Johnson, the son of a preacher, is originally from the small Georgia town of Tunnel Hill, in the mountains near the Tennessee border.

[1] Small in stature, Johnson learned to hit the ball with both hands and throughout his career used two-handed shots for both forehands and backhands.

[1] In his second year at the University of Georgia he was a member of the 1985 NCAA Division I championship winning team, which was their first national title.

[2] At the 1989 US Open he again entered the draw as a qualifier but on this occasion got past his first round opponent, with a straight sets win over Cássio Motta.

[5] Following his playing career he worked for many years as a teaching professional at the Hixson Racquet Club in Chattanooga, Tennessee.