Eric Johnson Soundtrack of My Life: Guitar Great Picks His Faves

Texan guitar maestro Eric Johnson has given fans a rare glimpse into his personal musical DNA, breaking down the artists, records, and gigs that left an indelible mark on his life and career. Speaking with Classic Rock, the Grammy-winning player opened up about everything from his earliest musical memories to the records that pushed his boundaries.

From Early Riffs to Hearing Hendrix for the First Time

Eric Johnson headshot

Born in Austin, Texas in 1954, Johnson’s musical journey began early. While his father filled the house with Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, and Duke Ellington, four-year-old Johnson was drawn to Elvis Presley’s ‘(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear.’ After begging his dad for a white Fender Musicmaster, he tackled Hank Williams’s ‘Your Cheatin’ Heart’ on chords before learning his first proper riff: The Ventures’ ‘Out Of Limits.’

“Was I instantly brilliant at guitar? Oh no,” Johnson recalled. “It’s always been a struggle. If I’ve hit anything decent over the years, it’s because I’ve grovelled and really tried to learn it. I don’t think it ever comes for free.”

Among his most formative musical awakenings was hearing Jimi Hendrix’s landmark 1967 debut, Are You Experienced. It was like somebody had landed from outer space, Johnson said. It was so revolutionary – all this feedback and fuzz – that I didn’t even know if it was guitar. At first, that record was kinda over my head. I wasn’t even sure if I liked it. But the more I listened, the more I realised how great it was.

The Songwriters, Singers, and Ultimate Albums

Beyond guitar pyrotechnics, Johnson’s palette stretches deep into soul and singer-songwriter territory. He pointed to Sam Cooke as his ultimate singer, praising his soulfulness and intonation, while naming Joni Mitchell as a defining songwriter whose open guitar tunings on records like 1970’s Ladies Of The Canyon and 1969’s Clouds sounded radically fresh.

When asked for the greatest album of all time, Johnson named Stevie Wonder’s Music Of My Mind. For the vibe, the writing and his musicality, he said. It’s a record I’ve been listening to my whole life and I’ve never gotten tired of it, because the feeling behind the notes is so strong. It makes you take a fresh look at your instrument, instead of just being stuck in the ABCs of guitar.

Concerts and Anthems

On the live front, Johnson recalled being blown away by Queen when a friend finally convinced him to attend a show about five years prior. The songs, the musicality, the production, the stage set-up, the sound – everything was just world-class, he noted.

Meanwhile, he pinned down Bryan Adams’s 1984 album Reckless—specifically ‘Summer Of ’69’ or ‘Run To You’—as his quintessential driving music, praising producer Bob Clearmountain for capturing a magic emotion that feels like you’re a kid and the whole world is ahead of you.