This was a nice treat. This is one of my personal favorite guitar solos, and it's been a while since I heard it. Merry Christmas to you and all yours!!
His guitar tone has been called "the 800 lb violin." I think it's one of the most identifiable, most unique guitar tones ever, and his technique is legendary.
first time I heard EJ i didn't even know it. he played the lead on Christopher Cross' song Minstral Gigolo. I had bought the CC 45 of Ride Like the Wind and Minstral was the B side. wasn't until I heard this album that i had that moment where i had heard this guitar sound before. luckily someone else had pointed it out and i went back to listen to Minstral again. and it's a fairly long solo too.
Just the way that his descending cascading pentatonic runs pick up speed and momentum like a mudslides rolling down a steep hillside is so inimitable and unique to his style it's seriously nearly enough to bring me to my knees in tears, just for the pure majesty of it all
Ditto.I just discovered Sophie Burrell covering this while looking for the original since I hadn't heard it in ages; believe you me, she *slays* it!!(and she's not hard to look at either!)
I bought that cd( hey I'm 53) when it came out! I have lost track of how many times I have played it from start to finish. Nothing but great songs the whole album!
Some guitarists miss some notes while playing live. Eric Johnson plays extra notes, making it sound even better than the original, and he still seems like he's holding back. So much energy in such a calm person.
@@jamesfetcho6315 You are correct. I vividly remember this song along with: Steve Vai - The Audience is Listening Gary Hoey - Hocus Pocus Joe Satriani - Summer Song George Lynch - Mr. Scary and a few others getting massive airplay on 98 Rock in Baltimore during the years they were released. Guitar Instrumentals were always a part of mainstream radio.
Eric Johnson and Alec both rule. Anyway Sounds kinda like when Van halen brought Alice In Chains to open for them when they were breaking onto the scene, Cantrell got back from the tour and EVH just sent him like a shit ton of equipment and gave him multiple guitars. The next part isn’t that relevant but still cool, Cantrell got one of the guitars stolen and a fan found the guitar online 20 years after it was stolen and got it and returned it to Cantrell.
Glad to see all the nice comments about EJ. We in Houston have known about him since the early 80's at a club called Rockefeller's. Small little place with killer acoustics. Every time he came to town virtually every guitar player in the city would be there (me included). The first time I saw him I was gigging in the Houston area and I was also teaching guitar. A local luthier named Rick Becker told me we had to go see this guy from Austin named Eric Johnson, he was supposed to be amazing. I didn't have a gig that night and it was only $8 so I went with Rick. I was so blown away that night, I decided to go to college and study Engineering. I'm not kidding... This guy was so damn good and I never even heard of the guy!!! What chance did I have? I was good and everything, but NOWHERE near this guy!! Not even in the same hemisphere!!! Take it from me and a thousand other guitar players, if you've never seen EJ in person, go to the show!!! It's WAY, WAY, WAY better than any video you'll see on RUclips or anywhere else. I promise!!!!
Eric Johnson sets himself apart with his tone, extremely clean and fast playing that doesn’t rely on “shredder” cliches and tricks, an incredible sense of melody. He also chooses very interesting notes; notes that are in the key he is playing, but not necessarily part of the chord underneath. This creates all kinds of tension and release in his melodies and phrasing. I love him!
Exactly. There’s psychology involved in writing music. A good composer writes each note with a purpose, to follow, introduce, develop, or contrast other notes, which all comes together to evoke an emotional response from the listener. There’s a difference many people fail to see between someone who can play an instrument (even if they’re really good at the instrument) and someone who is a true musician. The latter being able to arouse emotion in the listener and tell a story with their music to a much greater extent.
Eric Johnson has one of the greatest techniques i have ever seen for playing guitar. His harmonics are always perfect, and his hybrid picking is incredible. Not to mention the tone that he gets. Especially in this performance, the guitar tone he uses is perfect and to top it off he uses a little bit of delay
THIS, Ladies and Gentlemen is THE greatest guitar instrumental OF ALL TIME. There are good guitarists, there are great ones, then there are absolute virtuosos. Then there's Eric Johnson.
It's definitely on my top 10! So far my absolute favorite is Tender Surrender by Steve Vai, have you checked it out? ruclips.net/video/Yw74sDWPH7U/видео.html
Jamel, Back in the early 1980’s there were 2 young guitarist topping the scene in Austin Texas… Stevie Ray Vaughan and Eric Johnson… Friends, but competitors with shitloads of talent! Blessed to see them both in the early 80’s.
When this hit…. It absolutely changed the game for us guitarists…. Tone…phrasing… melodic…. Technical…. Absolute class act…. If you know you know…. And now you do… His material will be around for years to come…. This was a LEGENDARY LEGENDARY performance…. And yes his vocals are exactly what you would expect after seeing that….. in his own class… one of the best. Period. Take care out there guys!!! 🙏🙏
The best part about Cliffs of Dover is every recording of it is like listening to it for the first time again, since the first part of the song is improvised. Eric Johnson is a god of guitar.
Eric Johnson has a nice singing voice, and does sing on his records. What separates him from other guitarists is his guitar tone-as it does for other truly unique players. One other quality that distinguishes him-he is one of the “cleanest” players around, meaning every note comes out perfect.
I think the word you're searching for when talking about Eric Johnson is FOCUS. Like when Neil Peart does a drum solo, he's always focused intently on what he's doing he rarely show's any emotion.
In the early 90's I saw Eric Johnson open for Rush. I saw Eric Johnson play this song and Neil Peart do a drum solo at the same concert. Doesn't get much better.
EJ was also an incredible perfectionist. I think he actually had to do some therapy for a while, because he was overly focused and overly self-critical. He eventually learned to let go and relax a bit.
