Music and medicine

While Matt Johnson has been performing around Arizona and the Southwest for 30 years in jazz combos and pop cover bands, he started working on ambulances during the COVID crisis of 2020 when the live music scene dried up. Since then he’s been simultaneously pursuing careers in music and medicine. 

Interested in piano performance as therapy and a source of healing, he has been focused on learning and performing classical and pop solo piano repertoire that he hones on hospital pianos during slow periods on shift. He hopes to use this solo piano repertoire to provide pleasure and relief to those hospitalized or suffering.

Husband and father, he is also a passionate outdoor enthusiast, spending his free time skiing, climbing, backpacking and kayaking throughout Arizona.

Phoenix area musician and pianist Matt Johnson began playing piano around age 4 and took formal lessons until age 16. He later studied music at Northern Arizona University and has played professionally since then.

As of 2026, he performs regularly with TheJJsBand.com, Sassy & The Sneak Attack, Art Deco Jukebox, as part of the house band at Tell Your Friends (speakeasy in North Scottsdale), he appears regularly on the piano in the lobby of The Global Ambassador and at weddings and corporate events around the state. He also enjoys rehearsing and performing with local band Mister System which performs original music in the style of Psychedelic Americana.

Matt Johnson began his career with AMR Ambulance as an EMT in 2000 and became a Paramedic in 2024. He is currently working on his Critcal Care designation and practices paramedicine 48-60 hrs most weeks.

Beyond emergency care, he also shares music with those he helps. Between calls and during quiet moments, he plays the piano in hospital lobbies and patient areas to bring comfort and a sense of calm.

He has played at Banner University Medical Center, Banner Desert Medical Center, Banner Estrella Medical Center, and HonorHealth Shea Medical Center across the Valley.