Eric Johnson Joins D’Addario Fretted Artist Roster

D’Addario has welcomed Eric Johnson to their fretted artist roster.

Eric Johnson was raised in a musical household in Austin, Texas. Starting on piano as a child and taking up guitar in his early adolescence, Johnson’s first influences were the Beatles, Cream, and Jimi Hendrix, soon to be followed by such diverse guitarists as Eric Clapton, Django Reinhardt, Jerry Reed, and Chet Atkins. He joined his first professional band, Mariani, at age fifteen.

“I use D’Addario strings on both acoustic and electric to get the exact tone I want,” Eric Johnson says. “Recently, I started using the Pure Nickel XLs and they have a great response. Playing a string that’s built well and feels good is just more fun. That’s why I play D’Addario strings.”

Over the years, Johnson’s unending pursuit of perfection in his artistry has become as legendary as his talents themselves – his meticulous approach evident in his songs, his chops on guitar and piano, and even his interviews. Throughout the 70s and 80s, Johnson perfected his tone and technique while working as a session guitarist and constantly touring and building his fan base. It was in 1986 that his patience and practice paid off, having been signed with Warner Brothers and released Tones. One of the album’s instrumental songs, “Zap,” was nominated for a Grammy Award. Johnson’s next major release, 1990’s Ah Via Musicom, became a crossover hit and reached platinum status, while the track “Cliffs of Dover” earned him the 1991 Grammy Award for “Best Rock Instrumental Performance.” To this day, mastering this song is a rite-of-passage for budding guitarists.

“Eric is a legendary guitarist, who is not only known for his incendiary playing, but for his discerning ears and distinct tone, as well,” Jim D’Addario says, CEO of D’Addario & Company, Inc. “We’re proud that he has chosen to join our artist family.”

Thirty years after his breakthrough Tones brought him national recognition, Eric Johnson is releasing his first all-acoustic album, EJ, on October 7, 2016.