Johnny Hiland is a legally blind American musician/guitarist.

Early life

Hiland grew up in Maine, with an eye disease called

nystagmus Nystagmus is a condition of involuntary (or voluntary, in some cases) eye movement. Infants can be born with it but more commonly acquire it in infancy or later in life. In many cases it may result in reduced or limited vision. Due to the invol ...

. He started playing guitar at age 2, played his first talent show at age 5, performed on Dick Stacey's Jamboree on local TV at age 7, and won Talent America at age 10, with sister Jodi and brother Jerry, "The 3 J's," playing bluegrass country. The 3 J's broke up when Johnny turned 15, due to his voice changing. Having picked up electric guitar at the age of 12, Johnny left bluegrass, and started playing country, rock, and blues.

Career

In 1996, Hiland moved to Nashville and worked as a

session musician Session musicians, studio musicians, or backing musicians are musicians hired to perform in recording sessions or live performances. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a recording artist on a ...

for

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...

artists including

Toby Keith Toby Keith Covel (born July 8, 1961), known professionally as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and record producer. He released his first four studio albums—1993's ''Toby Keith'', 1994's ''Boomtown'', 1996' ...

Ricky Skaggs Rickie Lee Skaggs (born July 18, 1954), known professionally as Ricky Skaggs, is an American neotraditional country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he also plays fiddle, guitar, ma ...

Janie Fricke Jane Marie Fricke ( ; born December 19, 1947), known professionally as Janie Fricke, is an American country music singer, songwriter, record producer, and clothing designer. She has placed seventeen singles in the top ten of the ''Billboard'' Ho ...

, and

Hank Williams III Shelton Hank Williams (born December 12, 1972), known as Hank Williams III, is an American musician, singer and multi-instrumentalist, known for his unique fusion of traditional country music, rockabilly, heavy metal and punk rock. He was the ...

. Meanwhile, he played with the Don Kelley Band at Robert's Western World. Hiland signed with

Steve Vai Steven Siro Vai (; born June 6, 1960) is an American guitarist, composer, songwriter, and producer. A three-time Grammy Award winner and fifteen-time nominee, Vai started his music career in 1978 at the age of eighteen as a transcriptionist for ...

Favored Nations Favored Nations Entertainment is a record label founded in 1999 by guitarist Steve Vai and Ray Scherr, former owner of Guitar Center. The first album released by the label was ''Coming to Your Senses'' by guitarist Frank Gambale in 2000. Soon af ...

label as a solo artist.

Discography

*2002 "Lovesick, Broke and Driftin,"

, Curb *2002 "Forgive," Jesus and Bartenders,

Rebecca Lynn Howard Rebecca Lynn Howard (born April 24, 1979) is an American country music artist. She has charted seven singles on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs charts, and has released three studio albums. Her highest-charting single, "Forgive", peaked at N ...

MCA *2004 ''Johnny Hiland'' (

) *2004 "The Bluegrass Sessions,"

Lynn Anderson Lynn Renée Anderson (September 26, 1947 – July 30, 2015) was an American country singer and television personality. Her crossover signature recording, "Rose Garden," was a number one hit in the United States and internationally. She charte ...

,DM Nashville *2004 "The Bluegrass Sessions,"

,DM Nashville *2004 "Passing Through," Angels,

Randy Travis Randy Bruce Traywick (born May 4, 1959), known professionally as Randy Travis, is an American country music and gospel music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and actor. Active from 1978 until being incapacitated by a stroke in 2013, he has recor ...

, Word Records *2005 "R.I.D.E.,"

Trick Pony Trick Pony was an American country music group, formed in 1999 by Heidi Newfield (lead vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica), Keith Burns (lead guitar, vocals), and Ira Dean (bass guitar, vocals). They recorded three studio albums: ''Trick Pony'', '' ...

, Curb *2005 "Honky Tonk University," She Left Me,

, Dreamworks Records Nashville *2006 ''

Straight to Hell (album) ''Straight to Hell'' is the third studio album by American musician Hank Williams III, released on February 28, 2006 by Bruc Records, an imprint of Curb Records. In largely self-produced sessions recorded at a band member's home, Williams and the ...

, Curb *2007 "Brand New Strings," Brand New Strings,

, Skaggs Family Records,Inc *2007 ''Jennifer Brantley'', Breakdown, Mountainside Productions *2008 ''

Damn Right, Rebel Proud ''Damn Right, Rebel Proud'' is the fourth studio album released by American country music artist Hank Williams III. It was released on October 21, 2008. The album was released in two separate versions, one being a censored release for major retaile ...

, Hank Williams III, Curb *2009 ''Loud And Proud'' (O.I.E. Records) *2010 "Rebel Within,"

, Sidewalk Records Inc. *2011 ''All Fired Up'' (

Shrapnel Records Shrapnel Records is an American record label founded in 1980 by record producer Mike Varney. History Guitarist Marty Friedman (formerly of Megadeth and Cacophony), one of the label's most successful artists, first appeared on the album ''Unsu ...

) *2011 ''

Rebel Within ''Rebel Within'' is the fifth solo album by American country music artist Hank Williams III. It was released on May 25, 2010. The album was Williams' last authorized album from Curb Records Curb Records (also known as Asylum-Curb and formerly ...

Audio'', Hank Williams III, Curb *2011 ''

Ghost to a Ghost/Gutter Town ''Ghost to a Ghost/Gutter Town'' is the sixth studio album by American musician Hank Williams III. The double album was released on September 6, 2011. All songs were recorded in Hank III’s home studio The Haunted Ranch. The album features guest ...

'', Hank Williams III, Megaforce Records *2013 "Brothers of the 4x4,"

Hank 3 Shelton Hank Williams (born December 12, 1972), known as Hank Williams III, is an American musician, singer and multi-instrumentalist, known for his unique fusion of traditional country music, rockabilly, heavy metal and punk rock. He was the ...

, Hank 3 Records *2013 ''Higher To Go – A tribute To Forrest Lee, Sr.'', Out West Records *2015 "80 and Pickin' with my Friends,"

Nokie Edwards Nole Floyd "Nokie" Edwards (May 9, 1935 – March 12, 2018) was an American musician and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was primarily a guitarist, best known for his work with The Ventures, and was known in Japan as the 'Ki ...

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hiland, Johnny American country guitarists American male guitarists American country songwriters American male songwriters American session musicians Living people Place of birth missing (living people) Musicians from Nashville, Tennessee Guitarists from Maine Songwriters from Tennessee Songwriters from Maine 1975 births Guitarists from Tennessee Country musicians from Tennessee 21st-century American guitarists 21st-century American male musicians Favored Nations artists Shrapnel Records artists Provogue Records artists