Country Music Legend ‘Johnny Storm’ Mourned

A country music legend who wowed audiences in Greater Saint John for decades has died.

Johnny Stoltz, known as “Johnny Storm,” passed away on New Year’s Day at the age of 81.

“He was so proud of what he did. He loved what he did,” said his daughter, Mindy Stoltz.

“He loved making people smile and making people dance and having people sing along. That was what he was meant for, plain and simple.”

Johnny was born in Kelowna, B.C., in January of 1939 and began playing music at a young age.

In fact, he was just nine years old when he first began playing the guitar, his daughter said.

“He was from a very, very talented family. His whole family played at least an instrument or sang, so that was a big encouragement to him growing.”

Stoltz and three of his brothers — Billy, Eddy and Paul — formed The Stoltz Brothers in the 1950s. As the brothers went their separate ways over the years, Johnny continued to play music for a living.

His musical talents took him to Toronto before he planted roots in Saint John in the late 1970s.

“He started off at the Holiday Inn in Saint John, and for those older people, everybody will remember the Holiday Inn,” said Stoltz. “Then from the Holiday Inn, which he was full-time at, he went over to the Cave Steakhouse, which was located in the Colonial Inn.

Johnny also performed local Legions, seniors homes, birthday parties, anniversaries and Christmas parties.

Stoltz says her father met a number of well-known entertainers during his career and even befriended Patsy Cline.

“He was very close to Patsy Cline,” she said. “He met her in the earlier days in the Monterey Club in Montreal. He had a real significant friendship with her.”

Stoltz said one of his proudest moments was when he was inducted into the New Brunswick Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013.

She said the greatest memory of her father will be the musical household they had while growing up.

“There was always music on every day,” said Stoltz. “He was always singing around the house or picking his guitar or learning a new song. When you think of Dad, you can’t help but relate it to music.”

“We had a really musical house, although unfortunately, he has three daughters and none of us play an instrument. We all try to sing but we’re not anywhere close to what he was,” Stoltz said with a laugh.

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Rothesay. For those unable to attend the Mass, a livestream of the service will be available.