The fact that Barnwood Builders has had fifteen seasons shows that fans can’t get enough of the task of restoration as well as the people who work on it.
One of these amazing people is Johnny Jett, who went to West Virginia when he was younger to pursue his love for cabin restoration. Despite being a fan favorite among the cast members throughout multiple seasons, rumors of his death started circulating all over the internet.
Johnny is a reserved man by nature, which adds to the mystery and disturbs viewers. Even more, confirming the builder’s passing in the minds of many was the discovery of an obituary claiming that a man by the name of Johnny Jett had recently passed away.
More information could not be uncovered, and fans were forced to accept the death of a cherished member of our Barnwood Builders family.
But is that really true? Is Johnny Jett dead? And How Old Is Johnny Jett on Barnwood Builders? Well, join us as we take a look at what really happened to Johnny Jett.
Who Is Johnny Jett?
Johnny Jett was born in Chicago, IL, in 1949. His father, Jean, lived until his 90s, and his mother, Leota, lived until she was 79. His brother Eugene, too, passed away back in 1994.
Around the same time, after working as a maintenance worker for nearly 25 years, Johnny moved to West Virginia. Losing so many family members surely was a tragic experience for Johnny.
What family he lost, though he gained back in the form of friends Mark Bowen and Sherman Thompson, with whom he created antique cabins and barns in 1998. Their company preserved pioneer-era structures long before reality television had taken over nearly every TV station in America.
Johnny Jett was also a Vietnam War vet and an independent artist whose works embodied surprisingly charming rustic scenes that reflected the cozy woodland world around him.
Having ventured into the cabin building business and into the world as a self-made painter, he was a truly well-rounded, skilled man of his craft who had built a name for himself well before TV stardom came his way.
Now a love for cabin building brewed inside Johnny even as a little boy. He once shared in an interview that as a 10-year-old, he asked his father if a century-old barn could be taken down and put back together. To this, his father answered yes. “Yes.”
As an older man, Johnny once found an old cabin he wanted to live in, and its owner said that once the person living there either died or left.
If Johnny can manage to tear it down and build it like new, he could live there, and that’s exactly what he did. This is just one example of Johnny’s character and the pride he has as a builder. This is also what made him such a lovable. Star on the show.
Barnwood Builders
When Johnny joined Barnwood Builders, he brought his Artistry and love for machinery to the Show. He became an important part of the team that included Mark Bowe, Sherman Thompson, Graham Ferguson, and Jim Rose.
Initially, producers who wanted to make the show proposed a drama-fueled program with the cast that fought and argued.
Mark Bow, though insisted on protecting his friends and rejecting any kind of fabricated storylines that wouldn’t reflect the reality of their work lives or their relationships. Their DIY Network wanted the team exactly as they were, and the rest is history.
From season three and on, Mark Bowl was a producer himself and helped shape the storytelling that played out on the show, championing West Virginia and challenging the stereotype of hillbillies. The show revolved around the lives of these men as they used their skill and magic to renovate old barns for modern-day use.
The show tapped into historic America, which compared to so many other countries, isn’t very old. However, it’s uniquely American, focusing on pioneer-era structures, relics from a time many feel nostalgic for and curious about.
The cast members clearly shared that same passion, putting their all into restoring the past and adapting it to the present. The cast has traveled to different locations along the eastern section of the US, delving not only into the structures and barns that need their help but also into the history behind the location.
The small group of passionate explorers would speak with local Craftsman blacksmiths and woodworkers and would even take a step back in time with reenactors.
Clearly, the team has a deep respect for the history their craft is rooted in, and the show has been able to appeal not only to renovation fanatics but to history buffs as well.
Johnny Jett In Barnwood Builders
Since the very first season, Johnny Jett has made appearances, displaying his excellent craftsmanship and undeniable charm. Along with his team, Johnny travels to remote parts of West Virginia and America, turning old barns and lock houses into modern, usable buildings.
These scenes gave Johnny the chance to operate heavy machinery like a true master.
Despite being the oldest member of the cast, he defied his age and outperformed all of them, tearing down Barnes, skillfully collapsing rafters, and tearing metal off roofs like it was nothing. While there is artistry in building, there’s also beauty and intentional Destruction in the name of progress, and Johnny was incredibly skilled at it.
One great example of Johnny’s abilities was his graceful destruction of a cattle barn that was beyond repair. The men salvaged the wood that they could, and then it was Johnny’s turn to do what he did best, use heavy machinery to bring a structure down and have fun while doing it.
Is Johnny Jett Dead?
After falling in love with this fun-loving machine driving, self-proclaimed hillbilly, it’s no wonder fans worried when rumors began to circulate about his death. To lose such a vital character in the show will likely feel personal to many as they come to love watching his friendly, laid-back confidence and easygoing demeanor during the episode.
There are plenty who would likely cease to watch the show altogether, knowing Johnny was never to appear in an episode again. But afraid not, Jett fans, Johnny Jett is indeed still on this mortal plane.
Another Johnny Jet of the same name, however, is not, which was the cause of our beloved Barnwood Builders stars becoming the victim of a celebrity death hoax. An obituary for the unlucky Johnny Jett hit the Internet, and rumours of the Barnwood Builders Johnny Jet’s death swelled and grew.
How Old Is Johnny Jett on Barnwood Builders?
The truth came to light, though, and we now know that the beloved Johnny is still alive and, despite his age, still building. In fact, Johnny Jett is 74 years old and is more productive and hard-working than plenty of younger people, and shows no signs of slowing down.
Along with this work on the show, Johnny continues to sell his rustic, charming art online, which Fans can’t get enough of. With a net worth estimated at $400,000, Johnny is living his best life. He continues to live with his wife, Donna, but little is known beyond that about their private lives. Knowing how private Johnny is, though, this doesn’t come as a surprise to most.
Johnny still continues to make appearances on bond wood builders, which just recently aired its 15th Season. Over the years, Mark Bowe, Johnny Jett, and their team have changed their stereotype of hillbillies. They’ve advocated for the term, expressing that a hillbilly is someone with grit, determination, and an unshakable work ethic.
The team continues to travel around Eastern America and search for structures that need renovations or to be torn down. And who is the perfect man for the job? No one but Johnny Jen and his skillful maneuvering could get it done exactly the way it needs to be. He continues to work hard and is captivated by the Immaculate Crossman ship and the artifacts he finds.
Johnny feels that through playing his role in preserving these things, he’s become a part of their ongoing story. Johnny has made his mark in reality TV, and in the restoration world, he’s become the easygoing demolition man who gets the job done. The show wouldn’t be the same without him, and the fan base breathed collective relief when the rumors of his death ended up being a hoax.
The producers and castmates will more than likely welcome Johnny onto the show as long as there’s a show to be made. And as long as there’s a renovation to be done, there’ll always be a show.
In Johnny’s words, “They just love saving the history of America and making a living out of it.” He then continued by saying, “If people can make a living out of the thing they love, then they’re doing better than most of the other people.”
So when he reflects on the fame he found late in life, Johnny is baffled. His explanation is that “he is just a regular guy that God has very much taken a liking to.”
