Richard Johnson

A guitarist who taught himself to play, Richard Leo Johnson employs an unconventional acoustic approach that echoes the style once pioneered by the late Michael Hedges. Though frequently grouped with new age artists, the intensity of his sonic and rhythmic storms often exceeds what that label suggests. Among the players he cites as influences are Leo Kottke, John McLaughlin, and Pete Townshend, while echoes of Larry Coryell, Ralph Towner, and Pat Metheny surface for many listeners as well.

Born and raised in Arkansas and now based in Georgia, Johnson built a thriving career as an architectural photographer before turning to music full time. His first album, Fingertip Ship, came out in 1999 on Blue Note Records. Two years later Blue Note issued Language. The following three projects appeared on Cuneiform Records: Poetry of Appliance in 2004, Legend of Vernon McAlister in 2006, and Who Knew Charlie Shoe? in 2007.