Written by Robert Johnson Arr. E. Patrick Johnson
After much frustration trying to get a take of a different song, I sat down to blow off some steam and managed to get a serviceable take of this Robert Johnson tune - one take. Recording can be like that.
Released 2009 Acoustic Trio featuring Pat Johnson - Vocal, Guitars & Mandolin Matthew Wilson - Tuba Glen Crotty - Drums
Imagine Blind Lemon Jefferson met up with John Philip Sousa on his way to the Blue Note. Down home toe-tapping acoustic roots music performed on TUBA, mandolin, slide guitar and drums.
"A sort of crossing between the legendary Hot Tuna and Leon Redbone as this trio can surely play pre-war blues very well but with the attitude of a (small) band from the early times of jazz."
Massimo Ferro, Italy www.highway61.it
Released 2006
Pat’s second record, Pitchin’ Day, has a rural rock feel somewhere between Mississippi John Hurt and Tom Petty, or Mance Lipscomb and Stephen Stills.
"The CD opens with a tribute to Warren Zevon, "Old Velvet Nose" and another number is definitely worth mentioning "Baby Surely Do", a nice number of Delta blues played with bottleneck and mandolin. But the nicest number on this CD for my part is "Broken Tooth", a funny story about looking for places to play "gigs" with a slide (!!!) throughout the whole number. Humour is indeed the fine-spun thread throughout the whole CD, the songs are simple, funny and subtle. As a guitarist Pat Johnson stands as his own man and is a master of "Piedmont fingerpicking". So for the lovers of fingerpicking blues and folk music this CD is definitely worth listening to."
Rootstime – Belgium
Is Pat’s debut release and features 11 original songs ranging in style from the Classic Piedmont single entendre blues of “Stinky Woman Blues” (yes it’s a love song), the angry hillbilly reggae of “26 Years” and a beatnik gumshoe groove on “Pocket Full Of Dirt”. A healthy personal vibe was created by enlisting only great friends and great musicians such as; Rob Joanisse (Bran Van 3000), Guy Kay (Luba, Cirque du Soleil), Chris DeZordo (Producer, Veronica Speedwell) and Matthew “Tuba” Wilson.
“Rather than sounding derivative Johnson seems to have something happening that’s purely his own. If you like music that seems to have been conceived on a country front porch, this is for you.”
T. Bruce Wittet, Muzik Etc.
Pat Johnson knows a thing or two about style. The blues loving singer-songwriter from Brockville, ON has crafted an admiral debut … clean finger-style guitar gives the bluesier material a Mississippi John Hurt sort of charm and his lyrics are humorous and entertaining. Would surely make even Taj Mahal crack a smile.
Brent Hagerman, Exclaim!
Debut Release 2003