Arnetta Johnson on Music Industry Networking, Berklee, Mentorship, and Touring I Ep. 4

Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: What's up, Arnitta? How are you?
Arnetta Johnson: What's up man, all is well, all is well with me and I hope the same for you.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yes, ma'am. Where you at in the world?
Arnetta Johnson: I'm home. I'm in New Jersey. Yes. Yes. I am born and raised, Camden, New Jersey. I'm right by Philly though. So the dirty Jersey, that's Norfolk and all of them. I don't got nothing to with that. Yeah. That's what, yeah.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: The dirty jerseys. You're from Jersey though. Right. That's not- Yonder. Yeah. Yeah. So Jersey, like this crazy where I hear people who are living in like the areas, the hotspots still doing things at the highest level possible. What is that like for you? How do you navigate that space?
Arnetta Johnson: Mm-hmm. Yeah, mean, ⁓ I guess acceptance when I say acceptance, that has nothing to do with anybody but me. So it's just accepting the fact that people like you say that and refer to me because I'm like, who me? because I look at everything as a blessing, you know, I take anything for granted. And the end of the day, it's all about what I said, it's a blessing. You could be booked and busy one day and then not. And I think people get ⁓ complacent, get comfortable
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Right, right, right, right, right, right.
Arnetta Johnson: stop acknowledging their blessings and take it as like, this is just where I'm at now. I'm the guy. That's when stuff start getting shaky and dicey and then you start getting reminders from up above that, yeah. So, that's how I navigate. I keep the grind going because it's... ⁓
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Right. ⁓ huh, ⁓ huh.
Arnetta Johnson: what I desire to do. I actually enjoy playing the trumpet. I enjoy being a musician. So it just brings joy to my heart that I'm able to do it full time in this capacity. So I guess that's what it's like for me. It's fun. I'm like, yeah.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Right. Yeah. How do you navigate the networking aspect of it? Because you're technically not directly around the people doing it all the time, right? But you're you've done it like you're you're continuing to navigate a space. do you navigate that? ⁓
Arnetta Johnson: right. you You gotta get out there. So I come from the era where we were right before social media was like a thing thing. I'm 31 just to age myself. So yeah, I'm in that generation to where we saw, we know what it's like to not have Instagram and we know what it's like to have like all social media platforms. So.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: ⁓ huh. Okay. Hmm. Right, right.
Arnetta Johnson: When I was, I'll say 18, 19, shoot, even before that, if I'm gonna keep it a buck, when I was in high school, we were out at people's events. Like if an artist that we love was in town or the musicians were anywhere around, we were gonna find a way to meet them, whether it's asking our band teacher, hey, do you know this person? Can you try to get them up over here or?
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Right. Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: I don't know if we see that there'll be at a jam session over in Philly. A lot of those clubs were 21 plus. I'll be honest and say this. If there's a will, there's a way. We got in. We figured it out. And it was literally the focus was just to meet those musicians. It wasn't just to hang out. could care, I'm an introvert. I couldn't care less. I could not care any less about, yeah.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yep. in figure it out. Yep, I'm with you.
Arnetta Johnson: So I'm just, you we just try to meet people. ⁓ then when I was in college, ⁓ yeah, you get just a ball of energy. I went to school in Boston. I'm like, all right, so we go to New York and we're going back down to Philly. All right. I saved up a little bit of money from the, from the wedding years. was playing, we taking a trip to LA. So literally just being seen and then playing on the, the, the, aspect of being seen again and again by the same.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Right, right. Right, yeah, okay.
Arnetta Johnson: people. So I did have strategy with it, like as opposed to trying to meet everyone and everybody. I got out of that mindset because not everyone's for you and not everybody's good for you. So when I did connect with people that I was like, okay, they cool, something about them, they, they, get it. ⁓ goal is to show my face again and again to them so that they remember at least what look like and what I sound like.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah. Right, okay.
Arnetta Johnson: I'll memorize my name later. That's how I got my Instagram name too, that Trumpet chick. Because people could not remember my name. Yeah, they could not remember my name, but then I was like, that girl, that Trumpet girl, that girl in the trumpet, we see she everywhere. And I was like, that Trumpet chick. I made that, I think my senior year in high school, I kind of coined that term. But yeah.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Right, yeah, for sure. Really? Yeah, that's strategic. It's not everything you did was very intentional. There was nothing that you did by accident.
Arnetta Johnson: Yeah, yeah. Some things, some things kind of happen, you know, but I look at it as just navigating of just what feels right. I guess, you know, some call that discernment. You know, some believers call that, you know, letting the Holy Spirit use you. Yeah, so just going with the ebbs and flows and stuff and just keeping it genuine.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Come on, hey, hey, on now. There you go. So you knew it because you're in close proximity to a lot of things. But people think like some from Delaware. So I get your location. People think that like you can't still move in groove, but you're so close to Philly, New York, Baltimore. You went to school in Boston, so you still made those pivots to certain areas to lock in. That's smart to me.
Arnetta Johnson: ⁓ man. Yeah, yeah, it's, it's, uh, it takes a lot of grit, if I'm being honest. Uh, it takes a lot of grit. I'm from Camden, New Jersey. We built like that. You know what I'm saying? Like it, you know, like, just think it's certain things that you should do when you're very young and green. You know, go up to New York. I better not hear that you not out here networking because you can't find a hotel. You can't afford a hotel.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah I Mm-hmm.
Arnetta Johnson: call your friends, find somebody a couch. That is the age where you doing, you know, stuff like that. You know, I'm like, you're 19 and 20, 21, 22. Yeah, you know, like utilize your resources. I'm sure you got a friend in New York, you got a friend and they're like, do it. Yeah, family, somebody, or, you know, you might have to play the game to where, you you find, take the bus up to New York and then.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Right. Yeah. A distant cousin you might be able to stay with somebody.
Arnetta Johnson: Yeah, it's a late night session, but I bet you it's a bus coming back. You know, I spent plenty of nights being like, it's just gonna be a long night. You know, go up, all the way back. Shoot, but you know, and then I always consider the people that don't live in areas. Like, not everybody's across the bridge from Philly like me. Not everybody is an hour and a half drive from New York. Not everybody can have access.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Facts? No, straight up. Straight up. Right.
Arnetta Johnson: to LA. So that's where social media does play a big part. I tell people all the time, ⁓ not, none of us can be everywhere at the same time, but all of us can be everywhere at the same time via a screen. know, I tell people just keep your social media up to date, post everything, show us what you can do. You know, show people why they should call Show people what you want to be called for.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: There you go.
Arnetta Johnson: Like, man, I got you. So I've been observing over the years is that a lot of people navigate as if people are aware of what they're thinking and what they're talking about. And I've learned is ⁓ via seeing how people, you know, post videos and I'm like, this is a good video, but
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: ⁓ that okay. Yeah, please explain that one. Please explain that one because that's so big.
Arnetta Johnson: I need context. It's like people are leaving out the basis of context. Like what's the foundation? What's your purpose in all of these things? So it's, I know somebody that was just like, I don't know why no one calls me to do, you know, for background vocals. I don't understand. Like y'all can call me for that too. I was just like, no offense, but I didn't know. Like. I go on your page, I never see clips of you out at anything, ⁓ nor have I seen you even that that's what you want to do. ⁓ Or if you just want to be seen as a vocalist and as only a writer. How will we know? ⁓ So I'm you gotta ⁓ tell us, gotta show people.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Right. Huh? Right?
Arnetta Johnson: what you want. It's like I love getting calls for studio work. post on my stories and on my feed that I'm at the studio. I'm doing a ⁓ session. I like getting calls to play in a horn section on, you know, regular gigs. So I'm posting clips of me at jam sessions. I'm ⁓ saying jam sessions so that people can realize you don't have to already be on a gig to showcase a skill set that you have.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah. Ugh. Come on now.
Arnetta Johnson: You know, like, please maximize, know, open mics and jam sessions and, you know, shoot. So you can't get the one and ⁓ Steve was behind me. My little studio set up. I could just say, you know, working on trying to be in a horn section. cut my own horns and ⁓ yeah, yeah. So I might just maximize all different avenues that can prepare you for success.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Right. Ooh, you're putting in the captions. Captions, okay, yes, yes, yes, yes.
Arnetta Johnson: Nowadays so it's just a matter of like you have to show people what you want to be called for Yeah ⁓
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yes. That's brilliant. People, I think, forget that aspect of utilizing your resources. Like if you if you're in a wedding band gig, cool. Play that wedding band gig the same way you play the arena gig. You know, like if you if you got just a church gig, approach it with good integrity. Show show your proper placement. All the things you have to your abilities. Brilliant. That's. Right. Yep.
Arnetta Johnson: Yay! Yay! Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah, skill set is skill set at the end of the day. You know, and at least, know, say if somebody's like, well, I can't really tell if they can improvise from a wedding gig. At least you're giving them something to ponder on. Like, huh, maybe they can. Like, give people something to work with. Give them something to work with.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Come on. Yes, that's important. And you've utilized your social media in a brilliant way twice that I've already heard. People couldn't remember your name. You coined that phrase. Don't even worry about my name. Just type the same and you'll find me like it's so real, though, you know, and people will remember that catchphrase. And eventually, to your point, like, of course, you're to learn my name as time goes along, right? That's going to happen. And then you're also saying, OK, I'm in a jam session right now. I'm trying to get this big. You gave her. I'm in college right now.
Arnetta Johnson: Mm-hmm. You know. Hahaha! Mm-hmm.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: jam session, whatever you're posting those types of contents, but you're also putting context to it. So even people can add their discernment. Okay. I know the content of what she's doing, so I know she can transfer this to my stage.