He is one of them most humble and laid back guys ever. I met him twice when he played in Toronto. He's quiet and soft spoken off-stage and on-stage. He lets his fingers do the talkin' for him. He loves to talk guitar, amps, effects and technique. What you see is what you get with Eric. A brilliant player.
Eric sings some, but he's known mostly for his brilliant guitar playing. He is scheduled to go on tour next year in the U.S. and I can't wait to see him again!
He has a very good voice. He's an outrageously talented guitarist, and rightly gets most of the kudos for that. But he has a better vocal range and tone than a lot of famous "singers" who do only that. Was fortunate enough to see him just after his 1st album was released, supporting Blue Oyster Cult
I remember this one as I was in college in the early 90s and I remember driving with the radio blasting in my old '73 Chevy Caprice coupe; I was full of dreams and youth...I heard it on the radio and didn't know the name until decades later online. In those days, you couldn't look it up online or Shazam it. When I described it, no one seemed to know what I was talking about. In my opinion, the song seems God-inspired.
Eric Johnson plays such beautiful, clean tones. Playing guitar with a lot of distortion and overdrive can actually hide a lot of mistakes, but playing clean like that is what sets him above many other great players. Love this tune a lot!
Late 80's early 90's front row next to the stage. He is so smooth. His early music training was classical piano. He does sing. Bristol Shores, Desert Rose are a couple of his vocal tunes. Tommy Taylor is the drummer. Kyle Brock plays bass. They are fun to watch. You'll have to remind yourself to close your mouth. Great reaction. He's still around playing so if you get the chance to see him live, you should. He's one of the best.
I was a beach cop in South Carolina when this came out. Hearing it play in the rock and roll bars of the mid 90’s is something I can never explain. I was king of the world for a brief time. I hope I helped all the humans around me live a better life.
Eric called me one night, late and asked me if I'd come down to a studio where he was recording " ZAP" to deal with a guitar problem he was having. My van would not start, so I loaded up my tools and went a few miles to the studio on my bicycle. I did a fret-mill on his guitar in the vocal booth. Your reaction, going to Tower records to buy his album right away was much like mine. Instantly addicted. There are not many musicians who have motivated me to go to those extremes, so I understand. AND; he's still a very positive person, all these years later.
This was recorded at Austin City Limits in Austin Texas, my hometown. This is where Eric Johnson is from as well. His guitar playing has been rated top-notch by guitarists such as Billy Gibbons and Joe Satriani just to name a couple
I saw this when I went tot he first G3 tour with Eric Johnson, Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. That was a lot of talent on one stage, especially when all three were on stage playing together.
I remember seeing this on Austin City Limits way back when, never having even heard of Eric Johnson before, and being just blown away in awe of his talent. Probably one of the greatest guitarists that very few know of.
You are correct when you say he seems like a very laid back , focused type of guy. I met him after a show , one time, and had him sign my guitar - he was so chill, non self effacing, nice guy. Nearly all the interviews I've seen of him , he's just really calm, cool,collected - but that raging spirit comes out through the guitar and the amps. He is the quintessential musician's musician . I've seen him live several times, never a bad show.
I've had the pleasure of seeing Eric Johnson perform 3 times in my life. Most recently right before lockdown started in 2020. It was my oldest daughters first concert and her first time seeing live music that wasn't a symphony or a choir. She was blown away. He is just as amazing now as he was when he filmed that Austin City Limits video you reacted to. An amazing musician. It's foolish to try to describe one guitarist as "the best" or "the GOAT", but he is one of the greatest guitarists living today. I once heard Jeff Beck describe him as "tasty", that's as good a description as any. His playing is just tasty.
Eric Johnson does a cover of Jimi Hendrix's song "Are You Experienced" from the same Austin City Limits concert that this footage is from and it is outstanding. And yes, he does sing.
Now Eric Johnson is my favorite guitar player of all time... I already have purchased my ticket to see him in March of 2023 in Charlotte NC.. I can't wait to see him... Everyone knows what gift God gave him and I'm so glad he is sharing it with everyone else...
Eric Johnson is one of those artisan guitarists who crafts a blend of styles into his own. Even during this famous performance he would say later on that his playing still isn't where he wanted it to be. He's a perfectionist and a master of his craft. He also wrote this song in about 5 minutes...
No way! 5 minutes? That's just... whoa! I would've thought it took him days or weeks, or even months, but only 5 minutes? That genuinely just blew me away.
This song gives me shivers down my spine every time I hear it. Did when this album first came out (I wore the tape out). Does now. The album version was quite a bit shorter. All of the solo he did before the rest of the band joined in is "extra".
Yes, this performance especially always makes my eyes well up. Just beautiful. The composition itself is like Mozart cranked up and full of an extra boost of life. Makes me imagine flying over the ocean and up over the Cliffs of Dover.
My son has been playing guitar since he was 10 years old. He is really good. He went through his Clapton, Hendrix, Vaughn stages. Then he discovered Eric Johnson. He has been in the Eric Johnson stage for years.
He has some other great instrumentals: trademark, Manhattan, Steve’s Boogie, Emerald eyes, SRV, Venus Isle. Also, check out Joe Satriani, he’s another master with multiple amazing instrumentals.
I second this , heard cliffs of dover , then discovered Satriani , changed the way I thought about guitar instrumentals. Later on I heard Jon Gomm do - Passionflower , changed what I thought was possible yet again.
One of the greatest single, live guitar performances ever, at least in television. I remember watching this as a teenager, being absolutely floored, thinking I had witnessed a divinely joyful moment. Awesome. Thanks for featuring! 🤙🎸
Yes Jamel aka Jamal!!! Thank you for checking it out! He's an amazing guitarist ...he's played with the best of them. Joe Satriani, Steve Vai. One of my favorites from Eric Johnson.
