Portrait of an Artist: Terrany Johnson
Terrany Johnson in his studio/Rebecca McInroy/KUTAudio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Austin based producer, songwriter and artist Terrany Johnson, aka Tee Double, has built a name for himself through diligence, hard work and taking advantage of every opportunity that came his way.
“Sometimes in your life, talent and opportunity meet up. Sometimes you have a bunch of talent but that opportunity never comes. Or you get that opportunity and the talent is just not where it needs to be,” said Johnson.
“I’ve been lucky in that multiple times in my life those things have met up; with great people,with great music, with great opportunities. So I’m very blessed, I take nothing for granted. That’s why I’m so about sharing what I know with younger artists.”
Growing up in Austin, Johnson’s mother was a school teacher and his father was a janitor, so there wasn’t a lot of money to go around. This forced Johnson to be creative when it came to making music at an early age.
“I would take a TDK Maxell cassette and go to Sears,” he said. “I would get a jam box from the electronics department put the tape in it, go to the keyboard department take a keyboard and I would cut my demos at Sears. So I did a lot of pre-production at Sears.”
Nine years ago Johnson had a near-death experience and was diagnosed with diabetes. “This just made me appreciate everything more, not just music, but everything that makes my music what it is,” said Johnson about the renewed sense of purpose that has led him to release eight albums since then.
Terrany Johnson, known as Tee Double, will release a new album, “The Analog Component Project” this Friday September 30th which just happens to be the day Austin will celebrate the official Tee Double Day thanks to Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell. KUT is excited to bring you this Portrait of an Artist with Terrany Johnson here at Storyboard.
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