The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Victor Johnson had folks howling like the big bad wolf at the Sisters Folk Festival Children’s Stage last weekend. His spirited rendition of the “Tale of the Three Little Pigs” brought kids dancing towards the stage and had parents and grandparents tapping their feet.

Oregon’s own singer-songwriter guitarist jokes he’s like a “hipper Mr. Rogers” if the longtime PBS host had played in a Cajun band. He said lots of mainstream children’s music and movies today have adult themes to appeal to parents but that’s an “insult to kids’ intelligence” because they get the hidden meaning. Johnson’s music is both family-friendly and cool.

“That’s why our music flies with kids. We’re not dumbing it down,” said Johnson who wants to preserve real music and play it in a style appealing to kids.

Johnson has recently gained wide media recognition as a hot new artist on the national children’s music scene. His recent acclaim includes winning Best New Artist for preschoolers from the Children’s Music Web Awards. His CD “Country Blues for Kids” was featured in Parenting magazine and won the prestigious Parents Choice Award. Johnson was profiled on OPB’s Oregon Art Beat and his original song “Django’s Cadillac” was played on NPR’s Car Talk.

“I want to impact people — fame means nothing to me,” said Johnson.

However, some of his recent attention has been surprising. Johnson learned his music was popular in the Netherlands and found out his rendition of “Froggy Went a-Courting” was a top download on iPod.

“You do your best to create good music. Then it does its own thing,” said Johnson.

Playing to a full audience Saturday afternoon at Depot Deli’s Children’s Stage, Johnson demonstrated he is keeping roots music alive whether he is adding his own cool sound to the ABC song or singing his own creation.

To hear Johnson’s fresh interpretation of traditional songs such as “You Are My Sunshine” is like hearing them for the first time.

Although Johnson lives in nearby Hood River, he had never performed in Sisters. Last Friday he joined the Americana Project, teaching music in Sisters schools. He was “overwhelmed” by the quality and enthusiasm of the students and teachers. Johnson predicts that Sisters will become the next hotbed of songwriters.

“These kids are really hip in the music they’re playing,” said Johnson, who added he hopes to return to Sisters. “We love it here — everybody treated us like royalty.”

Johnson grew up in a house alive with music listening to songs handed down through generations. He was influenced by Mississippi John Hurt and Woodie Guthrie. A recent influence is his own eight-year-old daughter.

Johnson said sports are fine activities for kids but “football ends — music you can play until you drop.”

Johnson performs mostly in the Pacific Northwest as a solo act, a duo or trio. He debuted his first children’s CD, “County Blues for Kids,” in 2004. Next he released “Kid at Heart.” He is releasing a new CD for kids in October.

For more information visit http://www.victorjohnson.com.