Arnetta Johnson: Mm-hmm. Yep.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: And you play an instrument that isn't always the primary thing that's always on stage. But I do. I did notice you disperse by yourself by adding an instrument. You talk about that.
Arnetta Johnson: Man, yeah. ⁓ Man so that that happened by mirror happens dance. So the group I play with right now is called AJR They are awesome. ⁓ It's a group from New York consisting of three brothers Adam, Jack and Ryan The music style is Some call it alternative pop. It's I have a good time playing but When they called me for the gig because they needed a trumpet player and I
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Mm-hmm.
Arnetta Johnson: was found via word of mouth. I got a text from the artist and they said, hey, we're going to send you some videos of everything, you know, to have prepared for rehearsal tomorrow or the next day. Can you learn some keys parts as well? And I was like, hey, all right. Fortunately, I was briefed on it. Their manager, had ⁓ scheduled a lunch meeting.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Good.
Arnetta Johnson: with him just to learn more about their camp and everything they're about. And we talked about, you know, the possibility of me playing keys. And I told him, I'm open. I'm open. But I gave him the caveat of, I don't play heating. So tell people always be as transparent as possible because if somebody wants you, they want you. That's how that's how.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: There you go. Right.
Arnetta Johnson: I work, I operate. I approach things with that mindset. And the more transparent you are, the more open you are to receiving things the way they're supposed to get to you. So as you see, it wasn't an issue. I'm still there playing the keys. I play the aux keys pretty much. And I play it to a degree where it's like I'm playing a little sound you hear in the background. And I said, as long as you are all are willing to let me grow. Like, I told them, do not have me hot in the mix. And yeah, there was, there was even a time where I was just like in rehearsal for now, like take me out of everybody's ears. Let me just hear myself so that I could just get, you know, acclimated.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Mm-hmm. Right, right, right, right, okay.
Arnetta Johnson: just to make sure I'm doing what I'm doing, because I don't want to mess y'all up. But now I'm good. We in there now. You know, we in there. You know, I'm not the most killing player, but I know how to play my ⁓ parts here and there. And I always, and we got this joke now where I'll tell some of the people, feel like, turn me up in your ears, because it's a whole nother show in this world. ⁓
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Right. Yeah, you want to move? Yeah! Hahaha Yo that's facts though. Locked. Locked in. Yes ma'am.
Arnetta Johnson: I'll back there jamming. Yeah, but appreciate learning ⁓ the gig in that realm because I was forced to transfer the skill of part playing. Because on horns, we're the main ones. You got a part, you better not be trying to throw your own little flair on that line. ⁓ we got to play that same part every single show the whole time, over and over and over. So I was just like, ⁓
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Hmm?
Arnetta Johnson: It's the same mindset. I just play this part, yeah, just do my little hits here and there. yeah, I was able to transfer that skill right over. yeah, still something that, you know, I don't go around being like, I can play aux keys, guys. Like, no, uh-uh, uh-uh, no, ⁓ no. just like, hey, would you mind playing? Sure. But please approach, you know, my shore with grace. ⁓
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah. Yup. Right, right, right, right. Yup, I'm with you. I'm with you.
Arnetta Johnson: So that's pretty much how I handle that.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Not as dope. Your transparency is brilliant. And to your point is that they want you. They want you and they'll they'll work with you. But also to your credit, you still have to put in the work. wasn't like, ⁓ we'll just let her fiddle through this.
Arnetta Johnson: Mm-hmm. ⁓ no, yeah, yeah, because you know, there is a thing that people do on some shows as well called miming. ⁓ see there was a video circulating on social media where unfortunately somebody got caught lacking. And it's fine, but I tell people in the event that you are in that situation, that's where musical integrity comes in.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Right? Come on now.
Arnetta Johnson: still learn the part. Like, still learn the part. It should, it, the difference shouldn't be like, it shouldn't matter if it's on or off in my opinion. Like, yeah, I'm like, yeah, so that's where I'd be at with stuff. Yeah, where I'm like, no, you should, you should still know the part.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Right. Yep. I agree with you 100%. Yep, miming happens like miming happens all the time. For award shows like this isn't just a one off thing.
Arnetta Johnson: And people, yeah, people aren't aware of that. I'm like, no, that's a thing. It catches us musicians off guard when it happens. We're like,
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yes. Yep, you're unfamiliar, but you do understand the integrity and the aspect of like, okay, sometimes you have to do it, you know, like that it just, really helps.
Arnetta Johnson: ⁓ no, yeah, yeah, because it's, you know, most times it's a technicality. It's for the stuff people don't see on the screen. yeah.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yep. Yep, absolutely. to your point, still learning the part and out.
Arnetta Johnson: I the part and I had to say that for you know, somebody watches and they're like, okay, so I don't I'm playing this instrument. They don't have me in there. Anyway, you can't hear me anyway, so I'm just gonna pitter-patter. That's how we be catching people lacking because we be sitting there like, you're like, that wasn't that. ⁓ But only people that know though is us musicians, nobody else really cares. But still that's where I'm like, that's musical integrity where it's like it's just
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: quick too. That's not right. That's not right. And people know. Right.
Arnetta Johnson: you you and the instrument. Like still, still I think people should learn their parts. So, but yeah, that's, that's how the keys came about. But yeah.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: I agree. But you're killing it now. You're useful. People want you to be around. And I always love when people do you play multiple instruments? I see as a baseball.
Arnetta Johnson: Well, with this bass here, now I'm actually learning how to play the bass. I've always loved playing, I always loved the bass period. All my friends will tell you, my songs are very bass heavy. My favorite artists are the ones that treat the bass as a feature on their songs. The bass is just very prominent. I love me a good bass line.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Or is that for the look? Okay. Come on. Yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: But yeah, I was just like, yeah, I want to actually like learn how to play it. So my home girl let me borrow hers. So yeah, but I wouldn't say I play any other instrument. I doodle. Like, you know, like even with keys, I still say I can doodle on keys. You know, I write my own music on keys. I'm on stage playing keys. I'm at the point now where I could doodle on that bad boy. yeah, yeah. So that's pretty much it.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Respect. Okay? Mm-hmm. There you go. Yep.
Arnetta Johnson: I mean...
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: That's gotta help your composition though, because you do compose as well.
Arnetta Johnson: I compose. I always tell people there's only one song I've written with my trumpet. The of them ⁓ all ⁓ on MIDI keyboard. ⁓ But when it comes to piano and actually all the instruments, even trumpet, I learned how to pretty much play everything by ear, even though my mom was a music teacher. That's the gag. ⁓
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Right, and you're figuring it out. Word? Okay, we gotta talk about that. So music was always in your house.
Arnetta Johnson: Yep. ⁓ yeah, yeah, I'm black. I grew up Christian. Yeah, Pentecostal. Pentecostal, yeah, so super musical family. ⁓ grew up singing in a church choir. Didn't want to. Didn't want to. ⁓ mom made my siblings and I a trio. were a little, stand but I'm grateful. I'm glad that it happened.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: OK, yeah, so it really was a yoke. Okay, yep sounds about right.
Arnetta Johnson: And you know, just with being in the black church, it's training your ears in a way that you don't even realize. Your ear, your timing, your phrases, the nuances and how you approach music is doing of that. ⁓ So yeah, my mom was a music teacher ⁓ I had her classes when I was from pre-K to eighth grade. The thing was, you know, I wasn't a musician at the time. So it was just like... ⁓
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Absolutely. all of it. Okay. Yep.
Arnetta Johnson: Hit one hair out the other. know, so, and I, end of seventh grade. End of seventh grade.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Why don't you pick up Trumpet? No. So you miss. fifth grade is typically the the intro to those types of instruments.
Arnetta Johnson: ⁓ yeah, nah, I was playing basketball. Yeah, I was.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: talking, you was hooping and then how did the trumpet find you or what was the story with that?
Arnetta Johnson: You know, I'm a I'm a post a YouTube video on this soon, too Honestly, my brother was always not in class because he was going to band practice and I was just like I'm signing up for the band because I'm getting out of here. ⁓ Yeah, they would so the music kids would I think like twice a week Like they would go take their music lessons for like 30 minutes and I was like
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah. Whoa, okay. for sure.
Arnetta Johnson: Well, let me go downstairs and sign on up. I was like ⁓ one would think anything of it It was the perfect it was like the perfect plan like my mom's gonna teach so she gonna be happy So and she worked, you know, like I said, she was at the school. So she didn't care. Yeah, next thing, you know, I'm signing up for band everybody's on the drums and the auto percussion Instruments everybody's on piano. So none of that was available ⁓ They just had horns
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: ⁓ huh. Right? Right.
Arnetta Johnson: And I was just like, well, shoot, it's going have to be the trumpet because I got three buttons. How hard can it be? ⁓ Man, that's how I got on trumpet. And it was cool. It did start to get a little lame until the teacher came in. His name was Nazir Dickerson. He's a But ⁓
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: process of elimination is crazy. Okay, respect. Keep going.
Arnetta Johnson: He was there, like I said, student teaching he just made it the best thing ever. So he would put on records, jazz records, and I just have to play one note over it. It just about like just getting a sound out of the horn. We didn't have to think about reading music, none of that figuring out like exactly what to know. It was just getting a sound out the horn. So. ⁓ I would just take that home with me, you know, get a little CD, put it in the cassette player or the record, put it in a little whatever those things would be called back in the day. And, or I would just turn on the radio. You know, I get, my little radio from my room, take it downstairs and I would listen to the jazz station and I would just try to get notes out while I'm listening to jazz.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Right, right, right. So training Wow, okay. Yep.
