"Eric Johnson was dismissed from a recording session because he struggled to compose a standout opening riff"
In the world of music, even guitar greats like Eric Johnson aren't immune to the pressures of the studio. A recent interview with our website sheds light on some of the challenges he faced during a session with an unnamed country singer.
Johnson, who began his career as a session guitarist, has worked with a plethora of renowned artists such as Christopher Cross, Carole King, and Cat Stevens. However, his encounter with the country singer turned out to be a challenging one.
During the session, the piano player was playing numerous fills between almost every vocal line, leaving little room for Johnson to add his own guitar parts. The time constraints in the studio made it impractical for Johnson to learn and duplicate every lick the piano played, leading to session troubles and ultimately, his dismissal.
The incident took place during a time when time was of the essence in the studio. Johnson recalls the encounter as a disaster, but it was not with the country singer, who was a famous individual, per se. Rather, it was the piano player's relentless fills that caused the problems.
Johnson's struggles during this session resulted in learning experiences. For instance, he learned the importance of clear communication and the need to adapt quickly under pressure.
The interview also delves into another session that didn't go as planned - working with Donald Fagan. However, it's important to note that the issue wasn't with Fagan, but rather Johnson not immediately providing what Fagan was looking for.
Despite these setbacks, Johnson's reputation as a guitar great did not prevent him from being fired from sessions. This incident serves as a reminder that even in the world of music, where talent often shines, time and practicality can sometimes be the deciding factors.
Stay tuned for the full interview with Eric Johnson, which will be published in the coming weeks.
- Eric Johnson, in the midst of a session with an unnamed country singer, found himself faced with the piano player's numerous fills between almost every vocal line, making it difficult to add his own guitar parts due to the time constraints in the studio.
- Johnson, a session guitarist with a career spanning renowned artists like Christopher Cross, Carole King, and Cat Stevens, learned the importance of clear communication and the need to adapt quickly under pressure from his challenging encounter with a country singer's piano player.
- Despite having worked on electric guitars, such as the Gibson Les Paul, during his illustrious career in music, Johnson was dismissed from a session, demonstrating that even great guitarists can face challenges in the studio.
- The incident serves as a reminder that even in the world of music entertainment, time and practicality can sometimes be the deciding factors, overshadowing talent at times.
- The interview also shares Johnson's less successful session with Donald Fagan, highlighting a case where the issue wasn't with Fagan, but rather Johnson not immediately providing what Fagan was looking for.
