jje001@marietta.edu
Jimmy Embrescia
On January 19th, senior, Sadie Johnson performed at the Peoples Bank Theater for a sold out crowd in Marietta as the opening act for the famous 1980s rock band, Blue Oyster Cult.
Johnson has been performing in front of crowds for years and has quite the following. Most commonly playing blues music, Johnson has been entertaining crowds as a solo vocalist and guitarist.
Blue Oyster Cult rose to popularity with songs such as “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” and “Burnin’ For You.” At the time of its release, “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” reached as high as number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 list, while “Burnin’ For You” topped the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.
Another reason for the success of Blue Oyster Cult was the popularity of MTV. During the 1980s, MTV was one of the most popular ways to jumpstart a career. Musicians would release singles and debut music videos almost simultaneously, providing more exposure.
Johnson noted that “it felt awesome to open for Blue Oyster Cult. They are incredibly sweet guys and top-notch musicians.”
Johnson has made quite the impact during her time at Marietta College. Over the past year, Johnson helped lobby for the school and those who provide funding to help develop a music therapy program. The program has taken over the McKinney Media Center, turning classrooms into recording studios and providing musicians a place to create with the most up-to-date technology.
Those funding the program insist that it will be successful for years to come. A feasibility study for Marietta College completed by Ohio University supports their way of thinking.
Those in support of the program believe that a Music Therapy program will help to diversify the school. Music therapy is closely related to the study of psychology. The American Psychological Association shows that 68.3 percent of those working in the psychology field are female. This could help bring balance to the male dominated Petroleum Engineering major here at Marietta College.
