Reflections - Vann Johnson Info

Vann Johnson

Back in 1991, Vann left Detroit and moved to L.A. to pursue her life's ambition of singing. She credits Michael Bolton with giving her her first big break. At the time, Bolton was putting together the singers for his tour, and happened to catch the end of Vann's weekly nightclub act at the Universal Hilton. After spending five years working with him, she moved on to Yanni.

Her performance of "Love is All" at the Taj is an event she says will stay with her forever. After her mother died in late '97, Vann decided to dedicate the song to her memory. "Each night before I sing, I say a prayer asking that I be used as a vehicle to touch the hearts and souls of everyone there and to inspire them to pass on the message of love."

After she finished the Tribute tour with Yanni in 1998, she released her debut CD "Messages." See her official bio and website link below for more information.

Vann's Official Bio

For Vann Johnson, music has always been the message. The moments that inspire, touch and challenge Vann as an artist are part of the music and the message in her forthcoming CD, Messages.

The universal themes in Messages are ones that not only resonate for Vann, but will for the listener, too. The songs -- many of which Vann wrote herself -- take a melodic, insightful approach to the themes of love and loss, hope and passion, and even simpler things like someone's need for a little more attention.

"I think that I'm supposed to write about these things," says Vann. "Some of the songs have to do with my own personal challenges, but when I write a song, I look at the theme of what I'm saying purely from the standpoint of what someone may need. Life can be really simple, but sometimes we forget and make life more complicated than it needs to be."

One of the songs on Messages, entitled "Some Rules Were Made To Be Broken," is an anthem to pursuing your dreams in spite of doubts from within...and without. As Vann sings in "Rules:" You'll face tough decisions, choices and opinions. Be strong, so strong. Never loose your focus, though the road seems hopeless, when you're facing the unknown. There's a reason for your being. You were chosen from the start, as you stand and make a difference, you'll inspire hearts...

Vann has been inspiring hearts ever since her voice met a microphone. As Vann's fans well know, the Detroit native headed for Los Angeles in 1991 to pursue her life's ambition, only to have that dream briefly deferred when the gig she was counting on fell through. With just $75 to her name, Vann spent her days cleaning houses and her nights concentrating on her singing career until a lucky break arrived in the form of Michael Bolton. The r&b balladeer just happened to catch the end of Vann's set at the Universal Hilton, where she sang one night each week in the hotel's nightclub. That chance meeting led to a successful audition and a gig touring with Bolton for the next five years.

Vann next began touring with Yanni as a featured soloist -- performing with the renowned musician at the Forbidden City in China, India's Taj Mahal, in Europe and across the U.S. In addition to taking part in the Yanni tour, Vann had the honor of performing the hit ballad "Love Is All," the musician's first-ever song with lyrics, which was featured on Yanni's million-selling "Tribute" CD.

Vann credits both Bolton and Yanni for providing the influences that form her unique approach to music. With Messages, Vann combines orchestral music and international percussions into a style that Upscale Magazine recently described as "New Age Soul."

"I don't like labeling music," says Vann, "but that is a reality of this business. What I do, what I sing, is my own. It's music based on life's experiences. I leave it up to the listener to fill in the blanks from their own perspective. Where my music takes them and what it means to them is up to each individual."

Listeners will soon be able to find their own meaning in the messages with the Fall release of the Messages CD. The Messages CD will include "Rules" and several other Vann Johnson originals.

Vann has spent the past four months in the recording studio working on Messages with the knowledge that her fans are anxiously awaiting her solo debut. Fans became familiar with the artist through her performances with Bolton and Yanni and through her popular website - www.vannjohnson.com - where Vann provides updates on her activities on the road and off and where she responds to emails and notes of encouragement.

"When I've had difficult times, I've drawn on the strength of the thoughts and prayers that Vann fans have shared," she says. "I am blessed to have such wonderful fans and I have missed them. And I'd like for my fans to know that they, too, are a source of inspiration for me and my music."

It is appropriate that Vann Johnson is among the few performers ever to sing in front of the Taj Mahal -- known as one of the Seven Wonders of the World -- because her voice is also a wondrous thing in itself.

For Johnson, a featured soloist touring with international superstar Yanni, performing his ballad "Love Is All" in concert at the Taj Mahal is a moment in time she says will stay with her forever. And, Johnson admits that Yanni’s soaring, haunting anthem to love is a song that has changed her life, as well.

"I remember standing in front of the Taj Mahal about to sing ‘Love Is All’ and fighting back the tears," says Johnson softly. "To be asked by Yanni to deliver this message of love and tolerance from such a magnificent place in the world was just an overwhelming feeling. I’ll never forget it."

"Love Is All" took on an even more poignant meaning for the singer last December when her mother passed away from cancer while Johnson was on tour. After attending her mother’s funeral in Michigan, Johnson flew immediately to Pensacola, Florida to re-join the Yanni tour for a concert scheduled for that evening.

"I was in shock, but I knew that my mother wasn’t in pain anymore," says Johnson. "My performance of ‘Love Is All’ has been different ever since because it’s dedicated to the life and memory of my mother. And each night before I sing, I say a prayer asking that I be used as a vehicle to touch the hearts and souls of everyone there and to inspire them to pass on the message of love."

In addition to being featured on the Yanni tour, Johnson’s rendition of "Love Is All" is included on the artist’s million-selling "Tribute" CD, and she appears in the video for the ballad, which was also shot at the Taj Mahal.

A combination of talent, faith, determination, and, of course, luck, are among the elements that have helped forge Johnson’s current success. She left Detroit for Los Angeles in 1991 to pursue her life’s ambition -- only to learn that the paying singing job she had been counting on was canceled. With just $75 to her name, Johnson spent her days cleaning houses and her nights concentrating on her singing career…until a lucky break arrived in the form of Michael Bolton. The r&b balladeer just happened to catch the end of Johnson’s set at the Universal Hilton, where she sang one night each week in the hotel’s nightclub.

"Michael was dropping off some band members who were staying at the hotel, and he came into the club for a minute," says Johnson, still sounding surprised by her good fortune. "He asked me a whole bunch of questions after my set and then he disappeared." Bolton was putting together singers for his upcoming tour, and Johnson was later invited to audition.

"I went to several auditions, and when Michael told me I had the gig, I just went crazy with joy -- right there on the spot -- because at that time I didn’t know where my next dollar was coming from, and I knew that I didn’t want to have to sleep in my car again," says Johnson.

But that wasn’t the last surprise Bolton had in store for her. Later on in the tour, Johnson was selected to duet with Bolton on the hit ballad "We’re Not Making Love Anymore," which he originally recorded with Patti Labelle. Johnson’s new assignment came just ten minutes before going on stage for their opening night at L.A.’s Universal Amphitheater.

"I was a little bit nervous," says Johnson, "but that was certainly not the time to start second-guessing yourself or your talent. That kind of opportunity is something an artist prepares for in the hope that it will happen some day. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and it happened to me!"

Johnson continued touring with Bolton for five more years until beginning her current work with Yanni, and says she’s learned a lot from both musicians that will guide her as she embarks on her solo singing career.

"Working with Michael provided an introduction to the industry on a level where very few people get a chance to start," says Johnson. "Yanni has given me a different kind of confidence. Whereas this industry thinks they have a sense of who you should be, Yanni believes in being who he is…and if you keep that in mind as an artist, you can’t go wrong."