Scott Johnson

Who is Scott Johnson?

Scott Johnson is an American percussionist and music educator. He is the current head drum instructor for the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps. When he was about four years old, he began taking lessons from a drum instructor living in his area. In that same year, he entered into the world of drum and bugle corps, which was known as "drum and bell corps" at that time. He first began marching with a group known as the Red Knights Drum and Bell Corps, and then later moved on to a group called the Royal Airs Drum and Bugle Corps. Scott stayed with the Royal Airs for about thirteen years before he would go on to join the Blue Devils. He began as a marching member of the Blue Devils at the age of 18 in 1976, until becoming both a marching member and an instructor in 1978. From 1978 until 1989 he remained on the instructional staff for the Blue Devils. He left the organisation to instruct the Santa Clara Vanguard from 1991 until 1993. Scott then returned to the Blue Devils in 1994 as the head percussion arranger and instructor where he remains today.

Scott Johnson’s personal awards include thirteen DCI Gold medal championships, twelve DCI High Percussion titles, two WGI Gold medal championships, three DCA Gold medal championships, two DCA High Percussion titles, ten DCE championships, nine DCE High Percussion titles, seven High Percussion titles in Japan, and 1977 DCI & Percussive Arts Society Individual Snare Champion. Although his mainstream career has primarily dealt with teaching drum corps, he has taught many privately and has arranged music for many different levels such as elementary, junior, high school and collegiate universities. In this profession, Johnson has also had the opportunity to travel the world as a clinician and judge to places like Japan, Canada, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Scotland, South Africa, Australia, South Korea, and Indonesia.