The Minneapolis Sound is one of the most distinctive music legacies in the world, and this week I get to celebrate it with someone who grew up inside that story.
On this episode of Secrets From The Scene, I sit down with Minneapolis R&B artist Jordan Johnston to talk about the tradition, history, and ongoing legacy of the Minneapolis Sound and how it shows up in his own career.
Jordan’s connection to this music runs deep. His dad, Bob Johnston, was a staff writer and producer at Flyte Tyme, and now plays drums in Jordan’s band. So his entry point was not just hearing Prince or Mint Condition on the radio. He grew up around the people who helped build that sound.
In our conversation, we walk through his journey from growing up in a Flyte Tyme family to becoming a frontman, the artists and records that shaped his ear, and what he has learned from collaborating with veterans like Darnell Alexander. Jordan shares stories about opening for Stokley and performing at Paisley Park, and talks about what it feels like to step into rooms that are such a big part of Minneapolis music history.
From there, we zoom out and look at the bigger picture. We talk about the core elements of the Minneapolis Sound, the influence of Prince, The Time, and Flyte Tyme Productions, and how that sound still shapes what is happening on Twin Cities stages right now. We also get into that tricky line between tribute sets and original material, and how Jordan is thinking about building a career that respects the legacy while still pushing his own music and expanding beyond Minnesota.
If you love the Minneapolis Sound or you are curious about how a local scene can echo through decades of music, I think you will really enjoy this one.
A note on Jellybean Johnson
You will hear Jellybean Johnson get mentioned briefly in this episode, but we recorded the conversation before his passing.
Jellybean was a founding member of The Time, a key architect of the Minneapolis Sound, and a drummer, guitarist, and producer whose work reached far beyond Minnesota. He died on November 21, 2025, at the age of 69, and the entire Minneapolis music community has been feeling this loss.
I did not get to properly acknowledge him in the interview, so I want to do that here. If you are listening because you care about this music and this tradition, know that a lot of what we are celebrating in this episode traces back to people like Jellybean.
More on Jellybean Johnson
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