One of the most outstanding instrumentalists in rock, Texas guitarist Eric Johnson was already a legend before he recorded his first album, partially in thanks to his session work with he likes of Carol King and Christopher Cross. With the release of his highly anticipated 1986 solo debut 'Tones', the underground guitar legend finally emerged onto the scene fully formed, leading to a Grammy win for 'Best Instrumental Performance' in 1992. Since then he's been part of G3 with Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, recorded numerous solo albums, and played countless world tours. Finally embarking on a full UK and Europe trek in 2026, we caught up with the guitar legend to talk about the dates, and his storied career. Up close; Eamon O'Neill.
Photo; Max Crace
Hi Eric, how are you?
I am good. Thanks for having me.
I see you're sitting in the studio; are you cooking up something?
Oh, I have been off and on. The last few days I haven't been but, yeah, we've been kind of off and on working on some new songs and stuff. I've recorded, I guess about fifteen things or something, and I'm just trying to see if any of it's any good.
You're based in Texas, aren't you?
Yeah, Central Texas. There's a lot of music here, a lot of different variable type of music. It's great.
That brings us to the tour, the 'Texaphonic' tour 2026. I mean, first off, killer name for the tour, right?
Well, thank you.
Your last UK tour was about 2013.
it's been a while. I haven't been in a while, but I'm sure looking forward to being there this summer. It's going to be great. I'm glad that we also have a gigs for a couple weeks in England, which I'm really excited about. Instead of just coming in for London for two or three days, we're going to get to go around and do gigs in different places, which I'm really looking forward to.
It's your most extensive UK tour ever; what was the impetus to do that?
Well, the promoter that we're working with is doing that. The other times they were just saying; "oh yeah, we'll play London, then we'll go off to another city", and so this promoter made a point to try to book other towns and stuff, which I was really excited about because, you read the stories about bands that go all around England and playing, I'd I'm like; "I want to do that!" I mean, I want to play London, it's great, but I want to play the other places too.
There sadly isn't an Irish date.
I've got to ask why that isn't the thing. We kind of turn it over the promoter and he just tries to do his best to get gigs where we are offered, at least a way to make enough money to make it worthwhile to where we don't lose money. So I think he just kind of picked and chose the gigs that seemed to be working at the time, and that's usually how that happens. But I wish we were coming to Ireland. That'd be great. I was there a couple of times. I was there working a long time ago with Carol King. I played with her for a while, and we played there. But yes, beautiful. I wish we were going there. That would be nice.
You've just touched on your session work there with Carol King, You also worked with Christopher Cross; what were those session days like for you?
You know, I learned a lot just being around great song writers like that, and just kind of watching them work and what was important to them and how they put things together. I was lucky to get to do that, and it was pretty inspiring to see and to be around people that write great songs like that.
I am good. Thanks for having me.
I see you're sitting in the studio; are you cooking up something?
Oh, I have been off and on. The last few days I haven't been but, yeah, we've been kind of off and on working on some new songs and stuff. I've recorded, I guess about fifteen things or something, and I'm just trying to see if any of it's any good.
You're based in Texas, aren't you?
Yeah, Central Texas. There's a lot of music here, a lot of different variable type of music. It's great.
That brings us to the tour, the 'Texaphonic' tour 2026. I mean, first off, killer name for the tour, right?
Well, thank you.
Your last UK tour was about 2013.
it's been a while. I haven't been in a while, but I'm sure looking forward to being there this summer. It's going to be great. I'm glad that we also have a gigs for a couple weeks in England, which I'm really excited about. Instead of just coming in for London for two or three days, we're going to get to go around and do gigs in different places, which I'm really looking forward to.
It's your most extensive UK tour ever; what was the impetus to do that?
Well, the promoter that we're working with is doing that. The other times they were just saying; "oh yeah, we'll play London, then we'll go off to another city", and so this promoter made a point to try to book other towns and stuff, which I was really excited about because, you read the stories about bands that go all around England and playing, I'd I'm like; "I want to do that!" I mean, I want to play London, it's great, but I want to play the other places too.
