Cory Johnson

I started playing guitar when I was 14,and not very well.I knew about six chords (two different progressions) And after a couple of weeks I started writing songs(good ones for a 14 year old:)And next thing I knew I started getting alot of attention from people and I liked it;) A friend of mine who had a friend who had a band eieio! and in this band who had a friend who was a friend of a friend of mine eieio! Ok,ok enough of that!! So anyway, I got to go sit in with this band.They would hide me beside the drums on a little stool and I would get up and do a couple of songs, and the people would clap and I liked it even more!!!! So from then on I was hooked!
In January of 90(I was 28) I made the move to Nashvegas(where the lights are bright and the stars are burned out!) And I got to see what the real business was like.Oh how I loved it!!!!!Songwriters everywhere,in the rounds (not to be confused with in the buffs),writers nights,parties,free food! (which is important to someone who is starving).And there I knocked on doors and played all my wonderful songs for anyone who would listen.I heard things like:heard it,it's already been done,are you from Oklahoma?I could tell by the way your jeans stack on your boots!(Garth Brooks manager)And my favorite one is"Man! I love your lyrics but you need to work on your melodies" can you come back on thursday? I've got a guy I want you to write with.Sure! I said.So I went back on thursday and the other guy didn't show,So he says play me some more of your stuff(Thats what they call music down there)So I played him some more of "my stuff"And he says"Man I love your melodies but you need to work on your lyrics"But didn't ask me to come back.So I drove to my apartment in the rain and started writing songs about rain and missing home and all that crap!And one day I woke up and the rain had stopped.So I drove back down to music row and went to a.s.c.a.p.(look it up)And met a guy named John Briggs.What a guy he was and is! Anyway, I joined ascap and went back home.Later that afternoon the phone rang, and it was John Briggs.He said, Hey man I was just thinking do you play basketball? and I said,Why yes I do.So he invited me out to play with a bunch of guys in the stuff business.I mean music business!
So when I got there John started introducing me to everyone as a great new writer that just moved to town.And everyone said "COOL"(thats what they say down there)So I continued to play basketball every tues.night and met some great guys.This one guy I met was James Dean Hicks who wrote songs like Goodbye Time,It Takes a Little Rain,Grandpa Told Me So.Just to name a few.One night I asked him if I could set up a meeting and play him some of "my stuff"(trying to fit in)And he said sure I'd love to hear it.And so began my few years as a "Songwriter"Well James and I wrote alot of songs and he got everything in my catalog(thats where they put your "stuff") put on hold at one time or another.So I felt pretty good about that.I got so close to making it on to John Michael Montgomery's Album with a song called "When It Rains I Pour"And Rick Trevino with a song called "Knock Knock Who Cares"Well anyway that was pretty close!
In 93 I decided to try and do this from home, and kind of just let life take over.So here I am In Oklahoma still dreaming.I still have alot of great friends in Nashville and see them alot,and I'm still holding out for that one great song!