Johnny Irion

Johnny Irion traces his roots to South Carolina and carries an uncommon lineage, counting literary titan John Steinbeck among his granduncles and folksinger Arlo Guthrie as his father-in-law. Recognition nevertheless arrived through his own songwriting and performances, which began with several teenage bands before he matured into a country-folk artist. In 1993, at age 15, he launched Queen Sarah Saturday, a melodic group whose style foreshadowed the poppy, twangy, psychedelic Southern rock later associated with ensembles such as My Morning Jacket. The band secured a deal with Thirsty Ear, Sony Music’s alternative imprint at the time, and delivered multiple releases. The song “Seems” drew national exposure after its placement in the film Empire Records, yet Queen Sarah Saturday dissolved in the second half of the decade, prompting Irion’s move to Dillon Fence.

Dillon Fence earned an opening slot for the Black Crowes, whose frontman befriended Irion and urged him to settle in Los Angeles. After arriving there in 1997, Irion met Sarah Lee Guthrie, daughter of folksinger Arlo Guthrie and granddaughter of Woody Guthrie. Their rapport developed on both musical and personal levels, leading the pair to form the country-folk band RIG in 1999. They married the same year and went on to release several collaborative albums, including Exploration in 2005 and Bright Examples in 2011. Irion also issued solo projects, beginning with Unity Lodge in 2001.