There sadly isn't an Irish date.
I've got to ask why that isn't the thing. We kind of turn it over the promoter and he just tries to do his best to get gigs where we are offered, at least a way to make enough money to make it worthwhile to where we don't lose money. So I think he just kind of picked and chose the gigs that seemed to be working at the time, and that's usually how that happens. But I wish we were coming to Ireland. That'd be great. I was there a couple of times. I was there working a long time ago with Carol King. I played with her for a while, and we played there. But yes, beautiful. I wish we were going there. That would be nice.
You've just touched on your session work there with Carol King, You also worked with Christopher Cross; what were those session days like for you?
You know, I learned a lot just being around great song writers like that, and just kind of watching them work and what was important to them and how they put things together. I was lucky to get to do that, and it was pretty inspiring to see and to be around people that write great songs like that.
Photo; Max Crace
I wanted to talk to you about the Fender Strat. What attracted you to the Stratocaster? It's got to be the tone, right?
Well, it is the tone, and it's the fact that they're so versatile. It kind of covers a lot of ground. There's other guitars that maybe, if you take one particular sound, they might be a little bit more interesting or more usable, but they don't have the variability that Strat has.
You've had a number of signature models over the years, haven't you?
I have, yeah. I like the latest one, the Virginia model. It's like the fourth model. I've done like four different models, trying different pickups, different woods and different things like a rosewood neck or maple neck and that kind of thing.
Were you at the NAMM Show this year?
Not this year. We're going to be in Anaheim where the NAMM show is in April. Yeah, we didn't make the NAMM Show this year.
I'm quite fascinated by your tone; you're very keen on the bass, and you don't like a lot of treble cutting through which I think gives you some uniqueness.
Well, It does, and I think sometimes I run it a little too bassey. I've been trying to kind of inch the treble up a little bit because it got a little out of hand. Everybody's like; "it sounds like it's in the bottom of a swimming pool!", so I'm trying to get that together. But typically I like a more kind of smooth, or kind of woody kind of lead tone. I like that. It's because some of my favourite records from the old days - you know, early Eric Clapton and BB King and Jeff Beck's 'Truth' record - some of them were kind of that real reedy, kind of smooth tone. I like that sound.
I was watching an interview with you recently, and I was almost relieved to hear that even someone of your calibre still worries about your sound almost on a nightly basis.
Yeah, it's a crazy. I'm always chasing. It always seems to kind of change a little bit, or you always figure out some way to make it a little better. There's kind of no end to it, in a way.
You won a Grammy in 1992 for 'Cliffs of Dover', but you had been a solo artist for a long time before that.
Well, since the early '80s, we just played every single club we could get to and just tried to make a living and stuff. And it was just a slow build. A lot of the songs on the 'Ah Via Musicom' [1990] record I'd had around for a few years, so I had the opportunity to play them in in clubs and kind of tweak them as I went along, which was good for trying to get the focus of the tune just right.
You recorded 'Seven Worlds' in the late '70s, but it wasn't released at the time; did you see the ceiling and think I'm never going to punch through it?
Yeah, there was lot of frustrating times, a lot of doors slammed, but there's always a second door if you look close enough, and it kind of comes for you where you least expect it sometimes. But I think the thing that is really sustaining for any musician is just to find the type of music, the instrument, that you love, and then you if you love it, then the rest that stuff is real secondary. That's why we were always trying to get things going, or you know; play a better place, or get a record deal, all this stuff, but we also were like; "you know what? We just enjoy playing. It's great", so that you feel nurtured in that way, regardless.
'Cliffs of Dover' featured on your second release; why did you wait and not put it on 'Tones' [1986]?
Well, we actually tried it on 'Tones'. That record, 'Tones' was produced by a different person [David Tickle], and he just selected the songs to put on the record. It was his decision to not put that on there at that time, which is probably a good idea, because then I had a few more years to tweak the song.
Does it amaze you the impact that it's had; 85 million plays on Spotify, 19 million on one version alone on YouTube, at the time of this interview?
