Johnny Michael is not a household name, but that may change soon. A former Visalia resident, the up-and-coming artist now co-owns a men's clothing line, started his own independent record label and is poised to release the first ever R&B mix tape.

He is also coming back to his home turf and performing at the Kings Fair on July 11, opening for Danity Kane.

Which is why I find myself sitting on the phone, talking with the artist himself, asking the very professional question, "What is a mix tape?"

Michael laughs.

"Good question, good question," he says. "Rap artists have been doing this kind of thing for a while now. Snoop Dogg started it. It's a compilation of songs that get mixed together by a DJ, so the music all flows and mixes together on a single album. It creates a lot of buzz.

"In the R&B industry, no one has ever done this. I guess that's my whole niche right there."

I feel a little dumb, asking a question that is probably obvious to anyone that listens to this kind of music. But he's friendly. Nice. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, going into the interview, but the passion for his music hangs on his every word.

I ask him how he got started. How his career came to be.

He inhales deeply, and laughs again.

"Well, it wasn't overnight, I can tell you that much," he says with a grin. "It's really an ongoing process. I'm just trying to keep the buzz going, keep the music going and keep creating hits. I'm still in the green stages right now."

At Golden West High School in the late '90s, Michael started off in a break-dancing crew, which in turn inspired a four-part singing group. It was here that he would find the blend of music and dance that forms the backbone of his distinct blend of R&B and hip hop.

"I always create based on what I'm feeling at the moment," he says. "It's a little unorthodox and I take things a little out of the box, but that's how I express myself. It's a little different from the norm, but that's how it happens to come out."

The result is a mixture of dancing and music, of break-dance and hip hop that gets incorporated into every show, to keep the crowd energized as he moves with the flow of the audience.

"I found a love for harmonizing and creating sound," he tells me.

As he developed his signature style of music, he began performing throughout Central California, chasing talent shows and opening for any act that would have him. After more than seven years of struggling to catch a break, he moved down to Los Angeles, where he found himself performing at some of the hottest night clubs in Hollywood.

"I did every top name club out there, but I felt that Central California was really the place to be," Michael says. "I got such a good response out there, I just had to come back to my home town."

When I ask what his future goals are, the answer hits closer to home.

"Well, I just recently started up JM Labels, and I want to get it well established in the industry to help other talent out of the Central California area," Michael says. "I found there wasn't many opportunities when I was living out there. I didn't have anywhere to go. I just moved from venue to venue and, well, there was no record labels out there. I had to move to LA to get those opportunities.

"I want to bring these avenues out to Central California. I want to show people where I'm from that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I want to give some inspiration to the people out there trying to make it in a small town, to show that you can do it."

Michael's mix tape, titled "The Freak Show," will be released sometime later this summer. It will feature several of his hit singles, such as "Cali Ridaz" and "Do," and is professionally mixed together by Dj R1ck One of the Black Eyed Peas Family.

For more information about Johnny Michael, schedules of his upcoming performances, or to just listen to some music samples, visit his Web site at johnnymichaelmusic.com or www.myspace.com/jmmusic .

The reporter can be reached at 583-2425.

(July 4, 2008)