By Mark Saxenmeyer
Rebel
May 25, 1983

At age 19, national pop music star Michael Johnson cut his first album. At age 19, Michaek Johnson was an alcoholic. Johnson, 38, has been speaking to "anyone who'll listen" for the past year, and recently cam to Jefferson.

Johnson, in an interview with the REBEL, spoke about alcoholism and the chemically dependent; he also spoke about himself. Known for such top ten hits as "Bluer Than Blue," "This Night Won't Last Forever," and "Almost Like Being in Love," Johnson said he came to grips with his chemical dependency two and a half years ago. Since then, he's become very vocal about his problem.

"Career pressure was an excuse for me to use drugs." he remarked. Johnson believed that the pressure wasn't worsened because of his presence in the public eye. "There are just as many alcoholics in computer programming." he said.

Johnson said that he felt people had an "inability to feel" which could lead to alcohol as an escape from their fears or problems. His talk at Jefferson, given to the STARR program, dealt with how to grow - emotionally, and career-wise. He said he hoped his own dependence would "make it real" for kids but stressed, "I can't get well for people."

Johnson has travelled all around the world. He was an actor on Broadway in New York, lived in Paris. and studied classical guitar in Barcelona for a year. In September, the debut of his eighth album has him "hopeful but with no expectations."

In the future, Johnson hopes to continue talking to people. He said, "It's good for me. It keeps me sober, and it keeps me straight." Unlike his past, he observed, "I make the best of things, when I used to make the worst of them."

Johnson also hopes to continue with his music, and watch his kids grow up. He added, "I want to continue to grow up, too.