 and the chops to go with it as a working musician, he was ready.
"I drove up there and started playing on the street," Johnston said. He only knew one other person there, his best friend and now renowned jazz bass player Nat Reeves, who was also playing on the street at that time.
Johnston was born in Detroit and moved to Richmond, Va., when he was 13. He started playing rock music as a teenager, but switched his focus to jazz.
In New York, Johnston quickly picked up gigs – starting with an after-hours club where he’d start at 4 or 5 in the morning and play until 9 or 10. Early on, he found himself playing with notable jazz musicians like saxophonist Warne Marsh and organist "Brother" Jack McDuff.
"I played for many, many years at different jazz clubs in Harlem and along what they would call the Chitlin Circuit," Johnston said.
At one of those clubs, The Baby Grand on 125th Street near the fabled Apollo Theater, Johnston met saxophonist Houston Person and jazz vocalist Etta Jones. He cited both for starting him on his recording career with Joe Fields at Muse Records, a small but influential jazz label.
Since then, Johnson has recorded 14 solo albums for five labels and has toured extensively in the U.S., Europe, Asia and South America – with his own projects as well as with the likes of alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson.
"The first guitarist in his band was Grant Green, the second one was George Benson," he said. "There were a few others in between, but I was the last one and stayed with him for 18 years."
Johnston moved back to Virginia in 2015 and relocated to Little River in 2022.
Johnston said he had no trouble finding tons of gigs on the Grand Strand, including regular shows with Leroy Harper Jr. at the Star Tavern.
"Leroy used to play [alto saxophone] with James Brown, and he encouraged me to get down here," he said. "If I were to play straight-ahead jazz here, I wouldn’t have that many gigs, but I sing too and play a lot of blues and my own versions of classic rock songs – and even a few country songs in my own way."
Catch Johnston doing his thing at a Blues Brunch at Local Eat Drink Celebrate in Pawleys Island on Nov. 17 from 12–3 p.m.
For more about the venue, visit www.pawleyslocal.com. For everything about Johnston, go to www.facebook.com/randy.johnston.1291.
A TOOTHY TIME AT BROOKGREEN GARDENS
Shark teeth are common finds on beaches along the Grand Strand. But identifying the shark they came from is a bit more complex – unless you talk to an expert. On Nov. 14, you can do just that. Join shark tooth hunter Charles Shelton Jr. of Myrtle Beach Shark Teeth for an educational session called "Secrets of Shark Teeth and Other Fossils" at Brookgreen Gardens’ Ron Daise Auditorium from 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Learn how to hunt shark teeth and other fossils like a pro and sharpen your identification skills with a man who has been doing that for more than 35 years. If you have a stash of shark teeth at home already, bring them in for identification. For more information about Myrtle Beach Shark Teeth, visit www.myrtlebeachsharkteeth.com. The event is free with gardens admission. Go to www.brookgreen.org for details.
FROLIC WITH THE FAMILY
Escape the rat race with your family and enjoy a fall morning in the Lowcountry splendor of Hobcaw Barony’s historic Victory Garden in Georgetown County. Hop on the bus for a short ride and visit educational stations throughout the garden at Bellefield, set within Hobcaw Barony’s jaw-dropping 16,000 acres. Enjoy a snack area featuring freshly prepared produce.
The Family Fun: Fall Frolic in the Garden event is on Nov. 16 from 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. Tickets are $15 per adult and $10 per child. For more information and to book your visit, go to www.hobcawbarony.org.
LITERARY LUNCH IN PAWLEYS ISLAND
Author Sarah Loudin Thomas won the Selah Book of the Year Award in 2021 for her novel, "The Right Kind of Fool," and the Inspy Award for "Miracle in a Dry Season" in 2015. She has also been a finalist for the Christy Award, the Christian Book of the Year Award and the American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award.
Thanks to your friends at Litchfield Books, you can rub elbows with Thomas at Caffee Piccolo in Pawleys Island from 10:45 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Nov. 15. For $35, you get a meet and greet, lunch and dessert, and a personalized book signing. Her newest offering "These Tangled Threads: A Novel of Biltmore" will be available for purchase. For complete details, visit www.litchfieldbooks.com.