Most tried and true musicians earn their stripes (fame? reputation?) by touring constantly, working hard for their next meal, and beating the odds for success.  Johnny Ramirez did was doing this while others his age were only learning arithmetic in grade school.  It may be hard to believe that a child could embark on a spiritual and musical journey so young when given the destiny* of a migrant family and a strict evangelical pastor for a father.  No matter where your beginnings are, as Ramirez says, when God puts music in your life, anything is possible.

*destiny = end.  Better word fate, providence.

The Contemporary Christian Rock artist, now living in San Antonio, credits his meager beginnings as the bedrock needed to become what he is today.

“My family and I were really close since because we traveled together during the migrant season by the truckloads,” remembers the 35-year-old singer.  “Along the way, my father would preach and establish plant? start new? churches during our travels.  He occasionally needed singers for his revivals, and that is where my talent developed budded.”

Ramirez took to singing as a toddler, but one day his hobby was put to the test when a well-known Christian group, “The Latinos,” showed up at his dad’s church.  The band encouraged little Johnny to lend his Spanish vocals while they played.  With no trace of stage fright, it was the beginning of Johnny’s ambition.

Ramirez got the best of both worlds growing up: religious inspiration and musical creativity.  While helping his father build up to 14 churches throughout the West, Ramirez spent his youth performing for many transplanted Mexican-American families who looked to his father’s faith for a sense of community in a strange region.  Along the way the young boy met other muses that would cultivate his art.  One preacher, in particular, gave Ramirez at the age of eight his first guitar, a requinto.  Since then, Ramirez has mastered the instrument as well as his song writing ability.

“Music became a big part of my life growing up.  I remember in the fifth grade constantly humming tunes.  I couldn’t stop.  I was often pulled out of class and told to sit outside because of the distraction,” says the artist, who as a child listened to the tunes of Spanish Christian artist Tony Sauceda formerly of Los Tigres del Norte fame.  “My teacher asked me what I wanted to do when I grew up.  I said I wanted to be a singer.” Although the teacher did not see his choice as a viable career, Ramirez held onto the dream.

It was In the mid-70's, and while the Partridge Family was lip-syncing on television, the Ramirez household was busy cutting their first eight-track of Spanish Christian music.  Johnny, his two younger brothers, and his mother, managed to put together a collection of songs in between working the fields and establishing churches.

Even though Ramirez’s presence school was limited because of his duties to his family, he excelled in the classroom.  When he reached the ninth grade, the school wanted to promote him to the 11th grade because of good grades, and probably to entice his parents to let him finish school.  Instead the Ramirez household decided to pull him out.  Ramirez has no regrets.  His parent’s decision brought him closer to his craft, which by now had him singing in English.

But who was inspiring him during his teen years during the notorious late 70's?  The Rolling Stones?  John Lennon?  The Bee Gees? Or some Christian artist?  No, Ramirez’s ears were focused on rock’s higher power:  the King of Rock and Roll:  Elvis.  “Growing up, I only got to listen to music filtered in by my friends.  I was not an avid buyer of tapes, and I also grew up in a religious household,” he says.  “But one person’s music I was able to experience was Elvis.”

Elvis may have inspired Ramirez, but the teen was playing his guitar like yet another icon.  “A lot of people told me I was playing like Santana, and I wondered, ‘Who is Santana?’  I finally got to hear his ‘Oye Como Va’ song.  I just kept hearing the singing and couldn’t relate, but then I heard the guitar, and I made the connection,” says Ramirez.

By then Ramirez’ first band, The Image, had solidified and was playing at functions. He remembers relying on an old, broken-down speaker system.  “It was funny because we had this distorted ‘cool sound’ due to a bad speaker we had,” he laughs.  “We weren’t being creative like today’s bands.  We were just poor.”

Creativity or not, the critics listened and liked what they heard. In 1989, Ramirez’ group nabbed “Group of the Year” award and Ramirez himself was named “Musician of the Year” by the Mexican American Gospel Music Association.  After going solo, Ramirez would earn earned a “Male Vocalist” award by the Association in 1992, along with “Song of the Year.” By the mid-1990's, Ramirez was playing live concerts in both the United States and Mexico. He started his own label in 1995, Psalmist Song International. The label’s first album “El Corazón del Salmista,” was a praise and worship album.  It was recorded live in Spanish in Monterrey, and did so well that it became a victim of its own popularity.

“That album sold a lot in Mexico,” he says, “distributors were calling from everywhere in Latin America. The one record distributor I had in Mexico City called me one day to ask if I had another distributor in Mexico.  I said no.  Then he proceeded to tell me that my album must have been bootlegged . . . an estimated 60,000 copies were floating around the market!  At first I was shocked, but then I thought it was pretty cool.  My stuff was good enough to steal.”

Today, Ramirez enjoys a comfortable life with his wife, Maria, of 11 years, his 8-year-old son, Azariah, and 2-year-old daughter, Jubilee.  His passion for music is also stronger than ever.  Ramirez is ready to go back in the studio and is considering offers from various record labels. He currently plays on tours for four to six months out of the year.  In San Antonio, Ramirez is the music Worship Leader at the Church of Acts located on 9965 Kriewald Road.

Although he wants to eventually reach success in America’s Christian Contemporary music scene both in in both English and Spanish, Ramirez is prepared for the pitfalls bestowed upon its artists.  “In this scene, you are ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t,’” admits Ramirez. “you have a devoted audience," he says, "but if you write a song that is not religious enough or have the desire to crossover to mainstream, some fans might consider you a sell out.”

Ramirez, also the song writer, says he gets his inspiration from what God puts in his heart.  He wrote “I Promise” for Sony Discos Christian artist Jackie Velasquez, featured on her “Heavenly Places” CD.  He has also penned music for other national and international artists.  Sometimes, those songs may not fully express Christian symbols, but they have a religious meaning. “Some secular religious people may consider your work un-Christian if you don’t mention Jesus or the Lord,” Ramirez says.  “But my pastor reminded me of how a disciple asked Jesus, ‘Why do you always talk to the people in parables?’ Jesus responded, ‘Because those out there who are searching will hear and understand.’  God has given me something to say, if you listen carefully you’ll hear it.  That is why I write songs the way I do.”

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