Father of sons, Keith and Michael Johnson, daughters Jennifer Bellusci
and Susan Jacobson.
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences/ Most Valuable Player
Award for Tuba. Seven consecutive years 91974-1980). Awarded Emeritus
Most Vauable Tuba Player (1981).
Graduate of University of Southern California (1956).
In addition to working on film, television and music recordings, Johnson performed with many local ensembles, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Pasadena Symphony, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and the Academy Awards Orchestra.
Johnson taught music to junior high school students in the Los Angeles Unified School District for nearly 20 years. For most of his career, he taught advanced tuba players individually and at USC and UCLA.
On Sunday afternoon at Bovard Auditorium on the campus of the University of Southern California, a selection of the country's finest tuba players gathered for a memorial concert for Tommy Johnson. When the conductor promised the full house this was a performance never attempted before, "and something you may never see again," he wasn't kidding. It is not every day that 99 tubas take the stage.