Texan virtuoso Eric Johnson is no stranger to any fans of both great guitarists and good music. From his earliest fusion recordings in the early ’70s with The Electromagnets, through his session work with artists such as Cat Stevens and Christopher Cross, collaborations with Steve Vai, Mike Stern and Joe Satriani, on to his ever expanding collection of releases as a solo artist, Eric has consistently produced cutting-edge guitar-based music. He has roots in the blues but is not afraid to push the boundaries with flawless playing and meticulous attention to detail and tone.
After recreating the classic G3 lineup with Joe Satriani and Steve Vai this year, his playing and artistry is as cutting-edge, vital and relevant as it has ever been. Eric’s playing has majesty and intelligence, but can also be edgy and driving when required. He successfully balances his influences, ranging from Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton through Wes Montgomery, Chet Atkins and John McLaughlin, distilled through his expansive musical imagination to create a sound that is stylistically authentic and highly original in equal measure.
There is a real breadth and depth to Johnson’s knowledge of the guitar, both in terms of playing and in getting the best tone possible by using the optimum equipment for each musical situation. Indeed, this prompted Stevie Ray Vaughan to famously remark, “Eric has done more trying to be the best that he can be than anybody I’ve ever seen. He works hard on .
