Read Joseph R. Johnson’s memoriam
Twenty-three-year member Joe Johnson is a past author as well as the on-site coordinator of our 1988 and 1992 conventions. He works as Museum Educator at the Shrine to Music Museum. Joe passed away in 2012, read his memoriam.
▪ bio current as of 1991
1991
AL#27 p.46 BRB3 p.118
Joseph R. Johnson Hideo Kamimoto
▪ The famous repairman/author discusses his book, his history as a luthier, and his expectations for his own future.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
1990
AL#21 p.44 BRB2 p.262
Joseph R. Johnson
▪ A number of non-mandolins were considered to be intrinsic parts of the mandolin orchestras. This installment of the series looks at all the boys in the band (and some girls, too). With 16 photos and a few drawings.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
1989
AL#20 p.8 BRB2 p.262
Joseph R. Johnson
▪ Johnson examines the mandolin orchestra at the turn of the century when an aggressive ad campaign by Gibson changed the look and sound of the American mandolin forever. With 13 photos. Part One is in AL#19. Part Three is in AL#21.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
1989
AL#19 p.34 BRB2 p.262
Joseph R. Johnson
▪ Mandolin mania in America was a social phenomenon that was inflated to the max by the Gibson Company advertising propaganda. This portion of the series details the rise of the mandolin orchestras and mandolin clubs. With 9 photos and a Gibson cartoon. Part Two and Part Three follow in AL#20 and AL#21.
This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.
1989
AL#18 p.56
Joseph R. Johnson
▪ Johnson offers another pep talk to the Guild. He finds that the GAL is doing everything they promised, and doing it well. Why aren’t we surprised?
1988
AL#15 p.56 BRB2 p.100
Joseph R. Johnson
▪ Johnson offers a brief note about the Witten-Rawlins collection that was recently acquired by the Shrine to Music Museum. With photos and a museum checklist.
1988
AL#15 p.69 BRB2 p.492
Joseph R. Johnson
▪ The reviewer is enthusiastic about the research potential of this updated book, and believes it will be of use to the repairman who may face Larson instruments on his bench.
1987
AL#12 p.8 BRB1 p.448 read this article
Joseph R. Johnson
▪ Johnson examines a Stradivarius guitar from the Shrine to Music collection. With 8 photos.
1987
AL#10 p.44 BRB1 p.398
Joseph R. Johnson
▪ This is a checklist of what to look for when you get there. Also, a reason to go.
1987
AL#9 p.56 BRB1 p.499 read this article
Joseph R. Johnson
▪ The reviewer finds that the book “falls short of being a thorough international bibliography, but will prove valuable to guitar and vihuela teachers, students, and luthiers.”