Arnetta Johnson: So eventually I would just push buttons and when I would land on a note that was, I guess, right, I was like, ⁓ that sounds right. I would just hold it as long as I could. Yeah, so essentially I learned how to play trumpet by ear. So I tell people, even to this day, my concept of playing trumpet is like by pressing the right button or just matching the sound as opposed to knowing what note I'm playing exactly. It's just buttons, buttons and sound.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Right, okay. Wow, okay. Sure. Buttons and sounds.
Arnetta Johnson: Um, but yeah, and after that trumpet was fun. I joined this group called the candle, little jazz giants that my teacher told me to get in and we was doing the same thing. We were just playing songs by ear. Um, then eventually we started learning like what the different notes were, but it was never any music like in our face. It was just like, all right, Trumpets y'all play y'all play this sound and then it'll be like, that's your, that's your seed, but that
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Epic. Mm-hmm.
Arnetta Johnson: the trombone player that's your B flat. So yeah, so we were learning that way, which was great because you just pack on too much for kids. First of all, even if do that for adults, nobody wanna do that. So, and my teacher one day that was in charge of little jazz giant, Hassan Sabri, he was like, all right Arnetta, he was like, you're doing really good.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Right, yep. Yep. Nobody.
Arnetta Johnson: Like you're really talented. He was just like, you can't, you just, can't have you missing rehearsal because you got basketball practice.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Wow, okay.
Arnetta Johnson: So he was just like, you gotta pick one. You gotta go and be a, he said, you gotta be a basketball player or you gonna be a trumpet player. You going, well not trumpet player, he or you gonna be in the band. So it was a commitment thing. It's like, are you gonna commit to basketball or are you gonna commit to the band that you're in? So they were teaching us how to make that commitment at a young age, which is very important. know, I know some people be like,
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Okay. Sorry.
Arnetta Johnson: Well, you could do both. No, I couldn't. No, I couldn't. No, I couldn't. That would have failed me so bad if my parents would have came up with a schedule of how to keep basketball with the band for it. No, that would have been horrible. Because one thing is going to lack focus. Yeah, ⁓ yeah. So ⁓ the end of the day, so that's when I just sat with myself and I was just like.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yep, and they compete time wise. Like.
Arnetta Johnson: Yeah, that girl did cross me up real bad that last game. Man. Yeah, and I was like, I was a great defensive player, but yeah, yeah. I just remember when I would go to shoot the ball in panic, I will overshoot and I was just like, you know, and I...
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Out there getting cooked on the court. Yep Yep, they usually are here. We go ahead and grab these buttons real quick
Arnetta Johnson: when it came to basketball, but I was just like, it's just not for me. It's just not for me. I was like, in music, that's fun. That's fun. So I stuck with the band and now I'm here. Yeah.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: And it worked out. But you did. Did you start it? So a lot of it was you listening, right? That was a big part of how you learn.
Arnetta Johnson: Yeah, yeah, I didn't learn how to read music till I was in high school. Yeah. Yeah, it was easy in my opinion. Only because, you know, I went to an arts high school. So at that point, they were, it's like, you're in high school, you're getting sheet music. So, but the transition from eighth grade to high school was
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Got it. How was that learning curve? Because you're almost behind a little bit. Okay. Yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: very important. by this point, you know, in the band, they realized, okay, I'm never going to high school. So they were preparing me, I was transcribing at this point. So this all happened in like a year and some change. I was the kid, I hyperfixate on stuff. Like to this day, I hyperfixate. It's like, and I call it hyperfixating because it's like, here's focusing, and then here's me. Like, ⁓ my whole day will be taken over.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah. Yep. That's so fast. I love that. Yep, okay, yep.
Arnetta Johnson: by something. So I was a kid that you never had to tell to practice. Like my mom, my dad, had to tell me like, all right, I'm gonna wrap it up. Like, cause I come, like I said, I come from a musical household. I up with my mom. She would be getting her lessons ready for school ⁓ and songs ready for Sunday school. And she'll be down there slamming that piano at like two o'clock in the morning. No exaggeration.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: That's dope, okay? Mm-hmm. Right, get into it.
Arnetta Johnson: And I'd be in my room like, come on, bruh. And then my brother was a drummer too. So between him trying to learn the songs for church and at this point, he in high school already. So he down in the basement just... I'm just like, dog. So I was just used to that. So I guess it just, in my head, I'm just like, oh, I guess this is what musicians are supposed to do. So yeah, I was...
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: ⁓ come on. Yup. Getting busy down there. Mm-hmm. Right, yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: practice it day in day out and time, you know, I always tell people if you just keep doing something a lot, you're going to accidentally ⁓ good it. So, yeah, ended up getting pretty decent to where I could learn like some a little bit of some solos and they put like these easy charts in front of us. It'll be like quarter notes, half notes and quarter notes.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Facts. There's no way around it. There's really no way around it. Yep.
Arnetta Johnson: And I slowly just started memorizing those. It's out of repetition. So that's their program was was repetition all day. You play in the same song and you're now reading. You get to look at what that song that you you have it here. But now you get to visually stare at it all day. So that helped with reading a lot. So then when I got to high school, it was the same thing. We had March of Band playing this playing our favorite songs here on the radio. And now I'm looking at what it you know, get to see what it sounds like. So I'm like, okay, so when I hear that, that, that, that, okay, I know it looks like that. And now every time I see that rhythm, I remember it. So that's how I learned how to read. And also I'm a, I recognize patterns, every, everything I do, that's just across the board. I operate based on patterns and just sequences. So once I found that
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Mm-hmm. Yep. Yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: in music I was pretty much like okay I get it I get it ⁓
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: I get it. Yeah, I get it. Yep. And there's only so many ways you could put 12 notes. You know, there's only so many ways. So that's dope. That's a you said something that's really dope. I've never heard before. I got to see how it sounds. No one's actually said that to me before, so respect. That's cool, though. So as you had a high school, you did go to college, right? Where did you attend?
Arnetta Johnson: Right. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. ⁓ Yup. I do, yep. So I ended up going to Berklee, Berklee College of Music up in Boston. That's where I ended up. Yeah, and I say ended up because I did not want to go there at first. I was anti-Berklee. think I wanted to go to New School, New School of Music in ⁓ York. I was so anti-Berklee, everyone. Funny. Can't stand that place. ⁓ That system. Why y'all rating people?
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Mm-hmm. And the beam. Really? Where did you want to go? Okay. What was it about Berkeley that turned you off?
Arnetta Johnson: like, yeah, I couldn't get in getting that class because I had a low rating. So they'll have like, they'll have the highest rank when it comes to like their improvisation and interpretation, but very low, like reading skills. So that would take there. I think it was. I forget what the what the highest number was. ⁓ I think if you had like a six.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah, they're like a two. Yep. Mm-hmm.
Arnetta Johnson: or higher or five or higher you could do anything but some people have like really low scores at other areas and then it would knock them down like a four I'm like that makes no sense and then I just didn't like being judged on I just like you're judging somebody based off of their sight reading ⁓ and whether can read period something about that just gets
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah, you could do anything. No sense at all. Talk about that, please, please talk about that.
Arnetta Johnson: What's a good word for this?
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: strange.
Arnetta Johnson: Nah, I'm gonna say I felt racist to me only because there you know, yeah, yeah, and I'll even take it there or some kind of systematic Approach about that. didn't like because You know back in the day taking it way back. No with us black people we come from foot stomping and hand clapping Music sounds great. We come from the blues, you know, we come from jazz before jazz even had a term, you know
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Wow, okay. Yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: on it. It's like the embodiment of Black American music came from the inside, the soul. It got weird when people started bringing out sheet music and tried to use that to demean Black people.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yep. Yes.
Arnetta Johnson: So that's why I'm like... I remember I was like, maybe I'm just mad woke. ⁓ was like, maybe I'm just being too deep. I did not like that. I did not like that module at all. It's very just... But yeah, so I applied to go to New School of Music in New York. I to go to Oberlin Conservatory. Where else did I apply? I can't remember. I know those were the other two.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Need some sleep. Mm-hmm.
Arnetta Johnson: ⁓ I got accepted into both scholarships and all, so I was, I was good to go. Yeah. So thanks. Ultimately, I was like, okay, I went to new school for my audition. That was cool. ⁓ we had to play. They gave me a list of like 50 jazz standards and they were going to pick a random one, which is crazy. But it was fine by me. was just like, okay, cool. I'm up for the challenge. but then just in New York, I was just like, ⁓ place is a lot.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Come on, Joe, congrats. Insane behavior.
Arnetta Johnson: I was like, I don't see myself living here. It's just with the culture of it. was just like, something about this just ain't for me. And then one of my, a musician I used to get trumpet lessons from at the time, he was just like, just a reminder. And I didn't tell him anything. He just said it out of was just like, just as a reminder, or just as a note. New York ain't going nowhere.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Hmm? Sure. Yep.
Arnetta Johnson: New York won't be there. New York won't be there yesterday. New York won't be there tomorrow. New York won't be there next year. See, just like, just, you know, just make sure you're, you're taking in, you know, considering all the different options you have. Then I went up to Oberlin Conservatory, and I was just like, okay, this is complete opposite of New York. This is like its own, like, little
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yep.
Arnetta Johnson: cubicle of a college town. That's in Ohio. That mug was in the middle of the cornfield. They just built this random little little city. Yeah, and it was just straight up like music school, but like jazz. Both of them were like jazz heavy school. I didn't want to be a jazz musician.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah, where is that located? ⁓ sheesh, yeah, you're polar opposite. Yep. Uh-huh. Mmm, okay.
