Soho Johnny: "Always Drive the Bus in Life, Never Be a Passenger"

We are here tonight at the Legend of Vinyl Awards and I thought I it would be a good opportunity to talk about music with SoHo Johnny, an entertainment producer, recording artist, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. At the crux of beginning a passionate career in the field of music entertainment, Johnny has been invited into a new dimension of possibilities. Already having a successful business he considers himself blessed, and now chooses to help the less fortunate through the realm of music…..

Why was it important for you to come here tonight?

Because I share the passion with the founder Luis Rizzo, and what he’s doing in unifying these artists and DJs. I’m similar to him and I understand how he feels. It’s not about money, it’s something that he has to do to recognize all these people that have brought joy to so many lives. People in the background who brought so much love and entertainment to so many of us over the years. How many out there are listening to this music right now, music that takes you back to the 70s or 80s, and it just brings you back in a time warp to that type of feeling and what was going on in your life. That’s the pleasure in the beauty of music. It makes life a little bit better, if things are good it makes things a little bit better. We all have our ups and downs, trials and tribulations, but every day is a blessing and a gift. This man shares my vision and I have the utmost respect for him.

You also have your own event to benefit the American Cancer Society, it’s a lot of hard work, pressure, money, so why in life did you decide to take on a project like the Summer Disco Extravaganza?

I think it was something that evolved since I was very young when I used to have parties after grammar school. I was having parties in my parents garage at my first house back in the Bronx. I used to have friends over after school. Those days in the city in the Bronx their used to be gangs and a lot of drugs. We have that today too, but NEW YORK was different back then. My parents tolerated it and were happy that at least it was in my backyard in the garage. In the garage I had a strobe light and all this music. We weren’t angels, but we were good hearted people deep inside and we made it. And here we are. Throughout my life I’ve always enjoyed throwing a party. I mean, it just starts with that purity of my life. I enjoy making people happy, I enjoy watching people’s faces, and it gave back to me. It’s a momentary escape from what everyone is doing in their life. That’s what Entertainment is all about. It’s a little escape to feeling good, being with your friends or sharing a moment, and I think that’s so important. It makes life go by a little simpler. So, throughout my entire life I’ve thrown parties. When I was younger it wasn’t professional. I used to do a family get together for a family reunion or brought people together that hadn’t spoken in years. It was great. It was like I was the Geneva convention. It became a passion. I’m a guy behind the desk in the city, a real estate guy. My parents had a trucking business, so I had a good start. I was blessed. I was a hard worker, but I have always gravitated to this because it’s such a feel-good thing for me to do, and it was a feel-good thing to see other people smile. I’ve done more and more and then I got involved with helping out the American Cancer Society. I did something for the Humane Society for animals years ago. I intend to do another one of them, but especially for cancer. I think the cancer is one of the most deadly diseases that touches all of us. At my events I ask, “how many of us have been touched by cancer, who has lost somebody or know somebody that is suffering?” There are plenty of great charity causes out there, we all pick one, we all have to do something. I always say “if we do nothing, nothing gets done.” That’s one of my models and I think that it’s something that if you tie it with music, and you have few good moments, and you bring people together for a cause, there is so much love and support that comes out of it. It really is a common denominator. There’s no prejudice, there’s no alienation, it’s a common thing for all of us, it’s community. It’s so rewarding to me to be a part of that.

If you could write the soundtrack of your life, what songs would be on it?

I’ve got a whole litany of them. I like classic rock, classic disco, freestyle, I’m composing my own now. That’s soon to be a new doorway for me. I’ll start with classic rock because that came before disco. Sometimes these may not be the top hits for example Pink Floyd, “Dark-side Of The Moon”, “Us and Them.” I love it. I gravitate towards love ballads, all these love stories in music that affect you and touch us, the hopeless romantic in all of us. The devoted husband, the devoted wife, the devoted partner, it’s all about how we connect with people. Some music like that inspires me. I’m drawing a blank right now but there were so many of them. If you give me sometime, I’ll give you a list.

Actually, that was a perfect answer. If you could live your life all over again looking backwards would you have gone into MUSIC full-time?

I consider myself blessed. I’m made my mistakes, if I look back, I could’ve done this or that better. Nobody’s perfect. When you look back on your life you think that there is always something that could have been done better for example, I could’ve been a better person. I gauge the ceiling with myself, I’ve always had that sincerity inside. I was always a live and let live type of guy. A lot of times when you’re younger you keep things in. So, what I would’ve done or should I say unleashed or let this out sooner in my life so that I could’ve touched people earlier. When I was a child I used to stutter. I was a very shy kid. As I got older, I made it a point to get a better command and be more articulate of the English vocabulary. So, if I could do it over, I would definitely relate more in the public eye. I would’ve had a lot more connectivity. I think I lost a lot of opportunity. I had a wonderful family and a wonderful dad, but to me it’s all about reaching out.

Knowing what you know now what advice would you give to Baby Johnny?

If you could go with your heart, make a go of it in life and be a successful partner, successful business, successful person, successful friend and tie everything together, and make sure everything is balanced…”Always drive the bus in life, don’t be a passenger.”