By Jon Bream
Star Tribune
May 8, 1987

There has been much talk recently about the Twin Cities becoming the "Nashville of the North." Michaw Johnson is one local singer who couldn't wait until this area became a true music center, but he is moving to Nashville of the South after living in Minnesota for 17 years.

"I was spending most of my time on an airplane," said Johnson this week by telephone from Nashville, Tenn. If I wanted to have a family and work, then is where I needed to be. I was feeling under the gun, work-wise. About six weeks ago we put our house up for sale while we were thinking about it (moving to Nashville), and the house sold in one day. We came down here and bought a house in two days."

Johnson, whose pop career soared in 1978 with "Bluer Than Blue" and then waned in the 1980s, switched to country last year. This week he scored his second No. 1 sang on Billboard's country chart with "The Moon is Still over Her Shoulder.

"I was really happy especially because the song is such a ballad," said Johnson, whose forte in pop was ballads. "It felt like more acceptance. I'm feeling much more comfortable (with country music)."

His country career is accelerating. This month he is putting together a backup band for a fall tour opening for Alabama, the biggest attraction in country music. Johnson's new group, probably a trio, will make its debut at Alabama's annual June Jam charity concert next month in Fort Payne, Ala.

That's in front of 60-to-70,000 people," he said.

In January, when Johnson notched his first country chart-topper with "Give Me Wings," he was reluctant to move to Nashville. He was concerned about the schools his two young sons would attend there, and about asking his wife, Sally, to quit her career as a chef at Lucia's restaurant in uptown Minneapolis. After some soul-searching and research, he decided that the family is "going fo be just fine."

The 42-year-old Colorado native will not sever his ties with Minnesota completely. He already is booked for his traditional Christmas concerts at Orchestra Hall, and he plans to perform his annual shows at Mankato, St. Peter and St. Cloud.

"I really am grieving," the singer-guitarist said from the Nashville apartment where he has settled until his family joins him in early June. I brought this enormous rock from beside the house, my favorite rock from the land. I put it in the back of the station wagon. I got it here and I can't get it out by myself. I'm embarrassed to roll it out with somebody and just leave it sitting, so I have to wait until the current residents move out. But I have my son's blessing on it. He knows that it's a good idea."