Photographer Pat Johnson has fond reminiscences of rising up in Cleveland. Johnson, who lived in Brookpark and went to Midpark Excessive Faculty, discovered images from his highschool trainer earlier than transferring to San Francisco in 1971 and pursuing a profession as a business photographer.

Johnson’s storied images profession consists of an emphasis on rock ’n’ roll. He served because the official shooter for the Bay Space Music Awards (Bammies) and Sonoma’s B.R. Cohn Fall Music Pageant. He’s additionally had an extended skilled and private affiliation with the rock band Journey. His images has appeared in Rolling Stone, Individuals, Time and Billboard in addition to on many CD and album covers, together with releases by Elvin Bishop, Journey, Ian Hunter and UFO.

“Rising up in Brookpark was actually cool,” Johnson says by way of cellphone from his Bay Space dwelling. Johnson involves Cleveland later this month on a e book tour to assist Blue Collar Photographer, his new e book of pictures (the varied dates of his appearances are listed on the finish of this text). “I’ve lived right here in San Francisco for over 50 years, however I nonetheless have pricey buddies there. Everybody right here associates me with Cleveland. After I was a child, I used to be a music nut. I nonetheless have [Cleveland] bands just like the Tree Stumps and the Choir in my mind. I didn’t play music, however I went to all of the bars as a result of I had a pretend ID once I was 16. I’d watch the native bands.”

Johnson’s solely rock pictures from Cleveland embrace a shot he took of the Rolling Stones from “up within the balcony” and a photograph of Sonny and Cher from a WIXY 1260 AM occasion that happened in 1966.

After dropping out of Ohio College, the place he majored in images, he determined to maneuver to San Francisco. He wasn’t planning to develop into a photographer, however he acquired a job at a photograph lab and that led to a different job at a photograph lab. He grew to become pal with Doug Rauch, the bassist within the second iteration of Santana. He helped Rauch purchase digital camera tools, and Rauch invited him to see Santana play at Winterland on New Yr’s Eve in 1973.

“I used to be a 22-year-old child from Cleveland, and Santana was a god to me,” says Johnson. “I used to be flabbergasted. I acquired my Hasselblad and borrowed a lens from my boss. Me and my late spouse went there. I didn’t even count on my identify to be on the listing. I went there simply take footage of Santana. The opening act was a band referred to as Journey. Nobody had ever heard of them. I regarded up and took 4 footage of [guitarist] Neal Schon after which proceeded to shoot 1,000,000 pictures of Santana. Later, Doug comes into my lab, and I present him the images of Santana, and he sees the one shot of Neal Schon and goes, ‘Oh my God.’”

Rauch took the picture to Journey’s supervisor, who employed Johnson to be the band’s official photographer. Johnson did the group’s first band pictures in his lounge and opened his studio in San Francisco in 1978.

“Most photographers would give their proper arm to shoot Journey, and my first studio shot was Journey,” he says. “I didn’t know what I used to be doing, however that was my first studio shot, and I acquired some good photographs.”

In truth, when Journey was inducted into the Rock Corridor, they got here onto to the stage with a Johnson picture within the background.

Johnson says he selected to self-publish e book of pictures as a result of he thought a business writer would take too lengthy to publish the e book. Joel Selvin, the rock critic for the San Francisco Chronicle for a few years, wrote the introduction.

“I employed an editor, and she or he labored not directly with Joel, they usually put it collectively,” says Johnson. “There have been 17 pictures that I needed to have in it. One is Roy Rogers, who is a good pal and a legendary slide guitarist. He’s one in every of my finest buddies and performed at my e book launch celebration out right here. I additionally wished Bone Thugs N Concord as a result of they’re Cleveland. Quite a lot of who I’m as an individual has to do with Cleveland. It’s that ‘fuck you’ mentality.”

He says he seems to be ahead to coming dwelling for his week-long e book tour.

“My finest pal from rising up, contacted a number of the libraries, they usually stated, ‘Sure,’” he says. “For me, it’s simply been a job. I normally don’t discuss myself like this. The fellows on my softball group don’t learn about all this. I’m not that man who simply likes to speak about himself. I’m nonetheless only a Clevelander at coronary heart. I used to be the Golden State Warriors photographer, however I nonetheless rooted for the Cavs. You possibly can’t shake the Cleveland out of me.”

Ebook Signing Tour:
Mac’s-Backs-Books on Coventry
1820 Coventry Rd
Cleveland, OH 44118
Saturday, April 22 | 2-4pm

Fireplace Ebook Store
29 N. Franklin St.
Chagrin Falls, OH 44022
Sunday, April 23 | 1-3pm

Bay Village Cuyahoga County Library
Assembly Room A-116
27400 Wolf Rd
Bay Village, OH 44140
Monday, April 24 | 7-8:30pm

Brecksville Cuyahoga County Library
Assembly Room 75
9089 Brecksville Rd
Brecksville, OH 44022
Tuesday, April 25 | 7-8:30pm

Chagrin Falls Cuyahoga County Library
100 E Orange St
Chagrin Falls, OH 44042
Wednesday, April 26 | 7-8:30pm

Strongsville Cuyahoga County Library
18700 Westwood Dr
Strongsville, OH 44136
Thursday, April 27 | 7-8:30pm
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