Stealing Blue is one of the bands performing at this year's Johnnie Jam.
Photo provided by Johnnie T Rosales Memorial Scholarship
Lit Up will perform at this year's Johnnie Jam.
Photo provided by Johnnie T Rosales Memorial Scholarship
Johnnie Jam returns to raise scholarship funds
An event that has the goal of raising funds for scholarships for San Marcos High School graduating seniors, is Saturday at the Cheatham St. Warehouse in San Marcos.
Performing this year are: Sin Nombre, Intergalactic Space Corps, Lit Up, Steel Hawk, Undercover Killas with the headliner, Stealing Blue.
The charge to attend is $15 person/$25 couple.
The music gets underway at 4 p.m., according to event organizers.
Since 2010, the Johnnie Jam has been a yearly musical staple event that raises money for local scholarships and at the same time, celebrates music and showcases local musicians.
These musicians volunteer their time to perform and organizers stated they were grateful to have the support from so many musicians, volunteers and the local community.
In the past, the event has lasted as long as 12 hours with as many as 11 bands performing.
The music was silenced temporarily in 2020 and 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic but resumed last year with a smaller lineup.
The Johnnie Jam supports the Johnnie T Rosales Memorial Scholarship, a 501C3 nonprofit organization, that has provided educational support through the presentation of scholarship awards every year since 2010 to selected San Marcos High school graduating seniors pursuing post-high school studies. The event also honors the fact that in the summer of 2008, Johnnie T. Rosales’ life ended suddenly when he was hit by a drunk driver while walking home. In 2009, his family decided to start an annual scholarship in his memory. Jimi Medina, Jacob Deleon and several other of Johnnie’s friends offered to play for free at a local club to help raise funds and the Johnnie Jam was born.
On May 7, 2010, the family awarded a scholarship for the first time. In 2012, the late Kent Finlay, then owner of Cheatham Street Warehouse, granted permission to hold the fund raiser there. Current owner, Randy Rogers, has continued the tradition. To date, approximately $20,000 in scholarships have been given. 2023 scholarship recipients are Madelyn Kirbo, Daniel Lopez, Noah Mosqueda, Rose Rios, Stephen Wilder, Nevaeh Rodriguez and Julian Velasquez.
