Eric Clapton

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Eric Johnson's journey began in Austin, Texas, where he was born into a musically inclined family. His mother was a pianist, and Johnson and his three sisters studied piano, while his father was a whistling enthusiast. Johnson started learning guitar at age 11, rapidly progressing while listening to influences like Mike Bloomfield, Chet Atkins, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Wes Montgomery, and Django Reinhardt. At 15, he joined his first professional band, Mariani, a psychedelic rock group. After high school, he briefly attended the University of Texas at Austin and traveled with his family to Africa. Returning to Austin in 1974, he joined the fusion group Electromagnets, which toured regionally but disbanded in 1977. Johnson then formed the Eric Johnson Group with drummer Bill Maddox and bassist Kyle Brock, recording his debut album *Seven Worlds* from 1976–1978 at Odyssey Studios in Austin. Contract disputes delayed its release until 1998. Unable to secure a management contract, he worked as a session guitarist for Cat Stevens, Carole King, and Christopher Cross. His career rebounded in 1984 when he was signed to Warner Bros. Records, recommended by Christopher Cross and producer David Tickle. His breakthrough appearance at *Austin City Limits* on July 31, 1984, was later released on CD/DVD in 2010, and a flexi-disc of "Cliffs of Dover" from that concert appeared in the May 1986 issue of *Guitar Player* magazine.

In Their Own Story

In May 1986, *Guitar Player* magazine ran a cover story about Johnson, helping promote his album *Tones* and bringing critical praise. The album's track "Zap" was nominated for the 1987 Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance, but the album did not sell well, and Warner Bros. let his contract expire. He signed 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. The album's second track, "Cliffs of Dover," exemplified his unique sound and won Johnson a 1992 Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance. *Ah Via Musicom* was a crossover hit and was certified platinum. Johnson is an admitted perfectionist, and those traits worked against the follow-up release. Unhappy with his recordings, he mastered then 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*. *Venus Isle* was released on September 3, 1996, but received mixed reviews and did not match the success of its predecessor. As a result, Johnson was dropped from Capitol Records. He rebounded with a successful tour from October to November 1996 with fellow guitarists Joe Satriani and Steve Vai on the "G3" tour, resulting in a platinum-selling CD and DVD titled *G3: Live in Concert*.

Reader's Guide

Eric Johnson is best known for his electric guitar skills, but he also plays acoustic, lap steel, and resonator guitar, as well as bass, piano, and vocals. He plays many genres including rock, blues, jazz fusion, soul, folk, new-age, classical, and country. Johnson is best known for playing lightly modified Fender Stratocasters and Gibson ES-335 electric guitars through Fender or Marshall amplifiers. He tends to swap out the bridge pickups in some of his guitars. His 1954 Fender Stratocaster, named Virginia, is beloved for the rich, violin-like lead sound he coaxes from it. Johnson's career includes solo albums like *Souvenir* (January 2003), *Bloom* (June 2005), *Europe Live* (June 24, 2014), *EJ: Explorations on Guitar and Piano* (2016), *Collage* (2017), and *EJ: Volume II* (January 2020). He has participated in multiple G3 tours, including the 2024 tour with Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. He also formed the side project Alien Love Child in 1994, releasing *Live and Beyond* in 2000. Johnson has contributed to projects like the Experience Hendrix Tour and the Eclectic Guitar Tour with Mike Stern. His current band members include Daniel Kimbro on bass and Tal Bergman on drums, both joining in 2026.

Did You Know?

• Eric Johnson's 1990 album *Ah Via Musicom* was certified platinum by the RIAA.
• The single 'Cliffs of Dover' won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance in 1992.
• Johnson started learning guitar at age 11 and joined his first professional band, Mariani, at age 15.
• He named his beloved 1954 Fender Stratocaster 'Virginia'.
• Johnson participated in the G3 tour in 1996 with Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, resulting in a platinum-selling CD and DVD.