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Tonganoxie area resident a Josh Groban fan

By Shawn Linenberger - | Oct 27, 2004

Elizabeth Johnson has become quite the concert-goer.

But it’s not as though she has several AC-DC or Metallica shirts in her closet or a drumstick or guitar pick that a band member threw from the stage.

And, no, Johnson doesn’t have a rock band T-shirt with tour dates on the back.

Thanks to her mother-in-law, Elizabeth Johnson instead has been introduced to the world of Josh Groban.

The rising musician has captivated plenty of fans — including Johnson.

From February to August, Johnson attended five of Groban’s concerts on his recent tour.

“I think what attracted me to it is he has a wonderful voice,” she said. “The type of music is a lot of orchestra music.

“Normally you have orchestra music but not vocals with it and that really appealed to me.”

Attending five Groban concerts in seven months clearly shows that Johnson is a huge fan. But it helped that Groban performed at some convenient venues.

“A lot of it was opportunity, too,” Johnson said.

Groban performed at several venues in the Midwest.

In February, Johnson saw Groban at Midland Theater in Kansas City, Mo. She also went to his concerts in Wichita, Omaha, Neb., and Dallas before seeing him in August again in Kansas City at Starlight Theater.

And before attending the Groban concerts, Johnson said she could “count on one hand” the number of concerts she had attended.

Plus, Johnson’s fondness of Groban’s music stems from his ability to reach a wide fan base.

“Part of the appeal of his music is it appeals to all different ages,” Johnson said.

Visiting family

Groban’s tour dates in Omaha and Dallas were easier to attend considering Johnson has family near both cities.

During the summer, Johnson visited her sister in Dallas.

“We conveniently scheduled it around the same weekend he was in concert down there,” Johnson said.

At the Omaha concert, Johnson went with another Groban fan — her mother-in-law, Judy Johnson, who lives in Lincoln, Neb.

“She’s the one who first got me listening to his music in the first place,” Johnson said.

Johnson’s son and her 12-year-old niece, who also is a big fan of Groban, also attended the concert in Nebraska.

“It was kind of a family event,” Johnson said.

Groban has released three albums, “Closer,” “Live in Concert,” and “Josh Groban.”

Although the live album includes “O Holy Night,” Groban has yet to release a Christmas album, however Johnson hopes that is on his to-do list.

But Johnson is concerned Groban will release fewer songs in the future. Groban attended acting school and has aspirations for acting. He already has experience on television as he made two appearances on “Ally McBeal.”

Johnson would prefer Groban stick with music.

“I think he has a lot of potential for putting out a lot of good music,” Johnson said.

After all, the musician sings in four languages — French, Italian, Spanish and English.

On tour

Not every concert was the same, according to Johnson.

In the 23-year-old Groban’s first tour, Johnson noticed a change from the first concert she attended in the winter to the August performance.

“By the time we saw him in August, he was a lot more relaxed with the crowd,” Johnson said.

And, in later tours, Groban played the drums and keyboard.

“That was kind of neat to see,” Johnson said.

A member of a Groban fan club, Johnson gets on a message board occasionally and finds out when he will be making his next television appearance. Through the fan club, she also has met other fans at concerts.

“You meet a lot of people who are fans, and that’s kind of neat when you have that interest,” Johnson said. “It’s just kind of a hobby for all of us. It’s just fun.”

Not a collector

You won’t find Johnson’s closet filled with concert t-shirts or other memorabilia. She has a button from a concert, but a fan club was giving them away at the event.

In fact, Johnson has to hunt a little to find her five ticket stubs.

She’s not really into collecting, she just likes to experience the music at the concerts.

Along with the button, though, she does let people know when she’s driving that she’s a fan.

“I have a bumper sticker on my card, but I’m not really a bumper sticker-type of person,” Johnson said.

More concerts in the future?

Aside from “You Raise Me Up,” a popular Groban song that Johnson said is overplayed on the radio, the local fan loves to hear Groban’s songs again and again.

The performer’s next tour will be in Europe. Johnson said that would be a “good reason” to head overseas, but she probably shouldn’t make the trip.

“I’ve spent enough money on Josh Groban,” Johnson said. “Ask my husband, he’ll tell you.”

Her husband, Tim Johnson, might not be excited about a European trip for Groban.

However, rumor has it that Groban will tour southern states when he returns to the United States.

“I have family in Houston,” Johnson said with a grin.