Belle Vernon High School Alumni
Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania (PA)
Thom Johnson
Belle Vernon High School
Class of 1975
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THOM'S PROFILE
| First Name | Thom |
| Last Name | Johnson |
| Graduation Year | Class of 1975 |
| Gender | Male |
| Hometown | Fayette City, Pennsylvania |
| Relationship Status | Married |
| About Me | Keyboardist / vocalist / song writer. Over 40 years in the Music Industry Began life as a piano player at age 6 started taking lessons from Joe Bell, by age 11 I was playing the Warsaw Concerto from memory. I then began taking lessons on organ and piano from Ed Sedlar. I use to think that 2 hours a day practicing while my friends were all outside was a waste of time and energy. Only to prove me wrong, as the band offers started rolling in, but not as a keyboardist, but as a bass guitarist. I learned to play bass on my own as it was cheaper and easier to transport than an old upright or a Conn organ. My career as a musician had just started. My parents noticing the waste of talent of me playing a bass, rushed out and bought me a Farfisa double manual organ and a set of Moog bass pedals. Immediately I was offered a job with an oldies band, Bill Cornell and the Prophets. This actually put money in my pocket 3 nights a week and my parents were more than willing to take me and pick me up at the jobs. Now that was true dedication on my parents part, my dad worked shifts in the steel mill so mom sometimes had to pick me up at between 2 and 3am. I have been on the road numerous times with numerous bands. Have played with a lot of heavy hitters before they were known when I lived in California, back in the late 70s early 80s. Once home and broke as most of us were back then, I formed a band called Sudden Darkness and was picked up by an agent from England named, Berny Beezy, she was a total trip. She managed me and a local band, Arnie and the Country Classics, which was a Elvis tribute band. She hooked myself and a very good friend of mine Sam Pierce up with Arnie and it was a very short lived experience. My best memories with them was playing the State Music Hall and meeting Marty Robins. Berny also hooked up Sudden Darkness with a British rocker, Pete Stephens, who at the time had a record in the top 20 in England. She brought him to America and wanted our band to back him up. Pete came out and jammed with us at the old "Stone Castle" on Rt. 51. We have a recording of that night somewhere on 4 track, I think Rich Krivda still has it. We turned down back...(read more) |
Class of 1975 Alumni and Other Nearby Classes
→ Reunite with 28 class of 1975 alumni that have joined.
Lauri Vitovic
Class of 1976
Leigh Thompson
Class of 2000
Rose Forbes
Class of 1984
James Smichnick
Class of 1965
Karen Holt
Class of 1983
Brittany Roper
Class of 2012
Laura Huss
Class of 2000
Kris Garbig
Class of 1983
Barbie Breckenridge
Class of 1985
Mark Jurik
Class of 1986
Al Steen
Class of 1960
Jennifer Kohler
Class of 1991
Athena Seftas
Class of 2012
Lisa Booley
Class of 1993
Nancy Dobosh
Class of 1968
Burt Williams
Class of 1983
Carl Duda
Class of 1989
Kimberley Vescio
Class of 1990
Recent Class of 1975 Reunions
Plan a Class of 1975 Reunion for Free
RETRO RETREAT for BVA Class Reunions
Invited Classes: All Classes
Description: This 3 Bedroom, 2 1/2 Bath Nostalgic Guesthouse is perfect for out of town friends or relatives in town for a Class Reun...(read more)