Arnetta Johnson: I didn't want that to be like my tunnel. Yeah, if anything, I'm the person that likes tunnels with doors. I'm like, oh, I'm going that one. Yeah, I'm still on the same path. It's still tunnel vision, I'm like, oh, I'm going that one real quick. OK, I'm back in my tunnel now. me go. Yeah, them tunnels that are straight up just solid wall. That's not.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: I hear you. Yep. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. That's a great way of putting that.
Arnetta Johnson: not for me. And then I had a few peers that went on to Berkeley and they will come back to the high school. So I tell people go back and talk to them kids, go back to your high school and talk to these kids. They would come back to the school and you know, I would see their experiences and hear about everything and I would go to their graduations and stuff and
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah, I'm with you.
Arnetta Johnson: One day I came across this guy on YouTube. His name is Darren Barrett. He had a video on YouTube called Vision of a Visionary. And when I tell you, that was some of the best trumpet playing I ever heard in my life. And it wasn't because he was like, it was just him just ripping. I was just like, man, this sounds good. It was just something about it that really touched me. And I was just like, I want to work with that guy. And he taught at Berkeley.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Wow. Yeah. Wow, okay. Yep.
Arnetta Johnson: So I was just like, all right. I was like, okay, I want to work with him. And Berklee is like a melting pot when it comes to music in totality. you can do jazz, can do gospel, you can do R &B, you can do folk, you can do rock, you know, you could do classical, learn how to arrange, can do sky's the limit at that place. You could do it all. So was just like, okay, I'm gonna ignore their little rating system. It seems like a solid place for me.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah, anything really.
Arnetta Johnson: So by the time I had this bright idea, was my senior year in high school and I think it was May. Yeah, yeah, I missed every bit of deadlines.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: No, okay. Yeah, you missus deadlines. Yep
Arnetta Johnson: I had some people vouch for me, heavily, heavily vouch for me. Fortunately, because I practiced so much and when jazz band season came along, we would travel to different jazz band competitions. And I would, you know, I was a feature at the time in the band. So my name was getting out without me knowing. Everybody's like, girl, that Rosie Camden, Creative Arts in that high school band. Wow. So I guess my name was spreading. People taking videos.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Great.
Arnetta Johnson: Little did I know, when it came time, Berkeley has this program called ⁓ Music, where they would go to different high schools and guess they would scout young musicians or just, you know, see different programs. This one guy, so this is one of the tricky parts about being from my area. I'm in Camden, which is right across from Philadelphia. There are a lot of times where we tend to get overlooked because Philly is the, you know, that's the big city. So they will go to Philly and go to the programs over there. So here I am in Camden, completely missing out on the opportunity because we're just unaware of what's going on. There was a guy named Maurice Cameron who heard about
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Okay.
Arnetta Johnson: Camden Creative Arts and he was just like, well, since we're right across the bridge in Philly, I want to go over there and see what their program is doing. So he went out of his way, came over there, and that's where he met me. And heard all about the program and he pushed hard to have, you know, put my name up there ended up getting me all auditions. I on June 6th about
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Wow. amazing.
Arnetta Johnson: 10 to 12 days before I graduated from high school. They ended up getting in, got a scholarship. It's not just the power of knowing people, it's the power of just doing what you do. Everybody just has to do what they're gonna do. Everybody just has to do what they gotta do. I didn't mention, I didn't say like, I ran over to Philly and was trying to, I was just listening to my teachers, because they know a lot of people in Philly is just some reason, just communication.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: Ain't gonna get into that. But yeah, and that guy out of the kindness of his heart was just like, let me go over there. And that's why I tell Peeway, nothing but the Lord, because I could. You can't replicate that. ⁓ But yeah, so I auditioned for Berkeley a couple days before I graduated from high school.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah. Yeah. Come on now. You can't you literally cannot. Wow, what was your experience like in Berkeley? Would you do you recommend it? Did you have a great time? Like what was your experience?
Arnetta Johnson: Thank My experience was when I first got there with the culture shock. ⁓ I'm coming from the hood. I'm used to being around, you know, black people, Latinos, know, great food, a lot of culture. Now I'm up in Boston, Back Bay area surrounded by white people. And I'm looking like, what is this?
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Okay. Yeah. Uh-huh.
Arnetta Johnson: people looking at me crazy. Yeah, was definitely culture shock. ⁓ then on top of that, I'm now in a world where it's ⁓ music. Like coming from an art school, somebody should be like, ⁓ you should be used to that. No, not necessarily. Like, cause you know, it's still high school at the end of the day. You just get to take your major at some point. ⁓ though with this, everything about it is music.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah. Mm-mm. Exactly. Yep.
Arnetta Johnson: And now the one course that you got to take randomly is like ⁓ like.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: your training.
Arnetta Johnson: No, not even that. I'm liberal arts. It's like a random liberal arts course that you might have to take like, you know, but everything else, music all across the board, ear training, your ensemble, your private lesson. Yeah, it's just music straight down the board. That was the fun part. The part that I had to adjust to was how behind I was.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah, yep. Yep.
Arnetta Johnson: Although, you know, I tell people by the time I got to Berkeley, that was year five of me playing the trumpet. These kids are, been playing since they were five years old and they're coming from the background of, know, fully funded private lessons, brand new horns. My horn was falling apart. I literally had to put a bracelet around my tunas slide on my trumpet to keep it from flying out.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Mm-hmm. Yes. Jeez.
Arnetta Johnson: Yeah, so they're coming from that. They're coming from the habit of knowing how a musical environment is already, like just the structure of it. They know what it's like to...
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: I don't even know where start with this. like, yeah, was just, I was just behind in a musical way that they weren't. So a lot of people fail when they recognize that because it's just like, instead of you realizing like, okay, I just got to adjust, you think this is not for me. I'm like, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yep. Yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: And also it was just it was also a different world because I'm a black girl on the trumpet Almost everywhere you go you ain't will see that so it was like lack of representation Also with the thing I'm at a music school. So it's predominantly guys there I'm in class. Not only not only am I only black person in my class. I'm the nerd times. I'm not only only girl, too And then there's I'm the only instrumentalist
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Mmm. Mm-hmm. Straight up? Absolutely.
Arnetta Johnson: You know, so it got very, very like, wow, I'm by myself. ⁓ And this is where people like Tia Fuller, who's still a professor at the school, are very important because she got there, I think, my second semester. Right on time. Right on time. She's a saxophonist. Black lady. So now I have a form of representation. Yeah, stupid killing.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yes. Kill him by the way. Yeah, very very good.
Arnetta Johnson: So now I have a form of representation. I have a safe space. Like somebody that I could go to I don't even gotta say the same thing, and she already know what's up. Like, and not only is she just a black woman, she's a black woman that plays an instrument. So she just gets me across the board. So having her by my side ⁓ my birth, career, Terrilyn Terrilyn Carrington was there. I'm still there.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Wow, okay. Right, yep. Yeah. Yep, also phenomenal.
Arnetta Johnson: She took me under her wing. She took, yeah, she super took me under her wing, tore with her while was in college. Yeah, so people like them too. And of course, on top of that, like, you your Darren Barrett, your Sean Jones, Ralph Peterson, Neil Smith. ⁓ just, the list goes on, especially like with the black faculty. It's just so important because we're dealing with things that only them can discuss.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: So cool. Yeah. Yep. Absolutely.
Arnetta Johnson: Only them. So my, my Berkeley career could have went super south because I had a lot of, had a lot of haters and it wasn't cause I was doing anything. I was very soft spoken, very shy. ⁓ but it was cause I was the doing the right stuff. Like if a teacher said, have this prepared, I was the one that had it prepared. ⁓ that translated to, she thinks she better than everybody. ⁓ dealt with that my whole life.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Sure. Right.
Arnetta Johnson: from a kid in school just doing her homework to in college, just doing what I'm told to do. It just translated to other people as, she thinks she's better. she think because she got the solo is because she's the favorite. I'm like, I'm not the favorite. I'm just the one that did it. So that did do a lot of damage to where it's like, I was like, okay, when it came time to like present stuff, I'm like, do I have to present it? Do I have to go? ⁓
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Mm-hmm. Right, yeah. Wow, okay.
Arnetta Johnson: I kinda don't want to. Or it's like even till this day, I don't like, I'm not the biggest fan of getting accolades over wars and stuff. Like if I walk into a room and people are like, can we give it up for our neta? I'm just like, oh yeah, everybody just.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Okay. ⁓
Arnetta Johnson: Cause in my head, all I hear, all I feel is the tension of the people that just like, here she go. All right, congratulations, Arnetta did it again. And I'm like, so like a trauma that I have like from school and just in general. Yeah, I just, I've dealt with that all my life. Even till this day, I go work out at the gym, pick up some weights. People are like, stop showing off. I'm like, I'm not showing off, I'm just working out. ⁓
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Right. Just working out, yeah, I'm just doing what I'm supposed to do. Yeah, absolutely.
Arnetta Johnson: So I guess, you know, people's projections, whether they're in light or not, you know, it's still for me, it just makes me just like, you know, I just rather just stay to myself. You know, so, but overall, my Berkeley experience, you know, I traveled the world. Like I said, was on tour with Terri Lyne at the time. I left the country by myself for the first time, you know, touring with her. were going to Switzerland, Paris.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yes. ⁓ Right.
