For many musicians, the guitar is just one piece of a larger band. For Johnny Kasun, it is the entire show. Through his use of fingerstyle guitar, Kasun creates the sound of multiple musicians at once, weaving melody, rhythm, and basslines together on a single instrument.

When a guitar was placed in Kasun’s hand at nine years old, he originally did not see it as a passion, but rather something to do. “It was one of those things I felt like I just did as a kid, and it just kind of developed into a passion the longer I played,” Kasun explained. “I eventually found that I really just loved the community…it just felt like a passion that developed as time went on.” 

But it wasn’t until Kasun went along to a concert with a friend that he realized guitar—and a single style—would eventually take over his entire life. “I went to a Tommy Emmanuel concert in Virginia when I lived there. [Watching him live] totally blew my mind and just changed my whole perspective on wanting to play music…It was like a rock show with just one guy standing on stage,” Kasun recalled. 

Emmanuel—who Kasun describes as a “guitarist’s guitarist”—remains one of his biggest inspirations today. Now, having performed at some of New Jersey’s most well-known venues, Kasun has become a regular presence in the Jersey Shore music scene, bringing his love of guitar to stages like the Stone Pony, Wonder Bar, and Asbury Lanes.

“I did my musical development in Virginia, and it’s a good scene down there, but I got to say, the Jersey Shore has such an incredible community of musicians,” he said. For Kasun, the collaborative nature of the Shore’s music scene has also allowed him to perform in a variety of settings, whether that means taking the stage alone with just his guitar or sharing it with a full band.

Kasun has shared that stage with artists such as Cole Hallman, Erik Mason, Jake Thistle, and Williams Honor. While he enjoys the collaborative energy that comes with performing alongside other musicians, Kasun says there is also something uniquely rewarding about taking the stage alone.

“I like doing both for different reasons,” he explained. “I like performing alone because I have total control. I’m the only person I have to rely on, but at the same time, there is a lot of stress in doing that.” 

Something Kasun has also taken on largely on his own is releasing original music. With multiple EPs and even a live album released in 2025, Kasun continues to showcase his musical versatility through his recordings. But one corner of music that has become particularly personal, and surprisingly successful, for him is Christmas music.

His 2023 EP Mista Christmas combines two of his biggest musical loves: fingerstyle guitar and holiday classics. “I love Christmas, that’s how it really is,” he joked. “I love Christmas, and I love funk music. I was just sitting in my basement one Saturday, and I accidentally made a funky arrangement of ‘Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,’ and I was like, ‘You know, this is kind of a cool concept.’ I made that one by accident and decided to do some more. I made a couple more after that, and they just happened to fall out. I put them on that EP, and that’s how it came to be.”

Kasun even brought the project to the stage this past December with a Mista Christmas holiday show, giving audiences the chance to hear his playful, funk-inspired arrangements performed live.

But beyond arranging holiday classics, Kasun also has a deep appreciation for the songwriting of legendary artists, particularly Jim Croce, who was one of Kasun’s earliest idols and whose music has become the inspiration for one of Kasun’s newest projects.

“When I was growing up learning music, he was just an artist I really connected with because not only does he do fingerstyle, his voice was much lower than most of the stuff I was listening to,” Kasun explained. “I was learning to sing around 15, and I have a baritone voice, which is a lower voice than most of the stuff I was listening to—Eagles, Led Zeppelin, stuff like that—and it just was not happening with me. Croce’s voice was right in my range. The stars aligned; I loved his songs and songwriting.”

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This love eventually transformed into the Johnny Kasun Jim Croce Tribute, a celebration of Croce’s music and legacy. “I just noticed in recent years that no one really plays his music around anywhere,” he said. “I think it’s because it involves so many factors: you have to know how to play fingerstyle guitar, have a band that can do the vocal harmonies…there are a lot of pieces that have to come together. I just found myself in a position where I felt like we could make it work.”

Kasun has seen strong enthusiasm for the tribute shows, particularly from fans who never had the chance to hear Croce’s songs live due to his sudden death in 1973. “People have been enjoying that they finally have the opportunity to hear these songs live,” he said.

Beyond performing and honoring the artists who shaped him, Kasun is also committed to helping other musicians develop their own craft. That mission helped lead to RiverJAM Music, an organization his family started to mentor emerging songwriters and provide guidance throughout the music-making process.

Kasun will be a part of RiverJAM’s Songs & Stories event on March 25, where fingerstyle guitar will be the main event. “It is interesting because not many people do fingerstyle in that area,” he explained. “So for this particular show, we thought it would be a good idea because… this would be the perfect opportunity that aligns with our goal of supporting songwriters and everything.”

For Kasun, the event represents more than just a performance; it’s a chance to share his expertise, inspire other musicians, and foster a deeper appreciation for the art of fingerstyle guitar. Whether he’s paying tribute to legends like Jim Croce, creating holiday classics with Mista Christmas, or mentoring the next generation of songwriters through RiverJAM, Kasun’s work continues to reflect a love for music that is as personal as it is communal.

Photos courtesy of Johnny Kasun | Interviewed on January 21, 2026