For more than 20 years Patrick Johnson, known to many as “PJ”, has lent his vocal and guitar talents to various musical acts across many genres. Music has been in his bones his entire life. Raised in the hills of East Tennessee as the son of a preacher, PJ began his musical journey as a teenager with a $50 acoustic guitar, and it quickly consumed him.

He relocated to Nashville in his teens to pursue a life of music. PJ cut his teeth playing venues from the smallest dive bar to large theaters and festivals up and down the East Coast as part of Americana band The Hardin Draw.

All throughout his career, he enthusiastically consumed and played every type of music he could… punk, country, indie rock, Motown pop, Southern rock, and everything in between while finding his own voice. Now, he has taken these varied influences and used them to form his own style, combining with elements harkening back to some of his biggest influences such as Tom Petty, Will Hoge, Drive By Truckers, Pearl Jam, and countless others.

Joined by Slice, Jimbo Hart, Gary Goodlow, and Terry Thomas, the result is PJ and the Bear… an eclectic yet accessible blend of hook-filled choruses, introspective musing, heartbreak, jubilation, soaring highs, and dark lows.

PJ and the Bear’s self-titled debut EP was released May 27, 2022 and is available on all major streaming outlets.