Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 272 - Donnie Johns

DMV Music Academy founder, percussionist, entrepreneur, freelancer, professor, and performer Donnie Johns stops by to talk about his recent PASIC performance as part of the Colour of Music Orchestral Percussion Section (03:00), his percussion activities with Richmond Symphony, Bowie State, UMBC, and DMV (19:00), growing up south of Baltimore, his extensive musical background, and his baseball and sports background (35:30), his years at the University of Maryland for undergrad (54:05), going to grad school back at Maryland and his decision to leave full-time secondary school teaching (01:11:00), and settles in for the Random Ass Questions, including segments on being an African American in percussion, C.S. Lewis, and Nikki Giovanni (01:20:45).

FInishing with a Rave on Muhammad Ali’s 1975 autobiography (01:40:10).

Links:

Donnie Johns’ DMV Percussion Page

The Colour of Music PASIC Performance

Lee Pringle

Jauvon Gilliam on the podcast

Sean Daniels

“Adoration” - Florence Price

Raynor Carroll

Jovon Milford on the podcast

Thomas Spann, Jr. on the podcast

Emmanuel Scott

Malcolm Jackson

Marcia McCants

Lamon Lawhorn on the podcast in 2020

Joshua Simonds on the podcast

Sphinx Organization

Gateways Music Festival

St. Elmo’s Indianapolis

John Tafoya

Tony Ames

Cal Ripken, Jr. highlights

Michael Jordan highlights

Brett Favre highlights

Ron Barnett

Maryland wins 2002 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship

“The Whole Toy Laid Down” - Dave Hollinden

“Stained Glass” - David Gillingham

“Third Construction” - John Cage

“Ionization” - Edgard Varese

“And the Mountains Rising Nowhere” - Joseph Schwantner

“Rhythm Song” - Paul Smadbeck

“Log Cabin Blues” - GH Green

“Hangar 84” - Paul Bissell

“Sunset Glow” - Samuels/Friedman

“Prelude No. 1” - Ney Rosauro

“Chain” - Kazunori Miyake

“Timpani Concert No. 1” - James Oliverio

Earl Yowell

Karli Viña on the podcast

Scent of a Woman trailer

Dude, Where’s My Car? trailer

The Problem of Pain - C.S. Lewis

Screwtape Letters - C.S. Lewis

“Let’s Stay Together” - Al Green

“What’s Going On” - Marvin Gaye

“Gemini” - Nikki Giovanni

Raves:

The Greatest: My Own Story - Muhammad Ali and Richard Durham