Eric Johnson graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a BS in Broadcast Journalism/Agricultural Communications in 2000. Currently, he serves as manager of the Christian County Farm Bureau in Taylorville and raises and shows Registered Angus Cattle.

Music wise, Trooper Johnson played trombone in the Knoxville High School Band and participated with numerous all-star concert and jazz ensembles in high school. After a 10 year music sabbatical, he picked up his trombone in the summer of 2006 to play with theTaylorville Municipal Band. At the moment, Eric Johnson is a member of the UIS Concert Band and plays Bb Tenor Horn in the 10th Illinois Volunteer Cavalry Regiment Band and enjoying every minute of it!