‘Phenomenal’ SHOWS
Guitarist Eric Johnson tours, prepares to release 11th album
Eric Johnson is in the middle of a sound check in Mount Vernon, Washington.
He’s used to the time it takes to get everything right, so he waits patiently.
“We’ve been out for about a week, and the shows have been pretty phenomenal,” Johnson says. “The year is starting off right.”
In fact, the guitarist is preparing to release his 11th album, “EJ Vol. II,” on Feb. 28.
He’s also bringing his 55-date tour to Albuquerque with a show on Friday, Jan. 24, at the KiMo Theatre.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been back to Albuquerque,” he says. “I’m looking forward to showcasing what I’ve been up to the last few years.”
“EJ Vol. II” is a collection of originals with a few cover songs.
On the album, the guitarist got introspective.
The song “Waterwheel” was inspired by the flow of the universe, he says, as was “Golden Way.”
But in “For the Stars,” Johnson says, he looked inside himself and how he handles the loss of his mother. He says he looks up to the sky at night wondering where she is now.
“That will hit me at times, and I sit and wonder,” he says. “It’s a powerful thing, because it’s something we don’t understand.”
Over the course of his more than 40-year career, Johnson has composed hundreds of songs.
He says the new album is a representation of where he in life now.
“The album isn’t out yet, and I’ve already been inspired for the next record,” he says. “It’s an interesting time, because I break the recording process into segments now that I’m on tour.”
Johnson says he’s proud of the new album.
“I wanted to make it more emotional and connected to people,” he says. “That was the primary thing. My intention was to be more genuine and open myself to the fans even more. It’s a learning process for me as well.”
With nearly a dozen albums under his belt, Johnson also has the freedom to choose which songs makes the set list.
“Right now, there are three or four from the new album,” he says. “I personally like being all over the map when it comes to performing the songs. I like the audience to get a taste of everything that I’ve done. It also adds a little more spontaneity to the shows.”