The fact that Fred Johnson has opened for both Aretha Franklin and Dr. Deepak Chopra points to his versatility as an artist. An acclaimed jazz vocalist, author, and arts educator, Fred is a graduate of the National Academy of the Performing Arts and the Master Performers School of the National Mime Theater. He has opened for or recorded and toured worldwide with jazz and R&B legends Ramsey Lewis, Chick Corea, Richard Elliot, B.B. King, Patti LaBelle, Dizzy Gillespie, and Miles Davis.

Recognized globally for his work in the health and wellness community, he was instrumental in establishing the inspiring “HeArts & Hope” program at the University of Florida. His presentations on the healing power of music have caught the attention of internationally recognized holistic health practitioners. Fred presents lectures and seminars all over the world that accentuate the importance of creative expression as a catalyst for personal and communal empowerment, health and healing, and giving voice to the voiceless.

Mentored by masters of the African oral and percussion legacy, Fred has been hailed as one of the true guardians of an oral tradition transplanted and nurtured to create a fusion of cultural heritage that is uniquely American and inherently African. His global presentations of “Jazz, Its Roots and Branches” have served to inform and inspire audiences around the world to recognize and celebrate a creative global tapestry set by the first woven thread sewn from the artistic richness of Africa.

His decades of experience as an artist, arts administrator, and educator have uniquely equipped him to both create structure and artistically inspire. Fred currently serves as community engagement specialist and director of The Arts Legacy and Arts and Healing Initiatives at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, Florida, and as the interim executive director of the Saint Petersburg International Folk Fair Society in Saint Petersburg, Florida.