A Community of Harmony
By Tori Lewis
February 9, 1964: The camera pans across an enraptured studio audience. Young women and men bounce in their seats, clapping their hands in frenzied anticipation as The Fab Four return to the stage. The opening riff of “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” can barely be heard over the screaming fans, but the four young men from Liverpool play on, changing the course of the American music scene forever.
James Etheridge, Rick Carr, Mark Foy, Vaughn Hall, Tracy Hollingsworth, and Barry Shirley were among the 73 million Americans who tuned in to watch The Beatles’ first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show that night, and the experience lit a flame that shows no signs of diminishing. The six men have known each other most their lives. “Some of us grew up in the West Columbia area since the days of riding bicycles around the neighborhood, listening to old Alice Cooper cassette tapes,” says Hall, the band’s bass player. “Although we have known each other for years, several of us were rehearsing with James to substitute in a cover band and began thinking it would be a lot of fun to create a tribute band.” Influenced greatly by the iconic bands of the 1970s and ‘80s, they settled on covering Bad Company’s soulful catalog of rock classics, and Schoolboy Johnny was born—the name pulled from the opening line of the English supergroup’s 1975 hit, “Shooting Star.”
Music has been a constant fixture in each of their lives since childhood, and the men boast an impressive 285 years of combined musical experience—experience which has helped them hone their craft and deliver a staggeringly authentic Bad Company performance. Their bluesy vocals, gained-up guitars, and driving rhythm section can often be found gracing venues throughout the midlands, an area for which they hold a deep-rooted fondness. When asked their favorite thing about the Lexington County music scene, the answer is simple, earnest, and touching: the camaraderie among the local musicians. “We all try to support one another,” Hall elaborates, “sharing information about various venues and musical gear.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by many. Greg Bickley of Tokyo Joe recognizes that very same camaraderie, applauding the groups for working together as opposed to viewing one other as competition. “We recently put together an Eagles tribute called ‘Southern Sky’ that includes members of five other bands from the area,” he says. Bickley, who founded the band back in 1992 under the name Three Rings, knows a thing or two about collaboration and teamwork. Tokyo Joe—as the band came to be called in ‘96, when guitarist Dale Burgess returned from playing military bases in Japan and Korea—has had great success with two other tribute shows as well: “Rocketman” – A Tribute to Sir Elton John, which features the five-time Grammy award winner’s drummer of thirteen years, Charlie Morgan; and “The Best of Everything” – A Tribute to Tom Petty, featuring outside artists and other local talent.
At regular Toyko Joe performances, fans are treated to a dynamic set of familiar covers as well as original material which
showcases their songwriting skills and pays subtle homage to their musical influences. “My biggest influences originally were Elton John and Billy Joel,” answers Bickley when asked who sits at the top of that list. “I became a huge Third Eye Blind fan in the late ‘90s, so they would become an influence later on.” The result is an amalgamation of styles, usually acoustic guitar or piano-based, that he describes as landing somewhere in the same neighborhood as Matchbox Twenty. Another major inspiration? Bickley’s father, who was also a professional musician. “That was a lot of the inspiration, just seeing that it could be done, and it’s just always come naturally to me.” And it’s a good thing too, because when it comes to the band, the checklist is never-ending. “The band is my day job and night job and everything in between. Actually going on stage and performing is maybe 10% of the responsibility. It’s everything from booking the shows, promoting the shows, making sure the calendar on the website is up-to-date, getting the oil changed in the truck, changing a tire on the trailer, and even answering interview questions like this. It’s always something. It’s a full-time small business.” But it’s the dream.
Another group of artists living the dream are the members of the Columbia-based R&B band, Cash Money Experience. “Music has always been part of our lives. We decided to get serious and pursue music as a career,” says Daryl Howard, the band’s lead singer. “Through hard work and dedication, we are blessed to do music full-time,” and the blessings continue to roll in for Cash Money Experience. In 2024, they signed a record deal with Star Corner Records and released their first single, “Outside Looking In,” that July.
Howard promises more new music is well on its way in the near future; yet it’s in the past where he finds his greatest influences, citing old school R&B groups as his personal favorites. His timeless taste is evident in a spectacular inventory of songs they execute with effortless style and a level of class and showmanship which harkens back to the likes of Al Green and Smokey Robinson, but the five-piece band doesn’t stop at the classics. Peppered throughout their setlists are songs by Bruno Mars, Daft Punk, Teddy Swims, Chris Stapleton, and Lizzo, just to name a few.
The different influences and styles brought into the mix by each member of Cash Money Experience sets up the audience for just that—an “experience”. This term was used so much that the word was eventually added to the band’s name. “A few times, checks from clients bounced on us. So, we decided to make a statement; we called ourselves Cash Money and that would speak for itself,” says Howard in a humorous, yet all-too-real explanation. “The “Experience” came later when people would say, ‘Wow! That was an experience!’ after a performance.”
It’s a prime example of how the name of a band can set the tone and give the audience a hint at what’s to come before the first note is even played. In the case of the six-piece party band Under the Sun, what began as a handy slogan soon became their identity. “We play everything ‘under the sun,’ explains Elizabeth Johnson, the band’s vocalist. “We try to play a huge variety of songs, and play them in different styles so that our audience is guaranteed to get on their feet.” From The Beatles to Taylor Swift, Cindy Lauper to Paramore, Stevie Wonder to The Killers, there’s something for everyone at an Under the Sun show. “If you don’t like a particular song we’re playing, then don’t worry, you will probably love the next one!”
Largely playing covers at weddings and private events, the band strives to create memorable arrangements, medleys, and mashups, adding their own unique twist and keeping things interesting for the audience. Johnson, who has dubbed their style “familiar but fancier,” formed the band in 2008. “We have been through a few iterations of the band, but the current membership has been mostly the same for many years now, and we are like a family!” They’re an eclectic group, ranging in age from twenty-seven to sixty-five, and all holding day jobs outside of shows and rehearsals. Some work in IT, others teach and record, and three own and operate Wood + Fabric in Lexington. Having convenient access to a major seating arena and open pavilion in the heart of the city is a huge plus. Johnson praises the Icehouse Amphitheater, Lexington’s “big and beautiful” signature venue, for its deep well of talent, immaculate design, and community ambiance. “We have seen some amazing acts perform there,” she says, “and we have performed there for several years and loved it each time.” Performing is engrained in Johnson, who has been singing since childhood; she credits early exposure to the radio and attending live concerts as a child with influencing her musical endeavors.
Just as six young boys glued to their television sets decades prior were forever changed by a legendary performance on Ed Sullivan, a young Elizabeth Johnson experienced her own spark of inspiration watching various artists who came before. One can’t help but wonder how many spectators will experience that same passionate, irresistible, dream-making spark as Schoolboy Johnny, Tokyo Joe, Cash Money Experience, and Under the Sun continue to take control of stages with their amazing and powerful performances!