The guitar is an instrument, just as much as vocals are. They can convey so much emotion and personality. What makes Eric Johnson such a pleasure to hear is his own unique voice and tone. He has his own sound. He's a sublime player, and from what I've seen in interviews, seems to be a stellar guy. Absolutely love the work he's shared with us
I've had the pleasure to get to sit and talk with Eric Johnson on a couple occasions. As amazing as he is on guitar he is a better human being. Almost no ego and treats every fan like a friend.
Glad to see you enjoying some Eric Johnson! This is definitely deserving of being included in the top live guitar solos list. I saw him 3 years ago and found myself every 30 seconds with my mouth wide open saying “WOW” at how precise and clear his picking is. The man is a superhuman. Check out Desert Rose for his guitar work and singing!
That was awesome Jamel ! Sometimes I can multi-task while listening (open mail, etc....), but THAT stopped me dead in my tracks!! Thanks to you and a Blessed and Merry Christmas to you and family ~ Gin🙏🎵🎶🎸
@Jamel I’m glad you finally got to hear this. I was blessed to see him do this live opening for Rush Roll the Bones tour. Fantastic sound quality and a beautiful song.
Christopher Cross sings background vocals on the song, ‘When the sun meets the sky’, a beautiful slower song that showcases Eric’s vocals on his 1996 CD.
Eric Johnson is a Virtuoso and a true master of his craft, and an even cooler person. Super humble, nice, patient and approachable. Nothing but respect for this guitar god.
Jamel, if you want to hear him sing (and also shred on the guitar), check out "Desert Rose" from the same concert as this, or "Bristol Shore" or "Trail of Tears" from his first album, "Tones"
When I was a young guy learning guitar, my teacher put this one in front of me to learn. I absolutely couldn’t play it, and can’t now, but I know how to play the main riff, and that’s enough. This was a ray of sunshine in that era, just joyful music. EJ’s a fantastic player, and the Cliffs of Dover are a beautiful sight to see. Nailed the tone of a place so much. Thanks Jamel!
Such a great rock instrumental! I remember hearing this on the radio and instantly loving it, but I had no idea who it was by. Two lousy albums by another guitarist later, I finally found someone who knew the song and could tell me what it was, at which point I went out and got the right album. (This was before the Internet so there really wasn’t any way to easily find out.)
I've seen him play live too many times to count, always a great show. He's such a humble guy too. Check out the video from Fender when he discussed his custom shop Virginia model w/ the Luthier who made it.
What you said is right about Eric. He is a mind bogglingly great musician but especially back then, he was kind of a shy performer and he's still very laid back and chill. He is so into his guitar playing that he sometimes forgets that he has a crowd in front of him and forgets to lift his face up from the guitar. He is THAT focused on being perfect. And that's what he is. He's gotten a lot better at interacting with the crowd over the years. He is the nicest guy ever and ridiculously humble and it shows in everything he does. Yes, he does sing and has a nice smooth voice and has a lot of great songs you can react to like "Desert Rose" and "Forty Mile Town" from this same album. By the way, Cliffs of Dover won a Grammy award for best rock instrumental. He is most known as a virtuoso guitar magician and his best known songs are his instrumentals. You mentioned Stevie Ray Vaughan... Both Eric and Stevie are from Austin, Texas where this concert was held and they were the same exact age and were friends since they were in their teens. Stevie said Eric is one of his favorite guitarists as well as people in the World. And were considering putting a band together back then. One of Eric's best known instrumentals is a tribute to Stevie after his passing called "SRV" which was also nominated for a Grammy - check it out if you want to react to it : ruclips.net/video/ziv-Y9DjeJM/видео.html
You have to hear/see Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme). So many awesome solos, maybe Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee, Play With Me, or Get the Funk Out (apparently Brian May's favorite) would be a good start. I know you reacted to Extreme, More Than Words (mellow ballad with acoustic guitar), which is a great song. But the ones I mentioned and many others really showcase Nuno's unique skills.
The second guitar solo in Eric Johnson's "Desert Rose" is amazing, and it needs to be heard realllly loud. It's not flashy but there is a ton of power and emotion in all the controlled Hendrix-y feedback alternating with his melodic soloing approach. It reminds me of a beautiful, powerful, rare, and dangerous thunderstorm you might experience in the desert.
I'm a HUGE long-time Rush fan and guitarist of 29 years. Alex is also my all-time favorite guitarist, ever. I forget what the Rush song was, but they were in competition with Eric for best instrumental that year. This is one of the only moments of my life where I will gladly acknowledge that there was no shame in Rush taking second place. Ironically, Eric plays a lot of softer music ("adult contemporary" maybe?) but he has some amazing techniques that are incredibly subtle and advanced that you will only ever see in some of the best players out there; cascading harmonics, fingerstyle, hybrid picking, he has just about every tool available to him and knows how to use them all.
There are so many great guitarists out there. Musicians. But there are only a handful that play their instrument and make it talk. Eric Johnson is one of those musicians that convey emotion and feeling through his instrument. A master.
There is a video on RUclips called G3 - Live in Concert - Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and Eric Johnson. They each play a set and then, at about the 48 minute mark, they all start playing together. The whole show is worth a watch.
This reaction was a pleasant surprise to come up on my feed. Thank you for checking out this song. My dad introduced me to this song years ago and every time I hear it I think of him. We almost lost him last year but thankfully he made it, so this just brings good vibes all around. Thank you for your videos and have a blessed new year!
