Eric Johnson

Bio

"Revolutionary", "multifaceted", "transcendent", have all been used to try to define Grammy-winner Eric Johnson. They touch on that part of his talent that makes him so valuable to us as an artist, the ever-unfolding aspect of his nature that causes each one of his albums to be eagerly anticipated by musicians and the public alike. Johnson is not afraid to explore the emotional rivers of his talent, while still pushing the edge of virtuoso musicianship. All his projects, be they new studio recordings, side projects like the band Alien Love Child, or when he pulls together a collection of older songs that acknowledge the future, they all reveal this deep, forward flow in songwriting and performance.

In the 70's in Austin, Texas, a young Eric Johnson was revealed. His unusual, ardent talent immediately caught the attention of other musicians. "When I heard Eric," Johnny Winter recalls, "he was only 16, and I remember wishing that I could have played like that at that age." At 21, he was a member of the legendary Electromagnets. Their intense instrumental jams and live shows earned them a rabid cult following and set Johnson's place in the constellation of great guitarists. "Eric Johnson is amazing," recounted Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, "this might sound silly, but if Jimi Hendrix had gone on to study with Howard Roberts for about eight years, you'd have what this kid strikes me as."

Johnson's underground reputation as one of the most intuitive and technically brilliant guitarists in the world continued to grow. Austin City Limits showcased his performance in 1985, the first of four appearances. Guitar stores were known to have "EJ" shrines. But being a fan was still like membership in a mystic society, his name a special password among the select few. His peers, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Steve Morse, and Pat Metheny (who, along with Johnson, were all born within the same four-month period), were already realizing world wide exposure through recording contracts. But Johnson remained a darling of the underground, expanding his eclectic style and perfecting that violin tone in tightly packed clubs.

When Johnson's first album, the Grammy-nominated Tones, came out in 1986, serious recognition arrived. Then success kicked the door down in 1990, when the certified gold, Grammy-winning Ah Via Musicom was released. "Ah Via Musicom is an artistic triumph," enthused Guitar Player, "as powerful a statement for Eric Johnson as Electric Ladyland was for Jimi Hendrix." This record gave Johnson the unique honor of becoming the first artist to have three instrumentals from the same album chart in the Top 10 in any format. "Cliffs of Dover", Grammy winner for Best Rock Instrumental, also became the first instrumental to break into the Top Five on Radio & Records.

Johnson has been named "Best Overall" guitarist award from Guitar Player for four straight years; the fifth year he was inducted into their "Gallery of Greats". Musician Magazine listed him among the "100 Greatest Guitarists of the 20th Century"; and again and again readers of Austin, Texas entertainment weekly the Austin Chronicle voted Johnson the city's "Best Electric Guitarist" and "Best Acoustic Guitarist" in the yearly poll. Their year 2000 poll named him "Electric Guitarist of the Decade" and one of the top five "Musicians of the Decade".

Links

Eric Johnson's Official Web Site

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Artist Song Name Composer Composition Instrument