Eric is an artist who reminds us that there is love and beauty in this world and his medium is his Fender guitar. It is such a privilege to share a spot on earth in time with him.
The fact that I just get to watch this is mind-blowing. When I first started guitar all I had was a cassette copy of Ah Via Musicom. No videos, no way to slow things down to learn them. I'm in heaven then and now.
Imagine walking off the street into a tiny bar in Charleston, SC in 1984 & seeing this guy looking like he was all of 16 playing better than anyone I'd ever seen before, and I'd seen em all by that time...Zep, Stones, all the big names of the day. I didn't find out his name until the Tones album came out a couple years later. Truly a memory of mine for the ages.
I moved to the Austin, Tx area in 1977. I already knew his music from WGTB in Washington DC. I went to his shows as often as possible! (and SRV to!) I saw him and his dad in the audience at a "Windham Hill" artist concert at "Paramount Theater" in the mid 1980's. They seemed to enjoy it. And at a VERY early meeting of the "Austin Songwriters Group" in support of Jody L.
I was there! Myskins right? And I did the same thing, had already seen EJ in Columbia at Greenstreets but didn’t know he was playing there. Walked by the door and saw a line, asked who was playing, doorman said EJ. As it was also my Birthday I told the people with me, “we’re going in HERE!”
Eric plays like hes painting a picture most talented gifted artist ever seen in my life Eric you bring us all to another play and time full of joy your music makes me feel so human thank you we love you god bless to you and your family Zorba NJ🎉
Seeing Eric's Austin City Limits performance for the first time was a religious moment for me. He's a gifted and inspiring musician. He will always have my respect.
Couple years ago,I got to watch him and Tommy and Kyle play "Ah via musicom" start to finish in a little club in Colorado Springs. I took my beer to the front and leaned on the stage and watched magic. Met him after and had him sign a ticket stub from 1993.He looked up at me and said "Man we're getting old."😂 Never forget that hero moment.
Eric's chord thing is like Allan Holdsworth's to me. It goes so much deeper than the single note stuff which is also sublime. What a gift of a player to us all.
I recently did a Holdsworth deep dive and never realized how much inspiration EJ derived from him. He’s even starting to look a little like him as he ages.
I think he is also getting inspiration from Doyle Dykes. For the last 10 years or so they have been hanging out when Doyle records at Eric's place. Watch Doyle play "How Great thou Art". ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-g6yWAMfZ2H4.html
Looking forward to seeing him play this fall! I’ve been mesmerized since I saw him at the Austin city limits on PBS in ‘88. I was 10 years old all those many many years ago. Blew my mind then, and watching him play now… still blows my mind! 🤯 I’ve been in love with that Fender tone ever since.
When I saw him play in Dallas a couple of years ago. The two things I have always thought is he is one of the greatest guitar players in the world and that the tones and sounds he get's are phenomenal! What a great sound!
One of my all time favorite guitarists. His intros to this song are like sonic therapy. This would be my choice for a soundtrack in heaven. BTW....Bethesda should have tapped him for some Starfield music.
Im glad that even when he sadly passes away we can look back at how great and unique this man was he is one of the reasons why i own a strat because i hope to one day be as fluent with the guitar, Thanks Eric
You could say this was a tired performance and that the timing was a bit off here and there but in every 10 seconds of this there's still genius and he does improvise all over the gaps. He's still got it. He could wipe the floor with the other 99.99999%
Eric is one of those where the age is starting to show. He's not the lightning fast guitarist we all knew, but jesus those chord voicings are still so beautiful.
It's a testament to the standard he set in his hayday, he was so terrifyingly clean, fast and articulate that it's just not possible to stay at that level for forever.
Agreed. I’ve seen him live once in the late 80s and a few times in the 90s. He’s done so many concerts. He’s got an amazing heart and gentle spirit. To me, that was rough. Hard to watch, even. Unless we go like Jimi did, or so many other rockers, there’s a fading that occurs. I think that makes a case for reinventing yourself. Maybe the chops can’t stay, but musically and sonic creativity doesn’t always demand super virtuosic playing. Eric is still the best, in my mind. I remember hearing Cliffs of Dover the first time on the radio. I was driving a literally had to pull off the road because of how astonished I was.
@@MrJKCummings ya totally agree, i saw Eric first time in 88 or 89 in a small club and COD blew my mind. Its tough watching this, reminds me i aint so young either lol.
I saw Albert Lee recently, and people say he did the same thing. What's the cliche', these guys have forgotten more than all of us combined will ever know. Sit back and enjoy the sweet sounds of Eric Johnson...then go practice.
Awesome…love to see him reaching for it! Heard things I’ve never heard from an artist I’ve been following for 40 years. Love to see him letting go a bit more than usual.
