MUSIC

While living in Africa in 2001, Darren Johnson realized he could no longer allow his desire to make music stay quite. It was there he promised himself that he would abandon the practical and pursue his passion.

This Oregon-born singer/songwriter became one of Portland’s most exciting bands, as his independent releases began landing in the hands of fans across the country, his song “Better Than Nothing” got local radio airplay, and he found himself performing on some of the biggest festival stages in the Northwest. In 2008 however, Darren Johnson packed up his car and drove across country to Tennessee to expand his audience and he hasn’t looked back. “I can’t explain it, I just knew it was something I had to do”, he recalls. “Step one was taking my music outside my bedroom, step two was taking it out of the state.” Said to have a sound “that nestles itself somewhere between Coldplay, John Mayer, and Mark Broussard” (The Buffalo Gap, Portland, OR), The Darren Johnson Effort gives new meaning to “a guy and a guitar”. As anyone who has seen him perform live can attest, his big voice, heart felt lyrics and catchy melodies, grabs your attention and doesn’t let go. “Nothing feels better to me than giving everything I have to every performance I play. I guess when it comes down to it, I just purge my heart into song and hope others get something from it.”