Johnny Strum is the main antagonist of the Sheriff Callie’s Wild West episode, “The Ballad of Sweet Strings”
He is voiced by Chris Isaak.
Personality[]
Johnny Strum is a narcissistic, conniving and highly talented musical bandit.
His key personality traits include the following:
- Vain/Narcissistic: Johnny Strum is very fond of himself and his musical abilities. He likes himself and dislikes being outsung.
- Manipulative/Conniving: He uses his "velvety voice" and guitar playing ability to mesmerize or hypnotize others, making them give up their possessions or do his bidding, such as walking into a jail cell.
- Thievish: Infamous for being a kleptomaniac, his main goal is original theft, and he specifically steals musical instruments, particularly disliking when he accidentally breaks his own guitar.
- Arrogant: He believes his musical talent is superior and claims Sheriff Callie's guitar, "Sweet Strings," as his new one after his own breaks.
Overall, his personality revolves around his self-love, his musical talent (which he uses for criminal activities), and his desire for the best instruments.
Biography[]
When Pecos Pug is driving Doc Quackers, Ella Cowbelle, and Abigail back to Nice and Friendly Corners, they hear guitar strumming and the stagecoach stops. Johnny introduces himself and demands that everyone give up their stuff before he will let them pass. When everyone refuses, he mesmerizes them with his singing voice and steals all of their possessions. But he ends up breaking his guitar, and everyone snaps out of their trance.
Johnny escapes to Nice and Friendly Corners and catches sight of Sheriff Callie playing her guitar, Sweet Strings. When Callie turns away, Johnny swipes Sweet Strings and claims it as his new guitar. Deputy Peck and Toby try to stop Johnny, but they are no match for his velvety voice, and he mesmerizes them into walking right into the jail cell. With the Deputy and his friend out of the way, Johnny goes on a plundering spree, making off with whatever he chooses while everyone is entranced by his voice.
When Callie returns to Nice and Friendly Corners, everyone tells her of how Johnny used his singing to rob the town. After Callie learns that Johnny took Sweet Strings, she confronts him. Johnny uses his singing again, but Callie covers her ears. Johnny then heads off toward Harmony Hills with Callie and Sparky chasing after her. Callie becomes aware that Johnny will ambush her with his singing, and she decides to challenge him to a singing duel. Callie ends up beating Johnny by singing about how she loves Sweet Strings and then puts the self-loving singing bandit behind bars. Johnny starts Angry and Shut up about being outsung.
Trivia[]
- Johnny Strum is voiced by the American singer, songwriter, and guitarist Chris Isaak, known for hits like "Wicked Game".
- He appears as the primary antagonist in only one episode, titled "The Ballad of Sweet Strings" (Season 2, Episode 14).
- He is an actual horse character in the show.
- His primary "power" or ability is using his velvety, mesmerizing singing voice to put other characters into a trance, allowing him to steal their possessions without resistance.
- His main goal in the episode is to steal Sheriff Callie's beloved guitar, "Sweet Strings," after he breaks his own.
- Sheriff Callie is able to resist his singing by covering her ears, and eventually challenges him to a musical duel to win back her guitar and the townsfolks' belongings.
- The show's executive producer noted that casting rock stars like Chris Isaak as outlaws made sense because "Rock stars are like the outlaws of the Old West".