I never really thought about it when we put that song together. I never really thought that song would be one that everybody would gravitate towards, but for whatever reason, that was the one that everybody liked. I think it's, you know, the melody is kind of simple and memorable.
It's taken on like a really deep and sincere meaning for people, hasn't it?
Oh, yeah, somewhat, yeah, I guess it has. And there's a lot of guys out there, seven, eight years old that play it better than I do, too. They're the kids, you know, they're the man; "you just played that perfect!"
It's a song that always comes up in the list of top guitar solos; what is that like for you to feature in a list like that alongside your heroes like Jimi Hendrix?
Well, it's an honour to be part of it and be included in the bunch with all your heroes. That's really nice because those are the guys that really forged ahead before me, and kind of wrote the book. I'm kind of just rereading the book, but those guys wrote it, and I have a lot of respect for all those heroes of mine.
Well, it is the tone, and it's the fact that they're so versatile. It kind of covers a lot of ground. There's other guitars that maybe, if you take one particular sound, they might be a little bit more interesting or more usable, but they don't have the variability that Strat has.
You've had a number of signature models over the years, haven't you?
I have, yeah. I like the latest one, the Virginia model. It's like the fourth model. I've done like four different models, trying different pickups, different woods and different things like a rosewood neck or maple neck and that kind of thing.
Were you at the NAMM Show this year?
Not this year. We're going to be in Anaheim where the NAMM show is in April. Yeah, we didn't make the NAMM Show this year.
I'm quite fascinated by your tone; you're very keen on the bass, and you don't like a lot of treble cutting through which I think gives you some uniqueness.
Well, It does, and I think sometimes I run it a little too bassey. I've been trying to kind of inch the treble up a little bit because it got a little out of hand. Everybody's like; "it sounds like it's in the bottom of a swimming pool!", so I'm trying to get that together. But typically I like a more kind of smooth, or kind of woody kind of lead tone. I like that. It's because some of my favourite records from the old days - you know, early Eric Clapton and BB King and Jeff Beck's 'Truth' record - some of them were kind of that real reedy, kind of smooth tone. I like that sound.
I was watching an interview with you recently, and I was almost relieved to hear that even someone of your calibre still worries about your sound almost on a nightly basis.
Yeah, it's a crazy. I'm always chasing. It always seems to kind of change a little bit, or you always figure out some way to make it a little better. There's kind of no end to it, in a way.
You won a Grammy in 1992 for 'Cliffs of Dover', but you had been a solo artist for a long time before that.
Well, since the early '80s, we just played every single club we could get to and just tried to make a living and stuff. And it was just a slow build. A lot of the songs on the 'Ah Via Musicom' [1990] record I'd had around for a few years, so I had the opportunity to play them in in clubs and kind of tweak them as I went along, which was good for trying to get the focus of the tune just right.
You recorded 'Seven Worlds' in the late '70s, but it wasn't released at the time; did you see the ceiling and think I'm never going to punch through it?
Yeah, there was lot of frustrating times, a lot of doors slammed, but there's always a second door if you look close enough, and it kind of comes for you where you least expect it sometimes. But I think the thing that is really sustaining for any musician is just to find the type of music, the instrument, that you love, and then you if you love it, then the rest that stuff is real secondary. That's why we were always trying to get things going, or you know; play a better place, or get a record deal, all this stuff, but we also were like; "you know what? We just enjoy playing. It's great", so that you feel nurtured in that way, regardless.
'Cliffs of Dover' featured on your second release; why did you wait and not put it on 'Tones' [1986]?
Well, we actually tried it on 'Tones'. That record, 'Tones' was produced by a different person [David Tickle], and he just selected the songs to put on the record. It was his decision to not put that on there at that time, which is probably a good idea, because then I had a few more years to tweak the song.
Does it amaze you the impact that it's had; 85 million plays on Spotify, 19 million on one version alone on YouTube, at the time of this interview?