I've seen Eric live several times starting in '89. Ran into him and chatted a couple of times too. Eric is such a humble, soft spoken and sharing person. Eric is an American/Texas treasure! 🎶👍
So beautiful - the fluidity of Eric's playing is truly phenomenal. A maestro performance from another of my favourite players of all time and with one of the loveliest guitar tones around 😎
I love your reaction videos. Really HAPPY to see you do this one. I first heard this on the radio in 1990. I had to pull over to sit and listen. It affected me so much. The dexterity, and complexity while maintaining a musical & melodic tone was groundbreaking.
This intro is ad-libbed every time so it's never the same. So is a lot of the song. Every live version I hear has something new and different in it. It never gets old.
I had the pleasure of spending time with Eric Johnson at GearFest 2019. He was all the things it says on your shirt! We talked shop about guitars and he was gracious & let me take a picture with him. We were both interested in the same guitar, but he was playing that night and asked to borrow it for the show, so he won! That picture is still the screensaver on my phone and I still start conversations with other guitarist with "So I was talking to Eric Johnson and...."
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This was a nice treat. This is one of my personal favorite guitar solos, and it's been a while since I heard it. Merry Christmas to you and all yours!!
Two Masters
Sonny Landreth & Eric Johnson Milky Way Home
ruclips.net/video/1K5a8cSp8b8/видео.html
Got Slide?
Merry Christmas too all and happy holidays to and peace too every one
Check out his song "Manhattan"
Thanks for putting up some EJ.
His guitar tone has been called "the 800 lb violin." I think it's one of the most identifiable, most unique guitar tones ever, and his technique is legendary.
first time I heard EJ i didn't even know it. he played the lead on Christopher Cross' song Minstral Gigolo. I had bought the CC 45 of Ride Like the Wind and Minstral was the B side. wasn't until I heard this album that i had that moment where i had heard this guitar sound before. luckily someone else had pointed it out and i went back to listen to Minstral again. and it's a fairly long solo too.
Yes!💯
@@scampa1408 he and Christopher are good friends along with Van Wilks. :) All Austin guys.
Just the way that his descending cascading pentatonic runs pick up speed and momentum like a mudslides rolling down a steep hillside is so inimitable and unique to his style it's seriously nearly enough to bring me to my knees in tears, just for the pure majesty of it all
More like an 800 lb gorilla
One of the greatest guitar performances ever. This is an absolute classic.
Really? I love this song (it's one of my favorites), but there are an incredible amount of errors.
@@segaboy9894 isn’t that what makes us humans? To me it adds more to the song.
This performance has to be one of my favorite guitar tones
@@segaboy9894 isn’t it his song? Lmao there’s no right way for him to ply his own song
Yep, one of the great guitar instrumentals of all time. Eric is one of the tastiest players alive.
That main riff always gives me goosebumps and makes my eyes all watery. So much heart and soul in this song.
Same with me
Ditto.I just discovered Sophie Burrell covering this while looking for the original since I hadn't heard it in ages; believe you me, she *slays* it!!(and she's not hard to look at either!)
I bought that cd( hey I'm 53) when it came out! I have lost track of how many times I have played it from start to finish. Nothing but great songs the whole album!
❤❤❤😂 please go down and rabbit hole bro you will enjoy it I promise it's not just one good song peace man enjoy😅😮
You're going to like it keep going down the Rabbit Hole you won't be disappointed
When people talk about underrated guitarists, THIS is the one, singular person EVERYBODY should be talking about.
Underrated by the general public because he doesn't play top 40 music. But by guitarists and music people, they know the score.
Buckethead is another.
@@russellward4624 Exactly, when he hit it back in the 80s this song got a bit of airplay for sure. Eric was also in all of the Guitar magazines etc.
@@cecilkeebler4254 guitar music would get play then. A lot of the top 40 was metal. Guitar music doesn't get any airplay now. Its all x factor trash.
Yet, here he is on RUclips with a damned fine band... DO YOU EVEN KNOW THE DEFINITION OF THE WORD. He is UNDERAPPRECIATED, NO WHERE NEAR UNDERRATED...
Some guitarists miss some notes while playing live. Eric Johnson plays extra notes, making it sound even better than the original, and he still seems like he's holding back. So much energy in such a calm person.
Hahaha, then you use the word calm to describe him as well.
You need to check out Monte Montgomery for players who play notes you swear arent there.
Agreed, so great to hear...
He messed up a few times
What? Eh?
This song won a Grammy Award. And it's one of the rare rock guitar instrumentals (speaking of the modern era, at least) to have gotten radio airplay.
Guitar Instrumentals where all over the radio during the late 80s early 90s. Same time as this one was. 👍
Hey, they used "Surfing with the Alien" alot...uhh for traffic reports
@@jamesfetcho6315 You are correct. I vividly remember this song along with:
Steve Vai - The Audience is Listening
Gary Hoey - Hocus Pocus
Joe Satriani - Summer Song
George Lynch - Mr. Scary
and a few others getting massive airplay on 98 Rock in Baltimore during the years they were released. Guitar Instrumentals were always a part of mainstream radio.
@@MetalMcfly Exactly. I just think people tend 2 forget. 🤷♂️
@@jamesfetcho6315 It happens, then again we are a dying breed. We are getting old my friend lol
Eric Johnson was the opening act for Rush back in 91. Alex loved Eric’s playing so much that he gave him one of his guitars.
Yep. Saw him in St. Louis opening the show. Amazing night!
Saw him in Rochester and became a fan for life.
I never would've heard of Eric Johnson if not for that tour....Roll The Bones!!!
