Battling Addiction on the Road and Restoring the Family

Jamie Johnson is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist. A 1990 graduate of Milan High School, Jamie Johnson got his start with a local group called the Wildwood Valley Boys and a traveling band called The Boys from Indiana, for whom he sang tenor.  Noted for his good voice and songwriting abilities, Johnson took the leap of faith and moved to Nashville at age twenty-five. After starting out singing for demos, he played at the Grand Ole Opry with Gail Davies. In 2001, he joined a bluegrass band called the Sidemen, which had a regular gig at the famous Station Inn.  Fronted by Terry Eldredge, the Sidemen were known for their perfect vocal blend between Eldredge and Johnson. Partly because of that blend, six Nashville musicians – including Johnson and Eldredge – were inspired to form a bluegrass supergroup called the Grascals in 2004. Interestingly, the Grascals gave their debut performance at a small bluegrass festival in Johnson’s hometown of Milan.  With the Grascals, Johnson served as the lead guitarist (left-handed), secondary singer, spokesman, and songwriter.  At some point, Johnson started singing lead with Grascals; however, he left the group in 2015, but has recently filled in on tours. Coming up on eight years of sobriety, Jamie has become a vocal proponent for addiction therapy using music, and a strong supporter of those undergoing treatment, especially in the music business.