Arnetta Johnson

Dubbed "that trumpet chic," Arnetta Johnson and the trumpet began their relationship when she was 13, and she's now poised to introduce both young musical audiences and jazz aficionados to a hot new musical experience.

Johnson's mentors Nasir Dickerson, Jamal Dickerson, and Hassan Sabree were the initial catalysts’ that birthed her passion for the trumpet. They introduced her to the art of improvisation and also taught her the responsibility of her talent. As a gift to humanity, music should not be wasted and must always be shared with love, respect, and passion. These early lessons have carried Johnson, once considered the quintessential band geek, from the Creative and Performing Arts High School in Camden, New Jersey, to Berklee College of Music and beyond.

Johnson has performed with Beyoncé at the Super Bowl, as a featured trumpeter on her 2018 On the Run II Tour, and on the Carters' Grammy-winning album Everything Is Love. Whether it’s rocking a television show like Black Girls Rock, a concert gig, or an international performance, her artistry is always front and center.

The consummate student, Johnson stays plugged in to her current mentors: saxophonist Tia Fuller and Grammy-winning vocalist and poet Jill Scott, whose Blues Babe Foundation presented Johnson with their coveted Rising Star Award. Her cachet continues to grow as she has worked with some of the best, including Terri Lyne Carrington, the Roots, and Chloe x Halle. In the future, Johnson plans to expand her disrupted jazz style and her “Netta bop” sound while leading her band, Arnetta Johnson and SUNNY (SUNNY stands for Sounds Uplifting Nobility through Notes and Youth. Her ultimate goal is to stand jazz on its head: to disrupt, uplift, and inspire.