The Eric Johnson Interview

Eric Johnson stopped by the studio while on tour in Atlanta. Here's our conversation.
#ericjohnson #cliffsofdover #ahviamusicom

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[hokieham]

The best part of Rick’s interview: he allows his guest to speak.

[brendantunkel]

There’s nothing more badass then to casually be able say “when I wrote cliffs of Dover...” just as a side note in a sentence.

[joemisek]

STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING. CALL YOUR FRIENDS, CALL YOUR NEIGHBORS! ERIC JOHNSON IS ON RICK BEATO!!!


The same week as in interview with Robben Ford?!?! Rick, you own the internet now.

[valserrie]

I know Eric. Known him for about 20 years. He is exactly as nice as he seems to be. He is a blessing to music and a true gentleman.

[olmecus]

Around the 22-23 minute Mark when Eric talks about today's pop music and how it sorely lacks swing and feel in drumming, Rick just could not hold back the biggest grin I've seen from him in his argument about drum quantizing being validated by none other than Erick frickin' Johnson. To cap it all off, Rick never makes mention of his drum quantizing arguments or previous videos and to me, it all makes it even more remarkable. Rick is just a top class guy!

[johnmcevoy]

50 bucks says Rick has left that pedalboard exactly as Eric set it, and glued those knobs so they can't move.

[thoughtsbeforesleep]

Jimi Hendrix could come back from the dead, appear on Rick's channel and reveal the secrets to all guitar playing, and a handful of jackasses would still down vote it.

[barkomulch]

Eric's incredible music is outshone only by his genuine humility - what a terrific guy and an inspiration.

[RCSmiths]

I don't think it's going to get better than this now! Eric Johnson is quite easily 5 of the most important guitarists for me! Such a clean and consistent player that deserves all the credit he gets. Cliffs of Dover gets me every single time.

[brentmatheson]

I remember seeing Eric Johnson opening for Rush. I remember him playing Cliffs of Dover. It's like the whole stadium held their breath for the intro to that song. Mind-blowing really.

[spuckler]

Rick is probably one of the best interviewers in terms of music on YouTube. He doesn’t ask dumb questions that you could find with one google search, he doesn’t bombard them with questions, and most importantly, *he lets them speak* . He sits there and listens with a smile on his face, genuinely taking in what’s being said and not asking so many useless questions. You see too many interviewers cut people off, not take in what’s being said and just not want to be there.

[BuddyClontz]

I met Eric Johnson about 16 years ago in Myrtle Beach. I spent about 30-45 minutes talking with him, taking pictures, and even getting my old “Tones” LP signed. Besides being one of the greatest musicians to ever pick up the guitar, he couldn’t have been nicer to my daughter and I. He was very friendly to everyone who approached him and very down to earth. About two weeks later, I received a letter in the mail with a short note(signed) and two of Eric’s guitar picks taped to the note( all of which I still have). You won’t meet many celebrities as talented or as nice.

[EricBlackmonGuitar]

EVERYTHING he plays, no matter how simple sounds so good.

[HiredGoonage]

"I think you have to stay child-like with music" is important advice

[grajem]

I met Eric in chihuahua Mexico around 2005 or so, I was playing at the Hotel Lobby he was staying at, he stood my whole gig clapping, I talked to him later at the restaurant and he was the kindest person ever, he complimented me on my guitar playing on a way that it felt so genuine that you actually forget your talking to a legend, I asked him to sign my guitar which he did not before expressing his concern that he might ruin it, he just drew the most beautiful signature, so much so that everyone thinks it came like that out of the fabric, he actually complimented a " huapango" that I played in my set and sayed, you should teach me how to do that, he will never imagine the impact that he caused on me, cause he's just like that, but he literally changed my perception of what a musician should be, loved meeting this man, makes me feel blessed every time I hear someone compliment how humble he is cause I know it's true

[pcm]

Never heard of him. Didn't even play during the interview. So I looked up and listened to "Cliffs of Dover, " and realized he's as good or better than every guitarist I've heard.

[OCnStiggs]

What a truly warm, intelligent, and humble artist. Rick brought out the real Eric and for all his fans, we sure appreciate it. Eric is a pretty quiet and private guy and this interview is like gold to a guitar fan, especially a fan of Eric's. Thank you to Rick and to Eric for pulling back the curtain on a truly gifted American artist. What a great human being.

[dna]

wow. Rick's smiley face as Eric Freaking Johnson sits next to him in his own studio, strumming a chord, says it all!

[georgewodicka]

I'm no expert, but I've listened to a lot of music in my 61 years. And "Cliffs Of Dover" still remains the most pleasurous, pure guitar song I've ever heard.

[jimfromoh]

"There's licks I have to practice before I can play them on stage, and I still can't play them as well as the 12 yr olds on youtube." OMG he's one of us.