Heath Johnson is an Americana acoustic artist from Spearfish, South Dakota. He has been writing songs since 2009 and won the American Songwriter Lyric Contest in 2015. Heath’s performances mix his own songs with covers that fit his style, avoiding the predictable setlist and adjusting to the crowd. He’s played everything from small bars to large festival stages and has shared the bill with artists like Dwight Yoakam, Lincoln Durham, and Colter Wall. In addition to performing, Heath founded Queen City Songwriters, a nonprofit that creates opportunities for local and regional songwriters to perform and connect. On stage, Heath keeps the focus on the songs and the people in the room - whether playing to a packed audience or a handful of listeners, his approach is the same: play it well and make it worth hearing.

Hometown: Spearfish, SD

Primary Instrument: 2016 Gibson J-15

Influences: John Prine, Peter Bradley Adams, Parker Millsap, Blaze Foley

Signature Song: Stuck in South Dakota

First Performance: Flanagan’s Irish Pub, Spearfish, SD

Biggest Musical Achievement: Having my songs requested by Gary.

Dream Collaboration: Writing a song with Blaze Foley

Favorite Lyric: “Take it as it comes. Take it neat and strong. Let it sink in right down to your bones, cause there ain't no going back to yesterday.”

Fun Fact: I have 5 kids ages ranging from 9 months old to 19.