Eric Johnson and Alec both rule. Anyway Sounds kinda like when Van halen brought Alice In Chains to open for them when they were breaking onto the scene, Cantrell got back from the tour and EVH just sent him like a shit ton of equipment and gave him multiple guitars. The next part isn’t that relevant but still cool, Cantrell got one of the guitars stolen and a fan found the guitar online 20 years after it was stolen and got it and returned it to Cantrell.
Rush's "Where's My Thing" lost the Grammy to Johnson's "Cliffs of Dover" for best instrumental in 1992.
Glad to see all the nice comments about EJ. We in Houston have known about him since the early 80's at a club called Rockefeller's. Small little place with killer acoustics. Every time he came to town virtually every guitar player in the city would be there (me included). The first time I saw him I was gigging in the Houston area and I was also teaching guitar. A local luthier named Rick Becker told me we had to go see this guy from Austin named Eric Johnson, he was supposed to be amazing. I didn't have a gig that night and it was only $8 so I went with Rick. I was so blown away that night, I decided to go to college and study Engineering. I'm not kidding... This guy was so damn good and I never even heard of the guy!!! What chance did I have? I was good and everything, but NOWHERE near this guy!! Not even in the same hemisphere!!! Take it from me and a thousand other guitar players, if you've never seen EJ in person, go to the show!!! It's WAY, WAY, WAY better than any video you'll see on RUclips or anywhere else. I promise!!!!
Eric Johnson sets himself apart with his tone, extremely clean and fast playing that doesn’t rely on “shredder” cliches and tricks, an incredible sense of melody. He also chooses very interesting notes; notes that are in the key he is playing, but not necessarily part of the chord underneath. This creates all kinds of tension and release in his melodies and phrasing. I love him!
100% agree
Yep!
So well stated. A master! Seen him 3x’s never disappointed. Beautiful tones all the time!
Exactly. There’s psychology involved in writing music. A good composer writes each note with a purpose, to follow, introduce, develop, or contrast other notes, which all comes together to evoke an emotional response from the listener. There’s a difference many people fail to see between someone who can play an instrument (even if they’re really good at the instrument) and someone who is a true musician. The latter being able to arouse emotion in the listener and tell a story with their music to a much greater extent.
it's time (long overdue) that we start identifying EJ as one of the 8 best rock guitarists all time.
Eric Johnson has one of the greatest techniques i have ever seen for playing guitar. His harmonics are always perfect, and his hybrid picking is incredible. Not to mention the tone that he gets. Especially in this performance, the guitar tone he uses is perfect and to top it off he uses a little bit of delay
THIS, Ladies and Gentlemen is THE greatest guitar instrumental OF ALL TIME. There are good guitarists, there are great ones, then there are absolute virtuosos. Then there's Eric Johnson.
It's definitely on my top 10! So far my absolute favorite is Tender Surrender by Steve Vai, have you checked it out? ruclips.net/video/Yw74sDWPH7U/видео.html
@@wcydiiwii I see the lessons were of some use then???!seriously though proper grown ups music .
Hard to argue with you, my friend.
EJ is a master. Other guitar players always pay him props. And whenever he comes up in discussion, he's respected and well liked as a good person.
That last part!!!
One of the Eric Johnson has one of the best, and prettiest, guitar tones ever.
Flawless
He’s top 3 of my favourite guitar tones. No order but the other 2 are David Gilmour and Carlos Santana.
Jamel,
Back in the early 1980’s there were 2 young guitarist topping the scene in Austin Texas…
Stevie Ray Vaughan and Eric Johnson… Friends, but competitors with shitloads of talent!
Blessed to see them both in the early 80’s.
Aren't we the lucky ones? I saw SRV twice, I miss him so
Hard to believe that two otherworldly talents like them emerged at the same time, in the same place! Privileged to have seen both of them
I saw them a couple of times each in Austin in the 80's as well. Love them both. RIP, Stevie.
@@tomfabozzi6309 I wish I'd seen srv . Js
It was a glorious time. Saw Eric more than SRV, but both of them enough to feel blessed beyond belief.
When this hit…. It absolutely changed the game for us guitarists…. Tone…phrasing… melodic…. Technical…. Absolute class act…. If you know you know…. And now you do… His material will be around for years to come…. This was a LEGENDARY LEGENDARY performance…. And yes his vocals are exactly what you would expect after seeing that….. in his own class… one of the best. Period. Take care out there guys!!! 🙏🙏
Guitar Hero introduced me to this masterpiece.
Same!
Yikes!
Same, after I got Guitar Hero 3 for Christmas I went to Borders and bought the cd of this live performance. Still one of my favorite guitar albums.
Told you thanks for playing it stay groovy
Same. This was my absolute favorite song to play.
Jesus Christ, the tone he achieves is unreal. Just amazing how clean and fast but soulful his playing is.
Absolute one off.
Luv and Peace.
The best part about Cliffs of Dover is every recording of it is like listening to it for the first time again, since the first part of the song is improvised. Eric Johnson is a god of guitar.
Eric Johnson is undoubtedly one of the best guitar players I have ever seen in person. An incredible musician 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽😊
Eric Johnson has a nice singing voice, and does sing on his records. What separates him from other guitarists is his guitar tone-as it does for other truly unique players. One other quality that distinguishes him-he is one of the “cleanest” players around, meaning every note comes out perfect.
I have found his voice to be very thin and not impressive at all. I skip all of his songs that contain his vocals.
Kinda like mr. Gilmour unsurpassed guitar player, vocalist and singer .
No joke. This is like listening to guitar in high definition. Every note is perfect.
I think the word you're searching for when talking about Eric Johnson is FOCUS. Like when Neil Peart does a drum solo, he's always focused intently on what he's doing he rarely show's any emotion.
I was thinking the same thing.
In the early 90's I saw Eric Johnson open for Rush. I saw Eric Johnson play this song and Neil Peart do a drum solo at the same concert. Doesn't get much better.
