Photo by Emma Thomas.

How exactly does one approach a man who would stand on a bull? Well, if it’s Johnny Thompson standing on that bull you know he has to come down real soon simply because he doesn’t have time to goof off for long. Leave out his personal family responsibilities as the mate of local artist and horsewoman, Hillarey Whitaker, and you’re still left with a long list of commitments that leaves the normal insanely busy person in awe. On average he works a ten hour day, six days a week, all in an effort to provide our regional community with more musical opportunities than most similar demographics across the United States.

Start with the Scottsville Conservatory, then add in his own record label, Farm-Out Records, multiply in being a board member of the Allen County-Scottsville Arts Council, and finish the equation with managing the details of the Arts on Main Summer Concert Series in Scottsville and all that equates to the daily duties of Johnny Thompson.

Having started the Scottsville Conservatory single handedly from a handful of students, Thompson has grown it into a business that is now in its second stage of growth with his students now teaching other students. He began the business hauling around instruments and equipment from one place to another to accommodate his students. Soon enough the need for a stationary office/ studio become a priority. His family, always behind him, aided him in securing a one room space on 31 East Maple in Scottsville. From that one room space in the old Washington Overalls factory, he moved and renovated the space he’s in now. The Scottsville Conservatory is now three large rooms on the bottom floor of the same building. Still, it has growing pains. The need for a soundproof environment is becoming more and more a necessity than just wishful thinking. No doubt in the near future the Scottsville Conservatory will be moving.

Upon walking into his office / studio the walls are adorned with various instruments and others are on stands or in cases. A drum kit is set up in the adjoining room with various percussion tools at hands reach. It’s obvious to even a 12 year old that regardless of the instrument or style that a student wishes to learn, it can be taught at the Scottsville Conservatory. Voice lessons are also available. Having his own record label, Johnny Thompson offers to his students an advantage that most instructors don’t and that is the ability to record his students in a professional manner. He also teaches some how to engineer recordings. He humbly confessed that he has several students that have surpassed his engineering knowledge.

His record label, Farm-Out Records, manages and promotes several artists. Thompson self description of his label says everything:

Farm-Out! Records, a pioneering micro-indie label, was loosely formed by Johnny Thompson in 2006, presumably to pay himself handsomely to record his 350 plus original works, and since then has served as a developmental springboard for his students and select regional artists.

Thompson laughs and snorts out little giggles about money and fame, but it’s obvious looking around his office and studio why he’s immersed his life in music. Another writer described it as a “magnificent obsession” from which we all have benefited.

But the story doesn’t end with the Scottsville Conservatory or Farm-Out Records, it continues on with Johnny Thompson’s unending service to the  Allen County-Scottsville Arts Council. The ACSAC is tireless in bringing all forms of the performing arts into the community and to the schools of the area. They’ve brought performances from outside the region like the Louisville Opera. They’ve also accomplished feats such as providing dulcimers to the primary center. There are so many school systems in the state having to scale back or even cut their Arts programs, it’s organizations such as this one that keep the performing arts as a contributing factor in the education of the youth in our region. Inspiring each other to do more and more and improve in excellence the arts councils of our region provide us with a bounty of arts that is truly amazing. It is people like Johnny Thompson, Heath and LeeAnn Seymour, & Jenny Paul Blankenship of the ACSAC performing minor miracles on a shoestring budget to bring us events like the Arts on Main Summer Concert Series to the region that keeps the bar going up.

The Arts on Main Summer Concert Series began in the 1980’s and since than has progressed to an event that pulls in award winning national acts. Always free to the public, Saturday nights in Scottsville finds East Main clogged with people and the air is filled with music. Shows begin at 7pm and it is ‘first come first get’ space. Bring your own chairs or blankets. In the past there have been very few vendors but John says some of the stores on the square are starting to stay open on concert nights to serve the concert goers. For the last five years or so Thompson has organized the event. Chasing down artists, sifting through contracts, arranging and re-arranging schedules, finalizing a playbill and even transporting and setting up the equipment are just some of the major tasks that are necessary to bring Arts on Main Summer Concert Series to fruition. Always trying his best to please as many people’s music taste as possible while at the same time staying in budget and taking it up a notch every season this year’s line-up is nothing short of fantastic.

This summer’s series kicks off on June 12th with HuDost who has been described by Higher Plain Music as “It’s rock but with little Persian-esque inflections throughout.” and includes performers such as  Scotty Anderson, David Rives, Ned Van Go, Small Talk, The Caveman Chorus, The Farewell Drifters, The Horseshoe Bend Family Band and a few other surprises. HuDost can also be heard at the BG International Festival September 25 where Johnny serves as a stage manager and also performs.  But really those of us who’ve known and watched Johnny Thompson through the years are never really surprised by anything he does…we’ve just come to expect it. Bull and all.

Scottsville’s very own world class visual artist Heath Seymour has designed this year’s poster featuring the schedule:

For more information on the Scottsville Conservatory, Farm-Out Records or Johnny Thompson check out his Face Book page under John Sonso or his MySpace page: www.myspace.com/farmoutrecords.  The Arts Council’s site is www.acsarts.org.

He can also be contacted by e-mail : jmthompson437@yahoo.com

About the author: Franne J. has lived in 5 major cities and 7 states, but has always loved this area and considered Bowling Green home. She’s been a part of and writing about the local art and music scene, off and on, since the mid-90’s. She recently met the love of her life, a ship’s captain, who has encouraged her to write again. Find her on Facebook.