A transformed mind transforms a person. A transformed person transforms
a city, and a transformed city transforms a nation. The seed that
grows into the transformation of the world first begins in the heart of the
believer who says yes to the purposes of God, no matter what. -Bill Johnson,
Born for Significance
how to play a few tunes. The first one
I remember learning was ‘Stand By
Me.’ After that, my mom asked if I
wanted to take lessons. I would have
three significant piano teachers before
auditioning for college: Rita Tyler,
Regina Stokes, and Cathy Rogers.”
Soon, Michael was playing in
church, which provided a platform for
his musical talents to shine and gave
him a sense of identity.
After graduating from Vidalia
High School in 2009, Michael attended
Georgia Southern University and
trained in classical piano. His plan
was to become a band director. He
graduated from GSU with a Bachelor’s
degree in Music Education in 2014.
After additional certification, he took a
position teaching special education at J.
R. Trippe Middle School in Vidalia. He
also served as assistant band director
for Vidalia High School alongside Tim
Quigley for 5 years (2014-2019).
When his father passed away in
2016, Michael was devastated. “My
father was larger than life. He was
everything to me. He was my rock.”
Now, without his father’s presence and
affirmation to rely on, he struggled
to find his way forward. And in the
struggle, he began a process with God
that helped equip him with confidence
and character.
Music was an important part of
Michael’s healing process. “Classical
music gives me a sense of sereneness.
When I play a piece from the past, I
seem to travel back to the time the
music was written in.” One such piece,
which he played at his senior recital, is
“Consolation No. 3” by the Romantic
composer Franz Liszt. “Whenever I
play that piece, I somehow see myself
standing between these big white
sheets on a clothesline blowing in the
wind. My grandmother, Annie Pearl
Johnson, is there. It’s her piano I
Founding Members
of Community Men in Action
Inc. include Greg Johnson, Bill
Ward, Robert Brown, Luther
Ray Williams, Franklin Williams,
Bennie Jacobs, Frank Peebles,
Victor Turner, James Stokes,
and Chris Jones.
72 TOOMBS COUNTY MAGAZINE