@@dougrobertson859 dude. That is incredible.
EJ was also an incredible perfectionist. I think he actually had to do some therapy for a while, because he was overly focused and overly self-critical. He eventually learned to let go and relax a bit.
He is one of them most humble and laid back guys ever. I met him twice when he played in Toronto. He's quiet and soft spoken off-stage and on-stage. He lets his fingers do the talkin' for him. He loves to talk guitar, amps, effects and technique. What you see is what you get with Eric. A brilliant player.
Eric sings some, but he's known mostly for his brilliant guitar playing. He is scheduled to go on tour next year in the U.S. and I can't wait to see him again!
He has a very good voice. He's an outrageously talented guitarist, and rightly gets most of the kudos for that. But he has a better vocal range and tone than a lot of famous "singers" who do only that. Was fortunate enough to see him just after his 1st album was released, supporting Blue Oyster Cult
Yes! We are going (lord willing and the creek don't rise...)
WOW thanks for the HEADS UP!
I love Eric Johnson’s personality. He’s such a laid back humble guy.
2 words for this song, beautiful masterpiece
Eric Johnson is one of the most underrated guitarists out there
I remember this one as I was in college in the early 90s and I remember driving with the radio blasting in my old '73 Chevy Caprice coupe; I was full of dreams and youth...I heard it on the radio and didn't know the name until decades later online. In those days, you couldn't look it up online or Shazam it. When I described it, no one seemed to know what I was talking about. In my opinion, the song seems God-inspired.
Not going to lie, his playing is what he's known for. However he has a gorgeous voice that will rival most pop/boybands type vocals.
Desert Rose is a prime example of this! Saw him live about 20 years ago and it was phenomenal! Cleanest guitar playing I've ever seen!
Eric Johnson is such a great artist!! I met him back in the 80's. He was amazing, and the nicest guy you could ever meet.
Love him so much. When you hear the wrong notes you see him shake his head. Makes me feel more normal.
Eric Johnson plays such beautiful, clean tones. Playing guitar with a lot of distortion and overdrive can actually hide a lot of mistakes, but playing clean like that is what sets him above many other great players. Love this tune a lot!
I've met EJ several times and he is so kind and soft spoken. A very humble virtuoso.
Love to watch a guitar player's hands. Such a master with that instrument. Sounds fabulous!
Eric Johnson is too damn smooth, he plays so clean
yeah ain't that a bitch 🙂
Late 80's early 90's front row next to the stage. He is so smooth. His early music training was classical piano. He does sing. Bristol Shores, Desert Rose are a couple of his vocal tunes. Tommy Taylor is the drummer. Kyle Brock plays bass. They are fun to watch. You'll have to remind yourself to close your mouth. Great reaction. He's still around playing so if you get the chance to see him live, you should. He's one of the best.
❤❤❤ Dessert Rose
He is alot like Jeff Beck..saw him in concert and about an hour into it I was so overloaded I couldn't wait for him too finish lol.
Desert Rose is an amazing song!
Yeah; I had issues with keeping my mouth closed too.
I was a beach cop in South Carolina when this came out. Hearing it play in the rock and roll bars of the mid 90’s is something I can never explain. I was king of the world for a brief time. I hope I helped all the humans around me live a better life.
The first time I ever heard this, I drove straight to Tower Records and bought the album.
Eric called me one night, late and asked me if I'd come down to a studio where he was recording " ZAP" to deal with a guitar problem he was having.
My van would not start, so I loaded up my tools and went a few miles to the studio on my bicycle. I did a fret-mill on his guitar in the vocal booth. Your reaction, going to Tower records to buy his album right away was much like mine. Instantly addicted. There are not many musicians who have motivated me to go to those extremes, so I understand. AND; he's still a very positive person, all these years later.
This was recorded at Austin City Limits in Austin Texas, my hometown. This is where Eric Johnson is from as well. His guitar playing has been rated top-notch by guitarists such as Billy Gibbons and Joe Satriani just to name a couple
I used to love City Limits. I saw many great bands there when I was stationed at Ft Hood. Maggie Mais also. So Awesome!
I saw this when I went tot he first G3 tour with Eric Johnson, Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. That was a lot of talent on one stage, especially when all three were on stage playing together.
I saw that tour as well. Absolutely amazing. Mind blowing.
I remember seeing this on Austin City Limits way back when, never having even heard of Eric Johnson before, and being just blown away in awe of his talent. Probably one of the greatest guitarists that very few know of.
You are correct when you say he seems like a very laid back , focused type of guy.
I met him after a show , one time, and had him sign my guitar - he was so chill, non self effacing, nice guy. Nearly all the interviews I've seen of him , he's just really calm, cool,collected - but that raging spirit comes out through the guitar and the amps. He is the quintessential musician's musician . I've seen him live several times, never a bad show.
I've had the pleasure of seeing Eric Johnson perform 3 times in my life. Most recently right before lockdown started in 2020. It was my oldest daughters first concert and her first time seeing live music that wasn't a symphony or a choir. She was blown away.
He is just as amazing now as he was when he filmed that Austin City Limits video you reacted to. An amazing musician. It's foolish to try to describe one guitarist as "the best" or "the GOAT", but he is one of the greatest guitarists living today.
I once heard Jeff Beck describe him as "tasty", that's as good a description as any. His playing is just tasty.
Eric Johnson does a cover of Jimi Hendrix's song "Are You Experienced" from the same Austin City Limits concert that this footage is from and it is outstanding. And yes, he does sing.
