Being five years and three-hundred-sixty-one days older than his brother, Gary Johnson always felt overshadowed by him. He often wondered why his parents had to have another child at all, since they had the perfect son in him. As he would later muse (to none other than Trent himself), "I never really wanted a brother. I would have been happier with a puppy."
Throughout childhood, Gary made it his mission to make T.J. miserable, but once they grew up a little, he came to really care about his younger brother. He was his collaborator on many of his early instrumental works as well as his closest confidant. He was even his chaperone when Trent embarked on his first ever tour.
At nineteen, Gary really had no business being on the road himself, but he went at his mother's request, to look out for his thirteen year old brother. Immediately, the freedom of not having his parents looking over his shoulder went to Gary's head and he began experimenting with drugs. He was, in fact, the very person to introduce T.J. to cocaine, saying it would "blow his mind."
Gary never in a million years expected his baby brother to become hooked on the drug, as he himself was nothing but a recreational user. When the addiction reached a pinnacle, Gary panicked, calling Mom and Dad and reporting that there was a huge problem on the road. Immediately, they blamed him for not watching out more closely for T.J. and Gary has secretly blamed himself for years as well.
In his younger years, Gary was considered quite the playboy. He knew he was attractive and so did every woman he came in contact with. He dated (and bedded) a long line of women before meeting one that knocked him backwards. Tonya Barone was what Gary would describe as "the woman of his dreams" and they enjoyed a wonderful two year relationship. Tonya managed to accomplish what no other woman could - she tamed his wild, restless heart. Madly in love with her, Gary bought an engagement ring and - against his parents' advisement - proposed to Tonya. What she replied with crushed him: no.
Tonya said she was too focused on her career to get married, or to even continue their relationship, promptly moving to New York after breaking up with him. The end of the affair hurled Gary into a deep depression and seemed to plunge him right back into his old habits. The long line of ladies continued after Tonya walked out of his life, including Megan Marshall. She was the one that seemed to have staying power, even though the two would break up and make up every other weekend. Against his parents' advisement (again), Gary and Megan eloped in late 1986.
After his nuptuals, Gary kept a fairly low profile, but stayed in constant contact with his brother. Their relationship had been rocky for a long time, but it finally seemed they were working past some of their issues and getting closer again - that is, until July of the following year.
Rob, their father, had been injured in a horrific car accident and made a stunning apology to T.J. after waking up. Trent, understandably scorned, didn't want anything to do with it and when Gary tried to talk his brother into giving Rob a chance, a volatile confrontation erupted. There were the usual "Mom / Dad always liked you best" arguments, but then Gary took it one step further, uttering something that sealed his fate. Staring dead at his brother, he declared, "You wanna talk favoritism? Look at you. Nothing but a coke-snorting little loser and yet, you still can't do anything wrong in Momma's eyes. Now that is favoritism."
For three years, the brothers did not speak again. This bothered Gary much more than it bothered Trent. Gary lamented his choice of words and longed for the closeness they once shared, especially as his personal life fell apart. In early 1990, he and Megan (who had pretty much been unhappily married for three years) opted to separate, leaving Gary once again single and once again depressed. Needing his younger brother's wisdom now more than ever, Gary opted to swallow his pride and head to L.A., to make amends. The question remains, though - will Trent spurn his apology like he did Rob's?
Throughout childhood, Gary made it his mission to make T.J. miserable, but once they grew up a little, he came to really care about his younger brother. He was his collaborator on many of his early instrumental works as well as his closest confidant. He was even his chaperone when Trent embarked on his first ever tour.
At nineteen, Gary really had no business being on the road himself, but he went at his mother's request, to look out for his thirteen year old brother. Immediately, the freedom of not having his parents looking over his shoulder went to Gary's head and he began experimenting with drugs. He was, in fact, the very person to introduce T.J. to cocaine, saying it would "blow his mind."
Gary never in a million years expected his baby brother to become hooked on the drug, as he himself was nothing but a recreational user. When the addiction reached a pinnacle, Gary panicked, calling Mom and Dad and reporting that there was a huge problem on the road. Immediately, they blamed him for not watching out more closely for T.J. and Gary has secretly blamed himself for years as well.
In his younger years, Gary was considered quite the playboy. He knew he was attractive and so did every woman he came in contact with. He dated (and bedded) a long line of women before meeting one that knocked him backwards. Tonya Barone was what Gary would describe as "the woman of his dreams" and they enjoyed a wonderful two year relationship. Tonya managed to accomplish what no other woman could - she tamed his wild, restless heart. Madly in love with her, Gary bought an engagement ring and - against his parents' advisement - proposed to Tonya. What she replied with crushed him: no.
Tonya said she was too focused on her career to get married, or to even continue their relationship, promptly moving to New York after breaking up with him. The end of the affair hurled Gary into a deep depression and seemed to plunge him right back into his old habits. The long line of ladies continued after Tonya walked out of his life, including Megan Marshall. She was the one that seemed to have staying power, even though the two would break up and make up every other weekend. Against his parents' advisement (again), Gary and Megan eloped in late 1986.
After his nuptuals, Gary kept a fairly low profile, but stayed in constant contact with his brother. Their relationship had been rocky for a long time, but it finally seemed they were working past some of their issues and getting closer again - that is, until July of the following year.
Rob, their father, had been injured in a horrific car accident and made a stunning apology to T.J. after waking up. Trent, understandably scorned, didn't want anything to do with it and when Gary tried to talk his brother into giving Rob a chance, a volatile confrontation erupted. There were the usual "Mom / Dad always liked you best" arguments, but then Gary took it one step further, uttering something that sealed his fate. Staring dead at his brother, he declared, "You wanna talk favoritism? Look at you. Nothing but a coke-snorting little loser and yet, you still can't do anything wrong in Momma's eyes. Now that is favoritism."
For three years, the brothers did not speak again. This bothered Gary much more than it bothered Trent. Gary lamented his choice of words and longed for the closeness they once shared, especially as his personal life fell apart. In early 1990, he and Megan (who had pretty much been unhappily married for three years) opted to separate, leaving Gary once again single and once again depressed. Needing his younger brother's wisdom now more than ever, Gary opted to swallow his pride and head to L.A., to make amends. The question remains, though - will Trent spurn his apology like he did Rob's?