Born and raised in the Netherlands, only a few miles away from Amsterdam.
Only 16 years old, he became one of the founding members of Dutch `beatband`
The Devotions and toured Holland, Germany and Belgium and recorded some 45¹s which are now collectors items.
After a few members were drafted, the band broke up and JJ kept himself alive playing for various local bands, experimenting various music-styles.
But finally JJ found his real music destiny; Country Music.
Now on stage his repertoire streches from the early songs Hank Williams and Bob Wills' western swing, via songs of George Jones, Merle Haggard to today´s country music.
His breakthrough came when he was invited to come to the United States to record a CD at the studio¹s of Ex'pression, Center of New Media in Emeryville California..
For the recording of this CD 'Nothin' Wrong With Me' he was coupled with veteran producer / songwriter/multy-instrumentalist Scott Mathews. Scott worked with all time greats as Glen Campbell, John Lee Hooker and Roy Orbison.
Scott Mathews wrote two songs for the CD, including the title song which he co-wrote with Al Anderson, whom already had written hit songs for people like The Mavericks, LeAnn Rimes and Diamond Rio.
Soon after it´s release the CD was chosen best country CD in Belgium.
Two songs from the CD were released on Country Hot Disc and reached high
rankings in the World Wide Mainstream Most Played Artists Chart.
With the title track of the CD JJ Johns appeared4 times on Dutch TV and several times on Maltese TV. Resulting in a performance for the "Country Music Appreciation Society Malta" where he was proclaimed" Honorary Member" of this Society. Then on "Country Hot Disk" and "Western Heart Promotions" JJ together with Ernie Ashworth did a duet version of "Hold Up In Some Honky Tonk" another song from the "Nothin' Wrong" CD. This duet reached a # 26 position in the World Wide Mainstream Most Played Artists Chart.
In 2003 JJ recorded his second CD “Songs That Make The Jukebox Play”, again with producer Scott Mathews and this time in Scott´s own Tiki Town Studio. On this CD a duet with JJ´s favourite “Queen of the Honky Tonks” Heather Myles and again a duet with American country music veteran Ernie Ashworth. The CD “Songs That Make The Jukebox Play” again was very successful in the Worldwide Mainstream Most Played Artists Chart and the duet with Heather Myles, United We Fall, even reached for a few weeks the #1 position in the European Most Popular Independent Tracks Chart.
In 2005 JJ and Marja moved to Portugal to start their B&B Vivenda Yucca, but just before they left Belgium JJ recorded another CD produced by his old friend Nick McAlley. While for the other 2 CD´s JJ had tried to pick rare and unknown songs, this time he went for the old standards and #1 hits of country music like; Tom Dooley, Cool Water, High Noon, King of the Road etc. Name of the CD is “Only Gold” and the musicians were all European top instrumentalists like on pedal steel Rob van Duuren, on fiddle Joost van Es and guitar picker Wim van der Vliert.
