Contrary to popular misconceptions, I was not born, nor grew up aspiring to be a singer, songwriter, or yodeler. As a kid growing up during 1940s, ‘50s, and ‘60s, my passions were drawing pictures and writing stories. Sometimes my art instigated a story and sometimes a story instigated my art. With a love for animals and all things wild, I consumed countless books, novels, movies, and documentaries about wild creatures and the adventurers who studied, hunted, trapped, and protected them. My first career goal was to be a Veterinarian and later during my high school years, a Forest Ranger.
​   Following my high school graduation in June 1965, I received a Draft Notice from Uncle Sam and I enlisted in the US Navy in September of that year. Two Vietnam tours, 1967 to 1969, aboard the USS Constellation CVA-64 would change that. After my Honorable Discharge in 1970 I was just too restless to academically focus on the college courses required to pursue a Forestry career so I sought other employment avenues as well as continuing my writings and drawings for a spell. Creating and performing music however, was still the furthest thing from my young mind. However, when music did enter the picture my art and writings often took a bad seat because the music was going places and I was smart enough to pursue it.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                               . . . Mike Johnson, MAJJ Productions