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Headline: "You've got your MTV." In case you didn't know, Kansas City has a direct line to MTV, and the guy who makes it happen is described by Glitter Kicks lead singer Tawni Freeland as, "the very talented, sweetest man in the world", R.J. Johnson." Johnson's work with TV's most important outlet for music may be found at http://www.mtv.com under the "local" scene links. The national website offers up-to-the-minute national news and information, and the Kansas City link connects browsers to a number of different local band sites as well as the crucial area site, The Zone. The most important thing for Kansas City area musicians and fans to know about Johnson's MTV site is that he is looking for your help. Johnson writes, "anyone involved in the KC scene can help out by checking out the site and seeing what's missing. A lot of times it can be hard to cover all aspects of the typical 'scene'. I'm sure there are plenty of bands, clubs, record stores, etc. that I am missing out on. There is an option at mtv.com to 'Feed Local' which provides visitors the opportunity to send suggestions to us and let us know what else is out there." "Right now, the hardest thing to find is other websites promoting the KC scene, mostly because there probably just are not enough there at this point," Johnson continues. "I'm always looking for some suggestions for record stores or clubs to review. I wanted everyone in this city to get behind their music scene. We are very fortunate to have some really great bands like THe Glitter Kicks and Exit 159 that have the talent to make it to the next level. I really hope that KC can gather around all of this talent and let the rest of the world know that KC not only has earned its place on the map, but it deserves to stay there as well." Like Danielle Nelsen and Joe Fortunato of the Zone, Johnson offers up this potlatch to the Kansas City scene no doubt because he is a musician first and foremost, and like most musicians, simply wants to be heard and help others' voices to be heard. Johnson plays with the "ska/punk/pop/rocksteady" band The Gimix, in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, where he is a radio/TV/film major at Texas Christian University. When he returns there this fall, he will be taking his work for MTV back to that scene. But for a short while longer, we will have him working the homefront (an annoyingly talented prodigy, Johnson graduated from Blue Valley North only two years ago). Johnson also adds that MTV is seeking someone in KC to take over for him, and that lucky person can receive college credits along with the internship. Like the Zone, the MTV page promises to be what we want to make of it. Why not jump in and help Johnson carry it to the next level? e-mail R.J. Johnson
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