Chad Johnson Music

Chad Johnson & The Minnesota Transplants (MN-T’s) are one of the most entertaining and talented bands in the Midwest, infusing their signature blend of Americana and country-rock crossroads into their original music and crowd favorite covers. With their onstage chemistry, and ability to entertain audiences, it’s no wonder they’ve built a dedicated following in the Midwest and beyond.
A longtime singer, songwriter, musician and recording artist, Chad is a seasoned professional, and is the native Minnesotan in the group. The Minnesota Transplants (MN-T’s) include international touring musician, studio engineer, and lead guitarist, Jeenti Dutta, who hails from India. Drummer Andy Jaynes, formerly of the 8th Street Band, comes from Colorado. Bassist Makai (Kai) Catudio, formerly of The Jason Paulson Band, is from the island of Hawaii. In the spirit of this, The Minnesota Transplants came to be. For short, they are the MN-T’s.
The band has shared the stage with Clint Black, Collin Raye, Craig Morgan, Jon Langston, Joe Nichols, The Gear Daddies, Mark Joseph (of Big Wu), The Jason Paulson Band, and White Iron Band, Tyler Braden, and Lonestar, and many others. They’ve played many fairs and festivals, most notably breaking crowd records at the Defeat of Jesse James Days Festival for four consecutive years.
Chad & The MN-T’s can be heard on Minnesota radio stations The Wolf and BOB Country. They are frequently featured on Midwest Country Music Organization’s weekly show, syndicated on over 30 stations throughout the Midwest. Chad and the band have six times received the SouthernMinn Scene Best Of award.
Seven albums have been released to date. Northfield to Nashville (2015), recorded with producer Gary Sadler (Magenta Records/Red Ridge Entertainment), included stand-out track, Fire and Steel. Chad toured Europe following the release of the album, which included a performance at The Grand Ole Opry in Scotland. What We’ve Become (2018), recorded at the Purple House Studio with Grammy Award winning engineer, Casey Wasner, was released at the iconic First Avenue Main Stage and features, Minnesota Nice, the official song of Defeat of Jesse James Days. From 2020-2022 Chad and The MN-T’s have released many singles, recorded at the Purple House (Nashville) and at Summit Stream Studio (Minnesota). The seventh album, Minnesota To New Mexico, was released on February 10, 2023 to a sold out crowd at kj’s hideaway in St. Paul, MN. Learn more about Chad & The MN-T’s at www.chadjohnsonmusic.com.