I never really thought about it when we put that song together. I never really thought that song would be one that everybody would gravitate towards, but for whatever reason, that was the one that everybody liked. I think it's, you know, the melody is kind of simple and memorable.
It's taken on like a really deep and sincere meaning for people, hasn't it?
Oh, yeah, somewhat, yeah, I guess it has. And there's a lot of guys out there, seven, eight years old that play it better than I do, too. They're the kids, you know, they're the man; "you just played that perfect!"
It's a song that always comes up in the list of top guitar solos; what is that like for you to feature in a list like that alongside your heroes like Jimi Hendrix?
Well, it's an honour to be part of it and be included in the bunch with all your heroes. That's really nice because those are the guys that really forged ahead before me, and kind of wrote the book. I'm kind of just rereading the book, but those guys wrote it, and I have a lot of respect for all those heroes of mine.
Back in 1995 you were part of the original G3 tour with Steve Vai and Joe Satriani; what was that like for you?
it was great. You know, I learned a lot listening to those guys. They are great players. We just did a reunion about eight months ago, and that was a lot of fun too because we hadn't done it in years. But, yeah, it was cool. It was a nice opportunity.
There was a couple of tracks on the 1997 'G3: Live in Concert' album where you all three of you were playing together.
Yeah, I was nice. I think people resonate with it, the energy, when you put more than one person together. You're going to get a band that has several people that you want to go see that are kind of sharing the spotlight. It makes it more interesting, in a way.
Is that what brought you back for the G3 reunion?
Joe wanted to get together to do a few weeks of touring, so he calls up; "hey, y'all want to do a reunion?" I said; "sure, yes, let's do that!", and his son, ZZ, did a documentary on it.
Were you a fan of their work, of 'Surfing with the Alien' and 'Passion and Warfare'?
Yeah, great, great playing, and those albums, both great.
Similarly, you've been working on the Experience Hendrix tour, on and off for the last 15 years or so.
Yeah, because I love playing Hendrix songs anyhow, and I play them in my own set, or when I'm just kind of hanging out at the studio, just practicing, I play. So somebody said; "hey, you want to go out and play all Hendrix songs?" I'm like; "oh sure, I do that anyhow.!Yeah, let's go do that."
There's some cool characters involved that, including Zakk Wylde, for example.
Yeah, he's great, and that was what was kind of cool about the tour, is everybody had a different interpretation and it's really interesting, all the different kind of concepts and takes on his music. It's nice as you don't have to carry all the weight, and then also the camaraderie musically, and just fraternally hanging out.
You've had a history of working with some great artists; has anyone approached you in recent years to work with you?
Ah, you know what, not recently. No, I haven't had any offers to go out, but that would be fun to do.
Is there anyone you'd like to work with? I'm guessing you wouldn't mind working with likes of Paul McCartney, for example.
I'll do that. I'll take his call. And I would have always been a fan of Stevie Wonder. I love him a lot.
Back to the tour, and I'm guessing the set list is going to be all encompassing?
Yeah, there'll be a little bit of blues rock stuff, straight ahead, new stuff I'm writing. and I'll do some old songs. I might do a couple of jazz tunes, kind of reworked, and then maybe a country tune. It'll be kind of like a smattering of everything, I think.
What's happening next for you?
Well, I'll be busy through July and then I'm doing a master class in Scotland [Guitar Dreams 2026, 12 - 14 August]. I'll be playing with Guthrie Trapp and Mike Stern. We'll do like a little masterclass thing, and then I come back home and do another masterclass with Tommy Emanuel. After that, I'll probably try to get back to working on some more songs and try to get some recordings going.
Have you any idea of a release date for a new album?
I might be putting an EP out really soon, and then finish, because I have about six tunes that are finished. They just need to be mixed. They're kind of a different; more of a straight ahead blues rock kind of thing, but I think I might put those out as the EP, and then I have a whole 'nother set of songs to do a record when I get back off the Europe tour.
Are you looking at a digital release only, or will there be physical copies as well?
Probably mostly digital, but hopefully some physical copies too that we can sell at shows and stuff. If anybody buys those anymore, I don't know.
