Johnny Crowder
Johnny Crowder is an American musician and public speaker. He is the vocalist of the band Prison and the founder of Cope Notes, a telehealth-based mental health service. Crowder is also the former vocalist of Dark Sermon.
Early life and education
Crowder grew up near Oldsmar, Florida, attending Lowry Elementary, Farnell Middle and Hillsborough High schools. He would go on to earn an associate's degree in psychology from the University of Central Florida.Musical career
In March 2009, Crowder and the other members of the band founded In Reference to a Sinking Ship in Palm Harbor, Florida. The band released their first EP in 2010, Aimless, before changing their name to Dark Sermon in 2012. Dark Sermon would be signed to multiple labels and release two full-length albums before the band's indefinite hiatus in 2017.Once the group's hiatus began, Prison became Crowder's main musical project. Prison was initially formed in 2014 and is made up of former members of Dark Sermon, Adaliah, and ABACABB/In Alcatraz 1962. Their album, Still Alive, would track on Billboard's Heatseekers and Independent Albums charts for one week each.
Mental health advocacy and public speaking
Crowder became a mental health advocate in 2011, joining the National Alliance on Mental Illness as a speaker and partnering with Mental Health America. He was previously diagnosed with depression, anxiety, OCD, schizophrenia, PTSD, and bipolar disorder, later using those experiences to become a Certified Recovery Peer Specialist.As a public speaker, Crowder tours the United States, giving keynote speeches at various organizations and other public events. He has also given keynote speeches at Shenandoah University and Elon University, including one during the latter's recognition of National Mental Illness Awareness Week in 2022. Crowder has also given two TEDx Talks, titled "How to Grow as a Person " and "Why I Don’t Want to Die Anymore". He is represented by various speakers bureaus, including Keppler Speakers, Washington Speakers Bureau, and Executive Speakers Bureau.
Discography
Dark Sermon
- In Tongues
- ''The Oracle''
Prison
- Still Alive
- ''Live in Texas''
Collaborations