Johner, Brad (1969-)

Brad Johner.

O'Reilly International, Saskatoon.

Bradley Robert Johner (otherwise know as Brad Johner) is one of Saskatchewan’s most successful and prolific country music artists. He was born on February 4, 1969 in Estevan, Saskatchewan to parents Robert and Jeannette Johner.  At the age of twelve, Brad began singing and playing guitar to replace his older brother who was leaving the band led by their father.  Also playing in this band was another brother, Ken, with whom Brad would form an important musical partnership.

In 1987, Brad and Ken went into the Music business full time and in 1990 released their first CD titled Some Kind of Magic. Known as “The Johner Brothers”, they won “Duo of the Year” at the 1991 Canadian Country Music Awards.  More recordings as a duo followed with the Christmas CD One Winter Night (1991), My Brother and Me (1993), Ten More Miles (1995), The Perfect Life (1999), and The Greatest Hits (2001). His brother Ken retired from music in 2001.  Brad began his solo career and released the album Free in 2003. In 2005 he released The Classics, Now That’s Christmas and Summertime Road.  In the same year he performed for Queen Elizabeth II at the Centennial Gala in Saskatoon and at the opening ceremonies of the Canada Summer Games. As well, he received his star on the Country Music Walk of Stars in Merritt, BC.

By the end of 2007, Brad had made 18 videos – ten with The Johner Brothers and eight as a solo artist.  A compilation of all 18 videos has been released on DVD.

Besides touring Canada, Brad has also toured in Japan, the Netherlands, as well as joining a Canadian military tour in Bosnia. He has appeared on the Tommy Hunter Show (with brother Ken), and has performed concerts with the New Brunswick, Kamloops and Edmonton Symphony Orchestras.

By 2007, Brad had won over sixty awards from the Saskatchewan Country Music Association and had more than seventeen nominations and three awards from the Canadian Country Music Association, including the 2007 award for “Male Artist of the Year”.  He has also received awards at the Western Canadian Music Awards and the Canadian Independent Music Awards, and (as of 2007) has been a Juno Award nominee four times.

Brad was married in 1992 to his high school sweetheart Rhea. They live with their five sons, on an acreage just outside Saskatoon.

David Bindle