Do you still have your Grammy and your gold discs?
Yeah, I still have them. Some of the records are on the wall here in the control room, but the Grammy, I think it's upstairs in my tech room or something. It's here somewhere. I should get a necklace. I'll wear it as a necklace or something!
Eric Johnson’s Texaphonic 2026 UK tour runs from July 22 – August 4. Tickets available from The Gig Cartel.com and www.ericjohnson.com
it was great. You know, I learned a lot listening to those guys. They are great players. We just did a reunion about eight months ago, and that was a lot of fun too because we hadn't done it in years. But, yeah, it was cool. It was a nice opportunity.
There was a couple of tracks on the 1997 'G3: Live in Concert' album where you all three of you were playing together.
Yeah, I was nice. I think people resonate with it, the energy, when you put more than one person together. You're going to get a band that has several people that you want to go see that are kind of sharing the spotlight. It makes it more interesting, in a way.
Is that what brought you back for the G3 reunion?
Joe wanted to get together to do a few weeks of touring, so he calls up; "hey, y'all want to do a reunion?" I said; "sure, yes, let's do that!", and his son, ZZ, did a documentary on it.
Were you a fan of their work, of 'Surfing with the Alien' and 'Passion and Warfare'?
Yeah, great, great playing, and those albums, both great.
Similarly, you've been working on the Experience Hendrix tour, on and off for the last 15 years or so.
Yeah, because I love playing Hendrix songs anyhow, and I play them in my own set, or when I'm just kind of hanging out at the studio, just practicing, I play. So somebody said; "hey, you want to go out and play all Hendrix songs?" I'm like; "oh sure, I do that anyhow.!Yeah, let's go do that."
There's some cool characters involved that, including Zakk Wylde, for example.
Yeah, he's great, and that was what was kind of cool about the tour, is everybody had a different interpretation and it's really interesting, all the different kind of concepts and takes on his music. It's nice as you don't have to carry all the weight, and then also the camaraderie musically, and just fraternally hanging out.
You've had a history of working with some great artists; has anyone approached you in recent years to work with you?
Ah, you know what, not recently. No, I haven't had any offers to go out, but that would be fun to do.
Is there anyone you'd like to work with? I'm guessing you wouldn't mind working with likes of Paul McCartney, for example.
I'll do that. I'll take his call. And I would have always been a fan of Stevie Wonder. I love him a lot.
Back to the tour, and I'm guessing the set list is going to be all encompassing?
Yeah, there'll be a little bit of blues rock stuff, straight ahead, new stuff I'm writing. and I'll do some old songs. I might do a couple of jazz tunes, kind of reworked, and then maybe a country tune. It'll be kind of like a smattering of everything, I think.
What's happening next for you?
Well, I'll be busy through July and then I'm doing a master class in Scotland [Guitar Dreams 2026, 12 - 14 August]. I'll be playing with Guthrie Trapp and Mike Stern. We'll do like a little masterclass thing, and then I come back home and do another masterclass with Tommy Emanuel. After that, I'll probably try to get back to working on some more songs and try to get some recordings going.
Have you any idea of a release date for a new album?
I might be putting an EP out really soon, and then finish, because I have about six tunes that are finished. They just need to be mixed. They're kind of a different; more of a straight ahead blues rock kind of thing, but I think I might put those out as the EP, and then I have a whole 'nother set of songs to do a record when I get back off the Europe tour.
Are you looking at a digital release only, or will there be physical copies as well?
Probably mostly digital, but hopefully some physical copies too that we can sell at shows and stuff. If anybody buys those anymore, I don't know.
Do you still have your Grammy and your gold discs?
Yeah, I still have them. Some of the records are on the wall here in the control room, but the Grammy, I think it's upstairs in my tech room or something. It's here somewhere. I should get a necklace. I'll wear it as a necklace or something!
Eric Johnson’s Texaphonic 2026 UK tour runs from July 22 – August 4. Tickets available from The Gig Cartel.com and www.ericjohnson.com
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