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A Waynesville business owner says he likes to provide a little music therapy for his customers.
Steve Johnson’s store, Waynesville Music, opened last year, and he says it exudes a relaxed, easygoing vibe.
Customers are treated to wood floors covered with oriental rugs accenting the variety of guitars, violins and mandolins hanging from the wood-paneled walls, and several vinyl record albums.
The store serves musicians in the Waynesville area.
Coming from a background in managing large music stores like Mars and Willis Music, Johnson wanted a shop that was more friendly and intimate. Both he and David Hood, who works in the store, agree on how they treat people.
“We wanted a personal relationship with our customers,” Johnson said.
“We want them to know we are interested in them. The way people treat each other is really important to me.”
Johnson teaches guitar lessons to more than 34 students at Waynesville Music on the weekends and another 30 students weekly at Play It Again Music in Dayton.
Using a structured method, Johnson teaches sight reading and then builds on that, allowing students to play music they like.
Johnson says he wants the students, both adult and children, to have fun during the lessons.
“I jam with them. I have a drum machine ... we have the academic thing in the background and then play rock ’n’ roll.”
When the weather warms up, Johnson plans to have informal jam sessions on Friday nights on the deck behind the store. Johnson wants the improvisational music sessions to be inclusive, free of competitive playing. “We make no judgments with people that play. For me, art and music aren’t competitions.”
Growing up in Columbus, Johnson was greatly inspired by his musician brother, Mike, who he says was his mentor all his life. “He got me started — introduced me into blues, folk music, rock ’n’ roll, blue grass,” he said.
Johnson, who taught himself to play the guitar, began playing lead guitar in numerous bands, starting in junior high where he played a rock ’n’ roll band called Stinky and the Right Guards. One member of the band, bass player Jeff D’Angelo (brother of actress Beverly D’Angelo), played for many years with Doc Severinsen, leader of the “Tonight Show” orchestra.
Johnson played with bands ranging from rock ’n’ roll to bluegrass before he started managing large music stores in the Cincinnati area.
In his late 50s, he went back to school and studied music theory at Sinclair Community College.
Johnson now lives closer to his sister, Sue Hartshorn, who owns a farm in Waynesville.
“This is a wonderful place and the people have been so nice,” Johnson said.
“It has brought me a lot of happiness and really given me a home.”
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