As a 46 year old this was amazing to me as a kid and it still holds up! Appreciate you for sharing this 🙏
Now Eric Johnson is my favorite guitar player of all time... I already have purchased my ticket to see him in March of 2023 in Charlotte NC.. I can't wait to see him... Everyone knows what gift God gave him and I'm so glad he is sharing it with everyone else...
Eric Johnson is one of those artisan guitarists who crafts a blend of styles into his own. Even during this famous performance he would say later on that his playing still isn't where he wanted it to be. He's a perfectionist and a master of his craft. He also wrote this song in about 5 minutes...
No way! 5 minutes? That's just... whoa! I would've thought it took him days or weeks, or even months, but only 5 minutes? That genuinely just blew me away.
Yes!!! Great guitarist. First heard him on KLBJ in Austin. I'm a huge fan. Thanks for the reaction.
This song gives me shivers down my spine every time I hear it. Did when this album first came out (I wore the tape out). Does now. The album version was quite a bit shorter. All of the solo he did before the rest of the band joined in is "extra".
Yes, this performance especially always makes my eyes well up. Just beautiful. The composition itself is like Mozart cranked up and full of an extra boost of life. Makes me imagine flying over the ocean and up over the Cliffs of Dover.
Eric Johnson is the guitarist, your favorite guitarist, listens to.
Eric Johnson is a guitar God, period. Give us more of his masterful work!
My son has been playing guitar since he was 10 years old. He is really good. He went through his Clapton, Hendrix, Vaughn stages. Then he discovered Eric Johnson. He has been in the Eric Johnson stage for years.
He has some other great instrumentals: trademark, Manhattan, Steve’s Boogie, Emerald eyes, SRV, Venus Isle.
Also, check out Joe Satriani, he’s another master with multiple amazing instrumentals.
I second this , heard cliffs of dover , then discovered Satriani , changed the way I thought about guitar instrumentals. Later on I heard Jon Gomm do - Passionflower , changed what I thought was possible yet again.
@@TheInfurnos What about Stevie Ray Vaughn?
We were there, absolutely mesmerizing. The tone live was phenomenal.
One of my favorite guitar solos, EVER.
One of the greatest single, live guitar performances ever, at least in television.
I remember watching this as a teenager, being absolutely floored, thinking I had witnessed a divinely joyful moment. Awesome.
Thanks for featuring! 🤙🎸
Yes Jamel aka Jamal!!! Thank you for checking it out! He's an amazing guitarist ...he's played with the best of them. Joe Satriani, Steve Vai. One of my favorites from Eric Johnson.
I saw all three of them, plus Kenny Wayne Shepherd at the Hollywood Bowl in the 90s, as part of the G3 show. Awesome concert!!
James Edwards, I know that had to be amazing. They don't make em like that anymore.
The guitar is an instrument, just as much as vocals are. They can convey so much emotion and personality. What makes Eric Johnson such a pleasure to hear is his own unique voice and tone. He has his own sound. He's a sublime player, and from what I've seen in interviews, seems to be a stellar guy. Absolutely love the work he's shared with us
I personally get goosebumps every time I hear trail of tears live at the same event
I've had the pleasure to get to sit and talk with Eric Johnson on a couple occasions. As amazing as he is on guitar he is a better human being. Almost no ego and treats every fan like a friend.
Glad to see you enjoying some Eric Johnson! This is definitely deserving of being included in the top live guitar solos list. I saw him 3 years ago and found myself every 30 seconds with my mouth wide open saying “WOW” at how precise and clear his picking is. The man is a superhuman. Check out Desert Rose for his guitar work and singing!
Desert Rose, especially the second solo, is indescribably powerful and emotional.
That was awesome Jamel ! Sometimes I can multi-task while listening (open mail, etc....), but THAT stopped me dead in my tracks!! Thanks to you and a Blessed and Merry Christmas to you and family ~ Gin🙏🎵🎶🎸
EJ is a legend. Great vocals on "Desert Rose" (and amazing soloing as well).
Desert Rose is a masterpiece. A true out of body experience, especially if you try to follow the solos.
I love watching Jamal's reactions because that's me too. This song is so amazing, man.
Eric Johnson should be endorsed by Parkay because his tone is straight butter. Amazing sound and playing.
@Jamel I’m glad you finally got to hear this. I was blessed to see him do this live opening for Rush Roll the Bones tour. Fantastic sound quality and a beautiful song.
Christopher Cross sings background vocals on the song, ‘When the sun meets the sky’, a beautiful slower song that showcases Eric’s vocals on his 1996 CD.
I did not know that at all. That is awesome.
Eric Johnson is a Virtuoso and a true master of his craft, and an even cooler person. Super humble, nice, patient and approachable. Nothing but respect for this guitar god.
Jamel, if you want to hear him sing (and also shred on the guitar), check out "Desert Rose" from the same concert as this, or "Bristol Shore" or "Trail of Tears" from his first album, "Tones"
Trail of Tears is my favorite.
Desert Rose, the second solo especially, is like something released from the burning soul of the world.
Jamal, you're the BEST!. that stank face says it all.
He does a great live cover version of Jimi Hendrix's ARE YOU EXPERIENCED. I believe it is from this same show.
When I was a young guy learning guitar, my teacher put this one in front of me to learn. I absolutely couldn’t play it, and can’t now, but I know how to play the main riff, and that’s enough. This was a ray of sunshine in that era, just joyful music. EJ’s a fantastic player, and the Cliffs of Dover are a beautiful sight to see. Nailed the tone of a place so much. Thanks Jamel!
His tone, and playing his shit with perfection is what separates him.
When I'm first heard him on the radio, I had to find out WHO this player was !!! 👍☮️🎶. AMAZING !!
@@caroljordan6130 he is eric johnson
Eric Johnson and Randy Rhoads are my favorite all time guitarists. This song teleports me back in time like nothing else.
