Eric Johnson (guitarist, Born 1954)

Eric Johnson (born August 17, 1954) is an American guitarist, vocalist and composer. His 1990 album ''Ah Via Musicom'' was certified platinum by the RIAA, and the single "Cliffs of Dover" won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.

Best known for his electric guitar skills, Johnson is also a highly proficient acoustic, lap steel, resonator, and bassist, as well as an accomplished pianist and vocalist. He plays many musical genres, including rock, blues, jazz fusion, soul, folk, new-age, classical, and country.Pinson, Matt
"Eric Johnson: In Full Bloom"
– MusicPlayers.com – August 6, 2006. ''Guitar Player'' magazine has called him "one of the most respected guitarists on the planet."Leslie, Jimmy
"On Tackling Odd Meters: Eric Johnson"
– ''Guitar Player'' – August 2006.

Music career

Early life

Born into a musically inclined family, Eric Johnson and his three sisters studied piano, while his father was a whistling enthusiast. Johnson started learning the guitar at age 11 and rapidly progressed while listening to the musicians who would heavily influence his future style, including Mike Bloomfield, Chet Atkins, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Ric Bailey, Wes Montgomery, Jerry Reed, Bob Dylan, and Django Reinhardt, among others. At the age of 15, he joined his first professional band, Mariani, a psychedelic rock group. In 1970, Johnson and the group recorded a demonstration, which had an extremely limited release. The recording became a prized collector's item years later.Landers, Rick
"Eric Johnson Interview"
– ''Modern Guitars Magazine'' – August 11, 2005.
– Boston Beats.

Early bands

After graduating from high school, Johnson briefly attended the University of Texas at Austin and traveled with his family to Africa. He eventually returned to Austin, and in 1974, joined a local fusion group called Electromagnets. The group toured and recorded regionally, but did not attract attention from major record labels and disbanded in 1977. The strength of Johnson's playing, however, attracted a small cult following to the group's early recordings, and decades later, their two albums were given wide release on compact disc.

''Seven Worlds''

Following the Electromagnets' demise, Johnson formed a touring trio, the Eric Johnson Group, with drummer Bill Maddox and bassist Kyle Brock. They played to audiences around Austin. From 1976–1978, Johnson recorded ''Seven Worlds'', his debut album, at Odyssey Studios in Austin. Contract disputes followed, and ''Seven Worlds'' was not released until 1998 on Ark21 Records.

Unable to secure a new management contract, Johnson began working as a session guitarist for some well-known acts, including Cat Stevens, Carole King, and Christopher Cross. While a session musician, Johnson continued to perform locally in Austin.

Johnson's career rebounded in 1984 when he was signed to Warner Bros. Records. Christopher Cross and producer David Tickle recommended Johnson to the label. His breakthrough appearance at ''Austin City Limits'' on July 31, 1984, was recorded and later released on CD/DVD in 2010. The performance of "Cliffs Of Dover" from the concert was distributed in a flexi-disc soundpage in the May 1986 issue of ''Guitar Player'' magazine.

''Tones'' and ''Ah Via Musicom''

In May 1986, ''Guitar Player'' magazine ran a cover story about Johnson. The article helped promote the release of ''Tones'' and brought Johnson critical praise, as well as elevating his profile in the guitar and music community. The album's track "Zap" was nominated for the 1987 Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance, but as a whole, the album did not sell well, and Warner Bros. let Johnson's contract expire. He signed on with indie label Cinema Records, distributed by Capitol Records.

By the time Johnson released his 1990 Capitol Records debut album, ''Ah Via Musicom'', he was regularly winning awards for his musicianship in the guitar press. During this period, Johnson also drew recognition for the rich, violin-like lead sound he coaxed from his beloved 1954 Fender Stratocaster, which he named Virginia. The album's second track, "Cliffs of Dover", exemplified his unique sound and won Johnson a 1991 Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance. ''Ah Via Musicom'' was a crossover hit and was certified platinum.

''Venus Isle''

Johnson is an admitted perfectionist, and those traits seemed to work against the ''Ah Via Musicom'' follow-up release. Unhappy with his recordings, Johnson mastered, then later scrapped several completed tracks for the new album and delayed its release for three years, on top of the three years he had spent touring in support of ''Ah Via Musicom''. He also had setbacks involving musical growth and personal issues while recording his next album ''Venus Isle

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