Where in Ft Lauderdale? Sunrise musical theatre? It's in Broward but it's close! Not the Swap Shop? I'm a native Floridian and lived all over Broward . Saw some great shows at Joe Robbie (pro player stadium) and the old Sportatorium out in Hollywood, that place was a party! Saw Rush when I was 11 with my older brother and his friends and, many until they tore it down. Just curious.✌️♥️🎸🎶🙏
He's definitely at a tremendous level. Thanks for this upload. If our daily etudes are anything like him, we could finally perform on the pedestrian mall in front of Walmart without the security guards chasing us away... Anyway, everyone would think we were playing backing track.
Tones album simply blew my mind! I felt like the fidelity of my speakers was tweaked in a beautiful way. Went out and got his teaching tape and basically wore it out! Please check it out! Thanks for posting this! Sonic equivalent to a glorious sunrise!✌️❤️
Best concert you will ever see is a Butcher Babies concert. That band brings the entertainment. Eric is just playing gigs based on the success of one single/album. 30 years later. For realz dawg. This Butcher baby shit be bangin' Straight up. No gamez. No pimpin. Just straight up gangsta pimpaz. And Eric is no gangsta. Especially with that crap tone at 6:13. Did you notice that only 1 or 2 fans clapped. 1 or 2 fans is not an accomplishment. I have 1 or 2 fans every time I take a dump at the Mall.
I was there too! 😁Thanks for posting. 👍 I've seen him several times now, and have never seen a mediocre show, always a great performance. And I FINALLY got to see he & Roscoe Beck together.
I saw him on back to back nights while in the Chicago area. First night he was brilliant, almost flawless. Second night while still brilliant, he was clearly struggling to play like in this video. I can only imagine the finger power it takes to play the kind of stuff he does, and how difficult it must be when fatigue sets in. Still my favorite player of all time!
Agreed, he can play this song while in a coma. I can’t imagine the strain touring places on the body and mind. I’ve been a practicing guitarist since 1974, today at 60 years old I struggle to play 45 minutes straight, what Mr. Johnson does is nothing short of amazing. I smile every time I hear him play.
@@hkguitar1984 to me it sounded like there was an amplifier issue with the lack of sustain. That can get into any players head! He's still the best Eric Johnson out there!
@@gregdewald Agreed. I've watched his Rig Rundown (an older one) and he uses a lot of vintage gear (echoplex and Fender Reverbs), any one of those components in the signal chain can cause a big problem. Like the Pro he is he played through it. Gosh, I just can't get enough of his phrasing and playing style.
What are you guys complaining about? There are so many amazing, creative, different and original lines flowing out on this example of this master of all things electric. EJ never ceases to amaze... I would never call this an off night.... clams happen. The last time I saw him, he was playing Ah Via Musicom straight through, tune after tune and flawlessly. I'm just grateful he's still here, still kicking it, still growing, doing what no one else can.
This is light years beyond typical "clams", and you know it. This performance is enough to raise concern about his health. I get it, things go on the decline with age, but don't pretend something isn't seriously wrong here.
@@distantstorm3808 Hard to say without knowing more, might just have been a bad night, fatigue, jet lag, a hundred other things, but of course we all wish him well and hope that he keeps inspiring us all. You might write to him with your concerns and best wishes... What else is there to do?
I was coming out the Yadkin Gate from Ft. Bragg in 1990 when I heard this play on the radio. Almost ran a redlight due to being lost in that finger-style. I drove past the mall, to the lone record store, and asked if they had an album by some guitar guy named Johnson that played near SRV. I played that CD to death...
seems like he got a bit lost right before the band kicked in there - a little to much rambling should stay a bit more focused to structure cut down on the mistakes
@@steveweilhart2359 come on that’s nonsense. Anything EJ shares with an audience is gospel as far as true fans go. He is inside the music and it doesn’t always work perfectly when chasing ideas. You’re watching a man tell a story with his instrument, through which he has blazed a pioneering path music and still searches for the edge of the envelope. He’s never been a perfect player, and this is ragged as hell during the main changes. So what!
Saw EJ & the band on 3/1/23 in Tucson & they were awesome! I’ve seen him w/ G-3 & solo along w/ the Hendrix Experience👍🏻. I felt the sound guy was off but the band was great! Dave Scher nailed it on a few solos & his guitar sounded great👍🏻. I would get a new sound guy for the rest of the tour…. It’s all about tone & sound when you’re at a live show👍🏻🤘🏻
Sounds like he was having problems hearing either the band or himself. He's an almost pathological perfectionist I suspect it doesn't take much to throw him for a loop. After all he's done for the guitar community he's entitled to an off night. I'll still be listening