Arnetta Johnson: Great got to play with Ralph Peterson got to play with Dwell a Sheila II I'm forgetting some like big names as far as like the list is so long for like What I did at Berkeley and then like also with my peers Yeah, like I just get into like Like my classmates at the time it was it was awesome to say to say at least only because I feel like ⁓ I
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Sheesh. Sheesh. Yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: allowed it to be awesome. Yeah, that'd be awesome. Yeah, I locked in. I'm from Camden. I said, I'm not going back home.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Right. You locked in. Yes. No, people don't realize how much that is a motivator, though. Like it can be a deterrent.
Arnetta Johnson: I'm like, I said... Yeah, like I tell people I literally, I can't afford to, I don't have the privilege of quitting. So I don't that luxury ⁓ in life. Even to this day, I don't have the luxury to say I don't want to this no more. I don't have that luxury. I And I could have quit. I was homeless in school for like a month. Yeah, cause I had a full scholarship, but ⁓ that scholarship ain't got nothing to do with your, with your ruling board.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah. Yep. Right. Mm-hmm. You're housing? Yes.
Arnetta Johnson: So, and I could not pay it for that semester. And like I said, I was shy, didn't like to ask for help because I didn't want to be a burden. Just because I come, you know, just how a lot of us are raised. We see our parents just working so hard to make sure we have a good life. had a great life. My parents did a phenomenal job, but I still understood it was because they worked hard to make sure we didn't feel the impact of how hard they were working.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Sure. Yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: So just never wanted to ask for anything. So I ended up getting kicked out. I got kicked out my dorm. Like my key cards just stopped working. Security, they some haters, they started saying, you can't be trying to sneak past here. Cause I feel like the key to my dorm. They was like, you can't be trying to sneak past here. And I was like, I'm just trying to sleep. So it was, it was literally me with my trumpet case.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Peace. ⁓ Right, ⁓ yeah. I ain't gonna sleep, that's all.
Arnetta Johnson: and suitcase and then like a little bag of like other stuff. And I was just kicking in the lobby with my friends as late as we could. yeah, it was rough. It got dark. We was sleeping in practice rooms. I would just be practicing. I just practiced the night away where I met one of my closest friends who was the reason why I'm on the gig that I'm on today because she's the one that recommended me. ⁓ And I met her when I was in the practice rooms all night.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Bye. Thanks Mm-hmm. Amazing
Arnetta Johnson: Yeah, so and unfortunately, you know, that's why I tell people you just got to stick to the plan. I didn't drop out of school. You know, I would just go. 9 a.m. class, 830, I'm at that door just to sleep like this until it's my own door. Yeah, and then. Oh, yeah, I got to mention this person there. One of the top three reasons why I made it through.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: All ⁓ Yeah, for real.
Arnetta Johnson: Jill Scott. ⁓ I know that's like kind of random. It's just like, where did Scott come from? So I've known Jill Scott since I was 15, I think. Yeah, she came over to Camden for an engagement. everybody's like, ⁓ my God, Jill Scott. But in my head, it wasn't like, ⁓ my God, that's Jill Scott. It was like, huh.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Woo! Sure. Okay.
Arnetta Johnson: ⁓ my god, that lady! I like how she walked in the room.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: What was it about it? it a feeling, an emotional like gravitation towards her essence? What was it?
Arnetta Johnson: Yeah, yeah, I would say it was that. I just knew I needed to learn from her.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Mmm.
Arnetta Johnson: Yeah, I vividly remember that feeling. was just like, she has something that I need. And I always tell people it wasn't musically related at all. again, I was 15 years old. I didn't even know I was going to do Trumpet for real at that time. And then from there, I remember I just hit her up and I was just like, hey, can you be my mentor? And long story short, she said, yeah.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah, it's crazy how you can have those moments. Right. Wow.
Arnetta Johnson: she didn't just say yeah, like she followed up on it. Like I was a part of her blues babe foundation. She would always text and call till the day she does. ⁓ I said, I'm not the most outward person. So I would tell people, you might not see me calling people all the time. People tend to have to call me because in my head, I don't want to bother you. So ⁓ that kind of person. But she came in clutch for college because she sent me a message one day. ⁓
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: That's amazing. Yeah, yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: I think on Twitter, that's the crazy part. It was on something. She had sent me a message and she was just like, do you need anything?
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Mm-hmm.
Arnetta Johnson: Like, I don't know where she's like, do you need anything? Meanwhile, I'm sitting in a practice room. No place to stay.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Right, okay. No place to stay trying to figure it out. Yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: because after this semester I'm about to come back to what? Still no place to stay? So, and then I think it took me a little bit to hit her back up. And I know it's not be like, what? You not hitting up, you just got, in my head it's not on some fan stuff. Like it's just not, it's just, yeah, it ain't on that type time. Like, but yeah, I just, I reached out to her and I was just like, well, my situation is,
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Right, okay. get it though. Yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: I can't, I don't have nowhere to live. And I didn't have to say too much, she was just like, okay, how much do need? And she paid it. And I was like, get back on my feet. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Her Blues Bay Foundation, you know, it's just the fact that everybody just got to do what they're supposed to do. She had the foundation in place for people like me. ⁓ in Kansas, Philly area in the arts that need help getting through college. That's literally. ⁓
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Shout out to Joe. Shout out to Joe, man. Yeah. Right? No, that's real.
Arnetta Johnson: the mission of her nonprofit and then here I am needing help in that regard to stay in school. And it's something that's, you know, simple as that. So that way, you know, I felt like I was like, okay, I'm back. I'm back. you know, once your mind is in a good mood, you know, you start navigating differently. So I was good to go after that. Yeah, she's a major part as to why I was able to.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah, yeah. Right.
Arnetta Johnson: stay in school and graduate, came to my graduation. Whenever she had a show in Boston, you know, I always made sure we, you know, connected, you know, that stuff. So, yeah, she's a major, yeah, major reason why, you know, she's a woman of her words, woman of her actions. Yeah. So, that's my Berkeley story. We could be here all day talking about that place.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Wow. What a blessing. That's powerful. Yeah, that's important in general. I yeah, I also attended Berkeley's. I'm always curious to hear where people's and what their perception is in the beginning, middle and then their exit into the professional sector where they want to go with it. So.
Arnetta Johnson: So. ⁓ yeah, I was glad to get up out of there. Don't get me wrong. Yeah, I was glad to get up out of there. Yup.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah, yep. But you made a lot of phenomenal connections, it sounds like. It sounds like you utilize it to the best of your abilities despite what was going on.
Arnetta Johnson: ⁓ yeah, ⁓ for sure. Yeah, to this day I tell students, network with your teachers, their musicians, they're on the gigs. ⁓ When I was in Tia Fuller's ensemble, I wasn't learning her music just to get an A in class, I was learning her music to play that gig.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah. Absolutely. Come on now, yep.
Arnetta Johnson: Yeah, when I was in Terry Lynn's class, I was coming up, showing up prepared with the hard behind songs she had to get a chance to play with her. And all of sudden, boom, now I'm on tour with her. Now, now, now she's telling me to come to come to the to the ensemble room because she got Sheila E playing and she want me to sit in. All because she knows I know how to fall in line quick. Real quick. You know, so. Yeah, that's it.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yes. quickly. Yes. Yeah, giving back is important. And I want to pivot to something if you're OK with diving into it is your school. You're doing some phenomenal things, which is amazing thing. So you've had great teachers who inspired you, poured into you, and then you pivoted that to return the favor, essentially. Well, can you tell me about that?
Arnetta Johnson: Hey! Mm-hmm. Yeah, so just, ⁓ everything is. I think that's the right word, cyclical. One of the two. Everything should go like this. It should connect. Everything should connect so that it continues to go in this infinite trail of a circle. And that's what legacy is. I feel like some people have to learn legacy is not about what you did. Legacy is about what you did that continues when you're no longer there.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: There you go.
Arnetta Johnson: So I noticed that pattern of just, that's a form of success. Or everyone that I deem successful gave back to some regard. And I him, I'm a believer, Jesus gave his life for us, so he's given, so I'll be remiss if I don't give.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah. Yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: All the years, I always was just like, man, I want to have a camp for kids. Because I noticed when I would come back home from tour, I'd be like, oh, what are the kids doing in the summer? I was like, all right, we're at a music camp. They will always have to leave Camden to go to Philly, to go to New Brunswick at Rutgers, to go up to William Patterson, go up to Montclair. And I'm just like, why don't we have anything here? Like what happened to where we don't have anything ⁓ here? So I, yeah, when I noticed that that was happening, I was like, okay, that's just not okay. Because, know, just being from
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Gotcha. Mm-hmm. ⁓ Yep.
Arnetta Johnson: cities like Camden, it's unfortunate. ⁓ kids just, it's a hassle to get to Philly every day.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: I'm just like, they need somewhere to go where they can walk. If need be. Shoot. So was just like, okay, I need to plan to figure out how to have my own music camp. And I drew up a whole blueprint. Because I had no idea how it was going to happen. said, I'm going just make a blueprint for how it should go. I said, it'll be a five day camp. have teachers and ensembles and stuff like that.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yep. Yep. Of course not.
Arnetta Johnson: And then I think a year later somebody asked me, hey, so what's what's what you been up to? And I'm like, yeah, you know, working toward that. And I was just like, really thinking about having my own like music school or band camps and then planning for that. Not sure where that's going to go. And then literally like two years later, this lady that's on my team now, came up and was just like, hey, ⁓ So that band camp you were talking about, do you actually want to do it? know somewhere we can get funding to kind of make it happen. Boom. She's like, do you have a blueprint? I was like, do I have a blueprint?
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Do I? Yeah, do I? Yes.
