Eric Johnson, the respected and influential Texas guitarist whose Grammy-winning instrumental single “Cliffs of Dover” became an unlikely pop hit in 1990, will release his first all-acoustic album, EJ, in October. But you can hear a track from the new album, “Wrapped in a Cloud,” right here.
Acoustic music, Johnson says in a press release, “has always been a part of me, but I never showcased it on any kind of bigger level, like a full acoustic record. With EJ, I just decided to be more honest with myself and everybody, and show more of my personal side.
“Almost all of that material was cut live,” says Johnson, who self-produced the record. “Some of the songs I actually sang and played at the same time – just live in the studio. Recording this way gave it more of an honest realism and organic emotion. Especially on the acoustic, you just have to get in there and play.”
On the album, a mix of original songs, instrumentals, and some covers, including Simon & Garfunkel’s “Mrs. Robinson” and “Scarborough Fair,” Johnson plays a 1980 Martin D-45 and a Ramirez nylon-string guitar. Johnson also covers Jimi Hendrix’s “One Rainy Wish” in a guitar and piano arrangement. Johnson duets with guitarist Doyle Dykes on a cover of Les Paul and Mary Ford’s 1951 song “The World is Waiting for the Sunrise.”
Advertisement
Full EJ track list:
1. Mrs. Robinson
2. Water Under the Bridge
3. Wonder
4. Wrapped In A Cloud
5. Once Upon a Time in Texas
6. One Rainy Wish
7. Serinidad
8. Fatherly Downs
9. The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise
10. November
11. All Things You Are
12. Scarborough Fair
13. Song for Irene
Advertisement
