Click photo to enlarge
Miles Schon says he learned a lot about performing from his father, Journey... (Local Music Vibe )
  • 1
    • Rock 'n' roll bloodlines run deep, so deep sometimes it's hard to tell if musical DNA is a blessing or a curse.
    First there was Elvis, then Lisa Marie.
    Imagine trying to follow in the footsteps of a Bob like Dylan or Marley and then consider the long road ahead of Jakob, Ziggy and Damian.
    Then there's always Nelson.
    It's the reason Kellie Osbourne is on “Dancing with the Stars.”
    For every Derek Trucks, there's a Dweezil or a Wolfgang.
    Just imagine what it must be like: No matter how much you try to blaze your own trail, every note you play is scrutinized. Every song, album and concert is compared with those that came decades before. Even your hair and clothes get the third degree.
    We caught up with the next generation of Marin rockers and singer-songwriters — ranging in age from 19 to 26 — to see how their rock 'n' roll inheritance is paying off.
    Lara Johnston
    Age: 19
    What's new: Studying music as a freshman at University of Southern California. Recently featured in an “E! True Hollywood Story” special on “Rock Star Daughters.” Performed at the Project Angel Food benefit concert in Los Angeles with her father, Tom Johnston of the Doobie Brothers, Neil Patrick Harris and Debbie Gibson.
    First musical memory: “I was 2 years old when I first joined the Doobie Brothers on stage for ‘Listen to the Music.' ”
    At what point did you realize you wanted become a musician? “In high school, I quit ballet and started singing every day because I really wanted to strengthen my voice. By the time I was 16, I decided I was really going to go after this in a professional sense.”
    Highest point so far: Two shows at the Fillmore last month, opening for the Doobie Brothers.
    Lowest point: “Definitely over the past year there were a couple of times when it was like, ‘What am I going to do? How am I going to set myself apart and really make an impression? Do I really have a shot?' But I have faith in me and I know in my heart this is what I'm meant to do.”
    What have you learned from your dad? “The work ethic, putting in the time and practicing every day. He's also said this is a tough business and there will be people who are not the nicest to deal with, but you've got to stay confident and believe in yourself and never lose focus.”
    Have you been conscious of trying to differentiate yourself? “I think so. In concerts and press, there's a tendency for people to introduce me as ‘the daughter of a Doobie Brother' because I haven't really made enough of a mark in the public eye to be respected on my own merits.”
    Do you think it's harder to make it in this business than when your dad was starting out? “Absolutely. My dad will say, ‘I wish there was something I could do to help you, but this business is so different now.'”
    How do you think you would have made it so far if your last name wasn't Johnston? “Obviously I wouldn't have been able to do shows like Rock the Cradle because that was just for kids of musicians. But ultimately I'm still working at it and I haven't been handed anything because of who my dad is. I haven't made it yet and that's the thing I'm going to have to do just on my own.”www.marinij.com/youngrockersofmarin