Arnetta Johnson: Just like that. Yeah, I was ready. I was ready to go. So that's how that's how it came about. then we were trying to think about names for it. And I was just you all just like, aren't that a big ham? Yeah, so that's that's how the bandcamp came along. are now under a nonprofit. So I'll be launching that next month called the BOP Foundation. Uh huh. Yep. So
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Amazing. Simple. Okay, amazing.
Arnetta Johnson: you know, as we continue to get our funding together for this year's Bandcamp, because over the past four years, we've been doing it via crowdfunding. So that's why I'm like, shout out to all the people that have been donating. And it just goes to show to stay connected to everyone, you know, converse with people online, talk to people, you know, be personable, have some personality, ⁓ network, because these are the people that are going to support you. ⁓
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: next one. Yeah. Yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: know whether it's showing up or financially when needs be. Like I say, the past four years was crowdfunded to the max. So yeah, and we, there was one year we, we can't, we were able to raise $10,000. You know, so, so we do from when you're potty trained all the way up until 17 years old.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: So dope. What ages do you deal with? Wow, that's a wide spectrum. And in all instruments as well, or do you? Wow.
Arnetta Johnson: Mm-hmm. Yep. All of them. All of them. But yes, we take them all. We take them all. So we have three ensembles, beginner, intermediate, advanced. then we have other classes into that. When we get into the classes around that, that's where we divide them. One for the older kids, one for the younger kids. but yeah. And it's free. We keep it free.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Okay? Wow. So, OK, this is brilliant. So your funding is essentially to make sure they don't have to pay.
Arnetta Johnson: Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't get it. I don't see a dime. Yeah, all that money. Yeah, yeah, all that all the money that's raised goes straight to operations. Yeah, we got it, you know, paying the faculty, you know, the building space, you got to pay for that if we need certain instruments of rent or amps and stuff that the kids got to eat. They need lunch, they need snacks in the morning. They need, you know, t shirts and lanyards and
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: You you're legitimately just giving back. Yeah. Yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: nice little, they need their swag. So all of those things cause money, you know, and this is over the course of five days. If you have a trip, they got to get there. You know, so yeah, that's, that's what we're raising money for. So yeah, I'm, I'm blessed enough. like, this, that isn't a like, ⁓ let me, let me go. This is another gig for me. No. ⁓ Yeah. ⁓
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah. Wow. That's so phenomenal. Nah, it's just a love and a passion and a care to give back. And I think that's also rewarding. Yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: takes a lot of, you know, strategy and budgeting. So yeah, for sure. Definitely takes a lot of strategizing and budgeting to pull off things like camp. yeah, it's possible as you see, we're going into year five. ⁓
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah. Which is phenomenal, by the way. Like that. That's definitely incredible.
Arnetta Johnson: Thank you. It is mind blowing. I'm like, ⁓ my gosh, we're half, we're halfway to a decade. That's kind of crazy.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: It's so fire, though. And the fact that you're doing this in the midst of an incredible touring life that you have, like you've played with countless people from a wide spectrum of folks as well.
Arnetta Johnson: Yeah, I mean, it's all because of, you know, I have a team. You know, that's another thing I observe. Like, you gotta have a team. Like I said, I gotta ⁓ feel you. Like, yeah, yeah, I know somebody be like, well, how would you really know? I'd say, amen.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Mmm. How do you go about choosing them? Yeah, you gotta trust them.
Arnetta Johnson: You start saying prayers for God to show you stuff. You gotta pay attention. But yeah, and also just, you know, you do like observe, you know, what the person does. Like, obviously, you know, people have resumes that you look at. ⁓ But yeah, like team of people, they already knew from day one, I said with this camp, the goal is to have it operate without me there.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: And just gotta pay attention. Sure. Yeah, of course.
Arnetta Johnson: like because I might be on tour like so but the goal is to get it to the point where it can operate but I'll be there you know so this is where uh working across is very important I always tell people you're so busy looking up that you can't see who's next to you anymore so yeah meanwhile you got this legendary uh project planner standing next to you but you're missing out on it because
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah. Yeah. Yep. Yep.
Arnetta Johnson: You're too busy like, I wanna work with that person and this person. And I'm like. your home girl is a great like and coming up with concepts and ideas to fuel. Yeah, so that's what I did. You know, I looked to my left and I looked to my right. And then I realized I had some really great people in my corner, really great people that are good counselors, event planners, strategists. So yeah, everyone that works the camp, they're my friend.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yes. Mm-hmm. Wow. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: Yes, yes, you know, you just maximize their skill set. Like my I have musician friends teach the ensemble. They teach in school already. Go teach the ensemble, you know. ⁓ I have a panel discussion. I'm calling. Hey, y'all. Are you home from tour? Cool. Come in. You know, you know, it's just, you know, maximizing your network. Maximizing your network. So and that's how that's how the camp thrives.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: simple. Yeah. There you go.
Arnetta Johnson: you know, yeah, pretty much how we make it happen. ⁓
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Mm-hmm. Yes, this dope. I'm so pumped. Yeah, we're going to leave all the information to for that so people can donate, be a part, help support, because that's also important. Like she just told you she's taking nothing from this. This is truly just to give back. So whatever we can do to help facilitate that and help support that vision for the kids, we will do that as well. It's very, very important. Now, there's something that you said in one of your recent videos that
Arnetta Johnson: Mm-hmm. Yes. Yeah. ⁓ boy.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: I enjoyed a lot. No, I will expose on your own Instagram and Facebook. It's so fun. But you said something that resonated with me, but you're you're an introvert. And as am I. And you have a similar thing or at least maybe not anymore. But you was you said you would play these phenomenal shows and you would leave and you would almost feel like it wasn't good enough, essentially, or you didn't do that and you didn't have that gratitude aspect. an awareness of what you actually accomplished, you would just go back into your tunnel. How did you change that? Have you changed that or how do you stay present in the moment?
Arnetta Johnson: Yeah. I think I remember the video. ⁓ it like a video of me with a hood on or something? And then I went on stage and was just like, ⁓ yeah, My side, side. Solidarity, I'm still big on my solidarity to this day. ⁓ think I was speaking more so in terms of, you I get off stage and people are like, ⁓ my gosh, that was the best thing ever. And I'd be like, ⁓ thank you. ⁓
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah. No, you're talking about solitude. Like your whole video about solitude. Yeah. Yep.
Arnetta Johnson: You know, so I don't think it was a matter of me, you know, not thinking I did a good job. It was the way I just reacted to it. And that was just me speaking on like what I said, I experienced all my life, you know, in school and then just across the board of just letting people's projections of like me doing good made them be like, ⁓ here she goes again. So I'm just like, ⁓ thank you. I appreciate that. Like, you know, being
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep. Yep.
Arnetta Johnson: super super modest which i you know i think i am a modest person to where i'm not the most over the years like that was yeah like yeah ⁓ that's just not my character but i have learned
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Right, yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: that there is space for both to celebrate myself and still just, you know, do it in a way I do it. Like, if I'm with my friends, ⁓ yeah, we up. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Good morning. Yeah. Yep. It's comfortable, it's safe. It's okay to be that way and you know it's not going to be any weird attached to it.
Arnetta Johnson: Yeah, but I really learned how to do it. Like for me, it's not the expression like, yeah, like that is verbal. So I just had to change my language around it. Like when people give me accolades instead of saying, ⁓ stop it, I say thank you. So yeah, just, you know, changing, changing how I articulate it. It's like, thank you very much. Or just saying, God is good. You know, I put my best foot forward every single time.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah, okay. There you go.
Arnetta Johnson: Yeah, it's a lot of that. It's no more like, ⁓ stop it. ⁓ man, it wasn't that. Because yes, it was. Yes, it was all that. Yeah.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Come on. You're right. Yeah, absolutely. Learning how to accept a compliment is difficult for people. That's the same. It makes me clam up.
Arnetta Johnson: Yeah, it is. And I just had to learn that. you know, ⁓ mentors, Tia and Jill helped me with that tremendously. Where it's just like, yeah, they definitely helped, you know, mold me even till this day. You know, got a lot to work on in this. ⁓
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah, shout out to those amazing women. But you're killing it right now. So being an introvert and having a tour, that's also a delicate dance you have to play because you don't want to be in isolation, but you also need to drain your social battery and be out of there. You know, not be fully equipped for the that you might have to do. Have you navigated that? Like what?
Arnetta Johnson: Right. Right. ⁓ yeah, yeah, yeah. I think I figured that out. At least by this point, I hope I did all the touring on them. I think a part ⁓ being an introvert people don't talk about ⁓ when you're on tour is when
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah
Arnetta Johnson: It's a feeling of missing the people you want to be with. Like we're introverts, but we still have our people that we want to be surrounded by and people that charge us up and you know, the people that we can be more outward with. And you have to learn what it's like to not have that even though you had a strong desire of wanting it. Cause that's how introverts are. We have a strong, like we want who we want, period. And when we want them, we want them now.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Mmm. Yes. Mm-hmm. Yes. Yep. Straight up.
Arnetta Johnson: Like, yeah, so was definitely something I had to adjust to because ⁓ happened at the time was when that feeling hit me where I was just like, ⁓ man, I want my people. They just not here. I tried to find that in other people.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yes. Yep.
Arnetta Johnson: Hey, Ethan.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: ⁓ huh. You started putting responsibility.
Arnetta Johnson: I had to learn that fast, start learning that fast. So what happens is you start putting expectations on other people. And it's like, it's like, I'm not on tour with y'all and I need my, I need my people that always, you know, want to kick it and look out for me and know how to cater to, you know, my personal needs and that retrospect where it's just like, that's not fair. Cause they ain't, they ain't them. So I just had them.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yes, 100%. And they never ask for that responsibility.