Such a great rock instrumental! I remember hearing this on the radio and instantly loving it, but I had no idea who it was by. Two lousy albums by another guitarist later, I finally found someone who knew the song and could tell me what it was, at which point I went out and got the right album. (This was before the Internet so there really wasn’t any way to easily find out.)
He's exactly like this. Super calm, yet ready to burn at any time. The greatest.
I've seen him play live too many times to count, always a great show. He's such a humble guy too. Check out the video from Fender when he discussed his custom shop Virginia model w/ the Luthier who made it.
What you said is right about Eric. He is a mind bogglingly great musician but especially back then, he was kind of a shy performer and he's still very laid back and chill. He is so into his guitar playing that he sometimes forgets that he has a crowd in front of him and forgets to lift his face up from the guitar. He is THAT focused on being perfect. And that's what he is. He's gotten a lot better at interacting with the crowd over the years. He is the nicest guy ever and ridiculously humble and it shows in everything he does. Yes, he does sing and has a nice smooth voice and has a lot of great songs you can react to like "Desert Rose" and "Forty Mile Town" from this same album. By the way, Cliffs of Dover won a Grammy award for best rock instrumental. He is most known as a virtuoso guitar magician and his best known songs are his instrumentals. You mentioned Stevie Ray Vaughan... Both Eric and Stevie are from Austin, Texas where this concert was held and they were the same exact age and were friends since they were in their teens. Stevie said Eric is one of his favorite guitarists as well as people in the World. And were considering putting a band together back then. One of Eric's best known instrumentals is a tribute to Stevie after his passing called "SRV" which was also nominated for a Grammy - check it out if you want to react to it : ruclips.net/video/ziv-Y9DjeJM/видео.html
You have to hear/see Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme). So many awesome solos, maybe Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee, Play With Me, or Get the Funk Out (apparently Brian May's favorite) would be a good start. I know you reacted to Extreme, More Than Words (mellow ballad with acoustic guitar), which is a great song. But the ones I mentioned and many others really showcase Nuno's unique skills.
One of the best!!! He’s opened up for Rush in the past.
The second guitar solo in Eric Johnson's "Desert Rose" is amazing, and it needs to be heard realllly loud. It's not flashy but there is a ton of power and emotion in all the controlled Hendrix-y feedback alternating with his melodic soloing approach. It reminds me of a beautiful, powerful, rare, and dangerous thunderstorm you might experience in the desert.
It is my favorite solo of all time. It roars up at you and takes no prisoners, then descends into perfect harmonic cool-down.
Eric is a legendary artist!
love cliffs of dover
first song i ever 100%d in Guitar Hero
Saw him a couple of years ago at Sellersville theater PA. Small venue my wife really enjoyed the whole show!
This is what todays popstars and rappers need to witness: real talent on a real instrument
My 15 year old dog is named after this song. Truly a legendary song, glad you finally got to see it.
I'm a HUGE long-time Rush fan and guitarist of 29 years. Alex is also my all-time favorite guitarist, ever. I forget what the Rush song was, but they were in competition with Eric for best instrumental that year. This is one of the only moments of my life where I will gladly acknowledge that there was no shame in Rush taking second place. Ironically, Eric plays a lot of softer music ("adult contemporary" maybe?) but he has some amazing techniques that are incredibly subtle and advanced that you will only ever see in some of the best players out there; cascading harmonics, fingerstyle, hybrid picking, he has just about every tool available to him and knows how to use them all.
There are so many great guitarists out there. Musicians. But there are only a handful that play their instrument and make it talk. Eric Johnson is one of those musicians that convey emotion and feeling through his instrument. A master.
There is a video on RUclips called G3 - Live in Concert - Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and Eric Johnson. They each play a set and then, at about the 48 minute mark, they all start playing together. The whole show is worth a watch.
This reaction was a pleasant surprise to come up on my feed. Thank you for checking out this song. My dad introduced me to this song years ago and every time I hear it I think of him. We almost lost him last year but thankfully he made it, so this just brings good vibes all around. Thank you for your videos and have a blessed new year!
I've seen this Eric Johnson video hundreds of times and I still can't breath during the intro solo :D This guy is from another universe.
Finally got to this...amazing
..love you brother
I've seen Eric live several times starting in '89. Ran into him and chatted a couple of times too. Eric is such a humble, soft spoken and sharing person. Eric is an American/Texas treasure! 🎶👍
So beautiful - the fluidity of Eric's playing is truly phenomenal. A maestro performance from another of my favourite players of all time and with one of the loveliest guitar tones around 😎
I love your reaction videos. Really HAPPY to see you do this one. I first heard this on the radio in 1990. I had to pull over to sit and listen. It affected me so much. The dexterity, and complexity while maintaining a musical & melodic tone was groundbreaking.
That tone is so tasteful, space filling and joyful. Always a delight to listen to him play.
I was fortunate enough to see Eric open for Rush in Topeka, Kansas in 1991. Best night of live music ever.
This intro is ad-libbed every time so it's never the same. So is a lot of the song. Every live version I hear has something new and different in it. It never gets old.
I had the pleasure of spending time with Eric Johnson at GearFest 2019. He was all the things it says on your shirt! We talked shop about guitars and he was gracious & let me take a picture with him. We were both interested in the same guitar, but he was playing that night and asked to borrow it for the show, so he won! That picture is still the screensaver on my phone and I still start conversations with other guitarist with "So I was talking to Eric Johnson and...."
Some people would say Eric Johnson plays guitar like we breathe air. But DAMM I swear this JAM TAKES MY BREATH AWAY EVERY TIME I LISTEN TO IT😉