Arnetta Johnson: Yeah, so I had to learn that as an introvert. Then I had to learn how socializing is a part of the gig. How you handle it. I always tell people the easiest part on tour is the gig, like the performance part. The hardest part is when you're not on stage. That's where people end up going home. Yeah, that's where people end up going home. So just knowing how to get off stage and then just understanding the camp he went.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah. Yes. Agreed. No facts. That's very true. That's very true.
Arnetta Johnson: Are you in a type of camp to where they get off stage and they still here? Are you in a type of camp where you get off stage and everybody's just like, all right, let's, you know, so just, you gotta, you gotta read that rule. And so I've been on tours where everybody in party mode, we get off, you go on a tour bus, the music's blasted, people, people, they just, yeah, they having a good time. And I'm just like, hold on, son, I'm trying to get in my bunk in late town. All right, but.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yep. They are. Yeah. Yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: So I just learned this is not my world and you know I don't want to be on that this is my world and y'all just living it. No. This is a shared experience. So I the approach I took it as is like okay we're living we are all we're all family at this point. Y'all my siblings. We gonna love each other. I'm gonna want to wring your neck one day. So and
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Absolutely. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: That's the example I give because it's not me saying learn how to deal with people. No, just learn how to communicate. Like, you know, I've been on tour, we had to establish rules like, hey guys, some people want to sleep at a certain hour, just lower volume. Or, or hey, these people like to kick it up here more so can we figure out a way that, you know, like maybe some people in the lounge over there and you know, just communicate and just relaxing.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Mm-hmm.
Arnetta Johnson: expectations or managing your expectations. And that all played into being an introvert on tour because there are going to be times where you just don't have any any personal space besides your hotel room.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: That's it.
Arnetta Johnson: So you gotta learn, okay, how can I find personal time? I figured it out. Go for a walk. I'm going for a walk. And if I'm in a situation where I can't leave the venue, there's always a bathroom somewhere. There's always a mystery bathroom somewhere.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: What do you do? Get out of there. everywhere. Mm-hmm.
Arnetta Johnson: And then on top of that, know, headphones are a wonderful thing. Headphones and a book. I have mastered the art of walking around with these AirPods and nothing is playing. But people just will leave you alone.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Genius. Love that. Yeah. Yep, it's kind of like if you don't drink, as long as you have something in your glass, people don't ask you to have a drink. Yeah. It is the Chico.
Arnetta Johnson: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So, you know, just little, yeah, just little tricks like that. And, um, but yeah, it didn't, it is, it does get tricky. You, just really have to plan because there are times where, uh, you know, you've got the family side where they're like, Hey, we haven't heard from you forever. Your friends too, we haven't heard from you. And what they don't realize is on the one day you got off, you ain't trying to talk to nobody. I'm like, this is the one day I have complete silence. In your head is not it's not that I don't want to call them. I don't want to answer that it's like this is the one day Yeah, learning how to balance that because you know when you have You know when you got kids you have a spouse You know you you can't be walking around here talking about something. I ain't talking about today That's crazy because first of all that's what that's where you have to just realize
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: You reset. nuts.
Arnetta Johnson: The space you're in like okay, I see my capacity limit So I know let me communicate these windows of time like hey, I'm gonna call y'all in a bit or you even gotta say nothing Still it's just communication with yourself and with others And then just maximizing those days, Some people get into the habit of always hanging out and I'm like, you don't realize you burn yourself out People don't do I know how they do it
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Right. everything. I don't know how people do it.
Arnetta Johnson: Tour is a fairy tale land. It's a fairy tale world and people get sucked into it and the only time they hit reality is when their family comes to a show or when it's the last week of that gig.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: It's crazy to me. Yeah. Mm. Yep. Sorry, a lot of people devastated.
Arnetta Johnson: Yeah, that's where you that's where that's where you start seeing like people change They hang out with the same folks anymore and get weird but yeah, but being an introvert on tour you definitely got a Maximize your personal time when you can And then be okay with understanding that not everybody is for you you don't have to hang with everybody and Everybody don't have to hang with you you know, so
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yep. Yeah. Right.
Arnetta Johnson: you know, find your people and navigate that way, you know.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: or a person. Sometimes you don't get a group. Sometimes you just get one that you lock in with and you good.
Arnetta Johnson: Yeah! Yeah, and just continue to mind your business.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yes. ⁓ that's everything. Just get out the way.
Arnetta Johnson: I'm sorry. It's my business. If somebody takes it up against you, like, ⁓ she's weird because she don't talk to nobody. You
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Right. Yeah. ⁓ that's that's all you got to say. OK.
Arnetta Johnson: Well, no, I mean, only time I would respond to that is if they told me. Like, if it got, if it turned into a big deal, I would just like, ⁓ can we have a conversation? don't mind having a conversation. You want to go get tea or coffee or something on an off day? Like.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: You sure? Yeah. Yep. Yeah, there's all this value in that I kind of developed an alter ego kind of thing. And I just as soon as I walk into a venue, I'm like, OK, I prep myself for it. Like I got to speak to everybody, say what's up. But then I go into my green room and to your point, headphones, computer and I just work. But making sure that people don't feel away, like I'm in isolation with them, I've noticed has gone much better for me, you know, so.
Arnetta Johnson: Mm-hmm. Mmm.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: I'm always interested to see what other introverts do to navigate the space.
Arnetta Johnson: I'm up front. I walk in the door with a book in my hand. Yeah, walking in with a book in my hand. ⁓ Yeah, you see that I'ma be like, ⁓ hey, y'all, I'm probably just gonna find the gym before we check in. Like, I'm like subtly letting everybody know what type of time I'm on. Like, if you see me with a book in my hand, now it's not gonna catch you off guard when I'm real life reading a book this whole eight hour drive.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yup. Yeah. Right. Straight up. Yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: Like, yeah, and if you see my headphones in, you know, on my laptop, you know, I'm working on something. So it's like, you know, and probably still people, it's no harm in introducing yourself because everybody's trying to learn each other. So it's like, got to give people a chance to learn you too. So if you're too closed off, who wouldn't think you're weird? Like, let's just be for real. No, no, nobody. ⁓ yeah, 100 percent. Got to.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Mm-hmm. Yeah Absolutely. For sure. You stay pretty active though. You stay on it home and on the road.
Arnetta Johnson: ⁓ yeah, yeah. Have to. That's a... Non-negotiable. It's a non-negotiable. That is a... Five. Five. Six if I'm feeling it. Yeah. Yeah, that is a non-negotiable. And it's a non-negotiable because everybody ends up in the gym. I'm like, you're gonna end up there.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: How important is that to you? Because you pretty pretty locked in for a while. Non-negotiable. How many days a week are you in? Got it. Come on. You
Arnetta Johnson: It's like, you pick. I just don't want mine to look like physical therapy ⁓ not being able to step up on a curb at a young age just because I rolled out of bed.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Woe where another. Yes. Right. Yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: People talk about when they threw their back out when they stood up. I'm like, you're 36.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Like how? Like what? Yeah, yep. People definitely gotta lock in.
Arnetta Johnson: And then just, ⁓ know, I come from a family of, ⁓ I'm very young in my family. Because my mom had me in her later years. Yeah, my mom and my dad, they just decided we're have y'all when we older. I ain't mad at it. So it's like the gap in the ages are like,
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: at all.
Arnetta Johnson: crazy like my cousins are like in their late 40s and pushing 50 and stuff like that. Yeah. And like my oldest sibling is in his 50s. yeah, so I come from that me and like when I was little, you know, I'm just always around like older people. So I know what it looks like to see people sick in their 60s and 70s. And then I had to learn. ⁓ that's because of poor dieting and lack of
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Wow. Yep. Yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: ⁓ physicality. ⁓ And you know, it's it's to slight them. It's just the common practices of the culture within the community. ⁓ You know, depending on where that person is, you know, if you're in a community where everybody's sitting down all day and they just want to go drink and eat, probably what you're going to do. But if you come from a community where, you know, people are active ⁓ you know, they're
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Mm-hmm. Yeah. For sure.
Arnetta Johnson: they're very conscious of what they're eating and stuff like that, there's a chance you'll probably be the same. And I say that to say like my mom was very active. My mom was playing softball up until she had us.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: you So sick. My mom's like getting fluid.
Arnetta Johnson: Yeah, yeah, my dad, yeah, my dad, know, growing up, he was a track star. So at the time, you know, he was just going his walks and stuff. He would be the one to take us outside and go for a walk to the park and all that. He was the one doing that. So this day, my mom is active. She's in her seventies. ⁓ doesn't care about telling people her age, but yeah, she's in her seventies and she walking around better than people I know in their fifties and sixties.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Wow. Mm hmm. It's all about the good choices. And I love the venture making it a non negotiable for yourself.
Arnetta Johnson: Yeah. Mm hmm. It has to be like I tell people when it's just certain things in life. You you have to do it while it's a choice. Before it's not a choice anymore. ⁓ Because it's always going to get to the point where it's not a choice for all of us. You know, we're all going to get old, God willing, we're all going to get old in dirt.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: There you go. Yeah. Yep. Yep.
Arnetta Johnson: And it's going to get to the point where, you know, your body is just like, Hey, we're old and crusty a little, it's a little harder to do certain things, but your body feels like that. But mentally you still want to still do the thing. So it's just, I'm just giving myself a fighting chance. ⁓ and I just like to feel good. Like I just, yeah, honestly, that's really why between feeling good and I like to eat food. So, and I'm not going to eat food. So there is that too.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Mm-hmm. Right. I'm with you.
Arnetta Johnson: So, yeah. Yeah, yeah, I eat a lot of food. I eat a lot of food. But I just, you know, I portion things out. Like, I don't slant. Absolutely not, absolutely not. Nope, nope.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Are you a foodie? Got it. hear you. Okay. Do you remove anything out of your diet specifically? Got it. Uh-uh. So you just control, right? You just like, all right, I'm not going to do this fried chicken today. But next week.
Arnetta Johnson: Yes. Yes. Not even that, like, not even that. Like, like it's not fried chicken today. It's just like, ⁓ okay. I want a piece of chicken. I can eat the piece of chicken. I don't get into like, all right, well today I'm going to eat this and then tomorrow I'm, no, no, no. Like, know, you know, if you, if you know, if you went a little too hard on something or not, you know, so it's, it's just, ⁓ I said, I ⁓ balance everything out. ⁓ that works for me. You know, some people eat once a day that works for them. Some people cut out.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: And you are right. Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Arnetta Johnson: carbs that work for them. Me? I'm consuming my carbs to the absolute max every single day because you know I like to run and I like to lift and I need my carbohydrates for energy for fuel you know so it you know it all depends on you know what what ⁓ best realistically. I'm at the point now where I tell people I ⁓ try it at all I did it all. ⁓
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: There you go. Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: You know, so matter of fact, before we got on this interview, I had me a cookie, a nice little Girl Scout cookie. I had me just one Girl Scout cookie. And some people be like, some people be like, oh, I can't eat just one. That's your problem. I can. And I'm like, you're not cutting out the cookie because you're eating too, you're not cutting out the cookie because the cookies are proud. You're cutting out the cookie because you lack self-control. So.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: They're the best What kind? Right. Well, we found the issue. Mmm.
Arnetta Johnson: I have self control in all avenues. I have self control. that's why. Yeah. Yeah. I think everything's a conscious decision.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Right. discipline you can't I agree. I completely agree. You're so dope. All right. So on a shift to this last fun phase here, this rapid fire. OK, no wrong answers. I'm just going to judge you in front of your face. Here we go. You're ready for it.
Arnetta Johnson: Meh. ⁓ boy. Yeah, that's it. Do I just it is just like boom back. Oh, God. All right. don't know if you see it.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: That's it, I'ma say it, you give me your answer. It's super easy all fun. Nothing. Nothing high-pressure. Here we go Batman or Superman
Arnetta Johnson: Superman. ⁓
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: ⁓ OK. If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
Arnetta Johnson: teleport.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yes, great choice. What's your most random like road essential that you always have with you? That's not your instrument.
Arnetta Johnson: Ooh, dang, I was supposed to answer this fast. That's not an answer in a book.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: A book. Yep. Great. OK, so would you prefer a bus tour or flight tour?
Arnetta Johnson: ⁓ I've gotten into big arguments about that bus. All day. I have a lot of people that debate me on this.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: I don't, who's arguing with you about that? That is. This is not up for debate. It's not up for debate. Bust is way easier. I don't care what anyone says. I agree with you. If you could do another job in the industry, what would it be?
Arnetta Johnson: They be arguing, they be arguing me down. Physical therapy for touring musicians and artists.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Wow, you're the first to say that. That's dope. Okay. What's your pre-show lock-in routine if you have one?
Arnetta Johnson: I'll turn on some music, play some music, yeah, Clear as soul.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Got it. Any type of music? Got it. Something that makes you feel good. There you go. What's the what's the main difference for you between rehearsal and showtime?
Arnetta Johnson: Mm-hmm. Yeah, gotta zen it out. ⁓ well one is just mere execution. Like, yeah, rehearsal is, we're fine tuning what we all practice individually and we're coming together to make sure we got the thing. Showtime is, we here. Ain't no, ain't ain't no, all right, hold on y'all, let's take a break. It's game time. Yeah, we in it.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yes, game on. Game on. Is one and done absolutely. If you can give any new musician just one piece of advice, what would it be?
Arnetta Johnson: do what you have to do.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Mmm, I want your library on that weekend
Arnetta Johnson: Not what you. Too many people are doing what they feel like doing. As opposed to doing what they have to do. ⁓ To where it's like, a lot of their actions are in control by their emotions. That's where I'm getting at. To where it's like, know, where they know, okay, I should probably go to this event because it can open up doors for this, that, and the other, but don't feel like it.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Okay. Yes. Right. You know, it'd be great.
Arnetta Johnson: He's like, you should go do that thing. And working on stuff, be on top of your deliverables. If you gotta, like today we had this schedule.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: You know, it ain't about no, I don't feel like doing it. No, I always tell people once you say yes, give your best. But yes, do what you. Yeah, but do what you have to do. I see a lot of people letting their emotions navigate just their trajectory and just.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: That's great. I want you to say yes. your best. Yeah.
Arnetta Johnson: Keep first whatever you believe in. I believe in God, so every which way I navigate, God is at the forefront. that should be, and within God is what you have to do. That's how you figure out what you have to do. Because you don't have to do everything. So we can get into that too. You don't have to do everything. ⁓ But that's how you discern the difference. You just gotta keep.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: love her. Absolutely. Right.
Arnetta Johnson: keep whatever you believe in first. Every decision should be made in that aspect. So that's what I would lead them with. A lot of people get lost with the smoke and mirrors. It's a lot of that in this industry. A lot of smoke and mirrors. yeah.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Right. Perfect. I love that thing. ⁓ One habit that made your career better.
Arnetta Johnson: Time management.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: ⁓ great. And. Did you OK, perfect. Well, we'll link that to so people can can dive into that. And then the last one is pretty simple. Are you a morning or night person?
Arnetta Johnson: I literally just did a video on this too. I'm whatever I need to be person.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Wow, really? You might be the first to say that. Respect so dope.
Arnetta Johnson: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah, I'm a full-time musician. What I look like saying I'm a morning person or a night person. Like, whenever I need to be there. ⁓
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: I need that Sun. I need the Sun. I hate those late night
Arnetta Johnson: Man, I am whatever I need to be. You need the sun, we'll get a nice bright light for you, okay?
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Hahaha!
Arnetta Johnson: Like, no, I feel you, but you know, I'm whatever I need to be. If I got a red eye, I'm there. You know, if I got an interview right now, you know, say if my interview is virtual, but they're in Japan. Their 2 p.m. is our 12 a.m. if I'm not mistaken, you know. What I'ma do if you're like, I'm so sorry. No, I a lock in.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: We'll get it. Turn the lamp on. Right, right, story. Yeah, you're right. You gotta lock in.
Arnetta Johnson: You know, but yeah, so it's just, you know, as a full-time musician, our, our, our schedules are all over the place. I can't be on stage in a different time zone and be like, technically it's 6 a.m. to my body, so I can't execute that way. know about it. Don't know I want hear that.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Get to it.
Arnetta Johnson: be a nice story to tell later, but don't ever wanna hear that. Yeah, know, so I'm just like, ⁓ I'm at an age, you know, I'm still young. I'm in my early ⁓ 30s. an person. ⁓ I don't see myself telling myself I'm tired at night because I'm a morning person.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: so true. Mm-hmm. Yeah, I hear you. Yep, gotta get to it.
Arnetta Johnson: I'll have the privilege of that later. That's why I work hard and I'm able to reap the benefit, I'll tell people I worked hard so that I can say I'm a morning person or a night person. ⁓
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yes. ⁓ There you go. what's next? ⁓ next for you? I know you always have a ⁓ plethora of things on your plate. So what's going on in your world?
Arnetta Johnson: Yeah, I'm putting a song out this year. It's is, yeah, yeah. And it's hot. The song is good. It's a really good song. I'm looking forward to it. I really feel like it's gonna shift the music world. ⁓ I know, not yet, not yet, but it's, it'll be this year. And I know every artist says that, but I truly, I truly am.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yes, artistry. Good. Do ever released it yet? Okay.
Arnetta Johnson: Spirit feel like this song about this about do something that I'm not even aware That is going to do I think it's gonna go really far and then on top of that launching my nonprofit the BOP Foundation in March that's gonna be awesome, too ⁓ just a lot of planning between that ⁓ you know the band camp coming up on our fifth year in ⁓ other endeavors in the foundation And what else? ⁓ I started my lesson private lesson series lessons with net about so ⁓
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yeah, for sure. Yes. There you go.
Arnetta Johnson: We are in full swing of that ⁓ over these next two months. ⁓ and then, yeah, just trumpet. Mm-hmm. Yep. So started that up. Usually I would keep my private lessons private, meaning like no one would know unless they asked me. But now I said I'll just make it a public matter. So that's going great. And I'll be putting out a couple of e-books.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Yes. It is just trumpet. OK. Yeah. Amazing. Good for you. Very exciting. We'll link everything that's out right now. We'll link it and we'll also tag all your socials and things so people can follow your journey. Very, very important that you guys are tapping into what she has going on because it's it's why I wanted to talk to you like you're doing so many amazing things. You're very consistent as a person. I noticed a consistency from the things you've been doing on social media as well as like, yeah, you very inspirational.
Arnetta Johnson: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Perfect. Perfect. Thank you. you.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Very inspirational. Marnetta, thank you so much for being here. We truly appreciate it and we would love to do a part two with you if you get some time later on this year or next year.
Arnetta Johnson: I'm down. I'm down. I'm already down. Yeah, absolutely. You know I always say it's good to be had.
Jarvis 'Jeb' Barnes: Absolutely. Well, thanks, everybody. We appreciate y'all being here. Take care.