Eric Johnson (born August 17, 1954) is a Grammy Award winning guitarist and… Read Full Bio ↴Eric Johnson (born August 17, 1954) is a Grammy Award winning guitarist and recording artist from Austin, Texas USA. Best known for his success in the instrumental rock format, Johnson regularly incorporates jazz, fusion, New Age, and even country and western elements into his recordings. A widely recognized virtuoso, Johnson's stylistic diversity, technical proficiency, and unique playing style have drawn praise from Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Prince, B.B. King, and the late Stevie Ray Vaughan. His critically-acclaimed, platinum selling 1990 recording Ah Via Musicom produced the single "Cliffs of Dover", for which Johnson won a 1991 Grammy award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.

(2) Very few musical artists achieve a true signature style -- one that makes comparisons to other musicians impossible. But Texas guitarist Eric Johnson arguably comes as close to this echelon as any musician from the past quarter-century. Like fellow Lone Star State guitarists Johnny Winter, Billy Gibbons, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnson blends the rock style of Jimi Hendrix and the blues power of Albert King. Yet Johnson's wide array of additional influences (from the Beatles and Jeff Beck to jazz and Chet Atkins) makes for a guitar sound as unique as his fingerprints.

"When I first heard Eric," Winter recalled, "he was only 16, and I remember wishing that I could have played like that at that age." Former Doobie Brothers guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter said, "If Jimi Hendrix had gone on to study with Howard Roberts for about eight years, you'd have what this kid strikes me as." The Austin prodigy appeared on the cover of Guitar Player magazine while working with Texas jazz/fusion band the Electromagnets and as a session player (Cat Stevens, Carole King, Christopher Cross), and a 1984 performance on the TV show Austin City Limits set his recording career in motion.

Johnson's 1986 debut album, Tones, certainly proved that the hype was warranted. Playing with the ace rhythm section of bassist Roscoe Beck and drummer Tommy Taylor, Johnson mixed blazing instrumentals ("Zap," "Victory") with Beatles-influenced vocal tunes like "Emerald Eyes" and "Bristol Shore." Johnson used the same half-and-half format on the 1990 follow-up, Ah Via Musicom, but a trio of the album's tunes surprisingly made him the first artist to have three instrumentals from the same album to chart in the Top Ten in any format (with "Cliffs of Dover" earning Johnson a Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental).

But, if Johnson had a perceived weakness, it was the perfectionism that caused four years to pass between recordings. Even in concert, he would painstakingly tune his guitar between songs, by ear, for minutes on end. With the success of Ah Via Musicom, the guitarist admitted to feeling pressure to raise the bar again. But Johnson's studio nitpicking delayed Venus Isle until 1996, and the disappointing CD contained fewer instrumentals and sounded forced.

A stint on the 1997 G3 tour with fellow headlining guitarists Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, and its resulting live release, breathed new life into Johnson and sparked the idea of a live album. Overhauling his band for the 2000 CD Live and Beyond, Johnson brought in bassist Chris Maresh and drummer Bill Maddox, and concentrated on more of a blues feel. The guitarist still blended instrumentals with his vocal tunes ("Shape I'm In," "Last House on the Block"), but perhaps realized that his thin voice was too one-dimensional for guttural blues or R&B. Guest vocalist Malford Milligan ignites "Don't Cha Know" and "Once a Part of Me," helping Johnson's blazing debut on Vai's Favored Nations label and reestablishing the versatile virtuoso's status for the 21st century. As Vai himself testified, "Eric has more colorful tone in his fingers than Van Gogh had on his palette."

Souvenir, an album available only through Johnson's website, appeared in 2002, followed by CD and DVD versions of New West's Live from Austin, TX and Bloom, the second album for Vai's Favored Nations imprint, in 2005. Johnson returned in 2010 with Up Close, a studio album that slightly emphasized the guitarist's Texas roots. A collaboration with jazz guitarist Mike Stern, Eclectic, appeared in 2014. ~ Bill Meredith

By Your Side
Eric Johnson Lyrics

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When you're sad
Call on me
There I'll be
By your side
All the time

When you need someone else
I will help, till the end, no good-byes

When the fun is left undone
I'm the one, count on me

Cause I'm the one, by your side

All the time, yeah
I'm the one, all the time, by your side

Overall Meaning

In Eric Johnson's song "By Your Side," he conveys a message of unconditional love and support for the one he cares about. The lyrics "When you're sad, Call on me, there I'll be, By your side, All the time" signify that he is always there for the person whenever they need him, even during difficult times. He promises to help them in any situation, without saying goodbye or leaving them alone. The phrase "When the fun is left undone, I'm the one, count on me" implies that he will stand by them even when the good times are over, and they are facing challenges.

In the chorus, he repeats the phrase "I'm the one, by your side, all the time" to emphasize his devotion and loyalty to the person. He is willing to be their rock and support system, regardless of what happens in their lives. This song could be interpreted as a romantic love song, but it could also apply to any meaningful relationship, such as a close friendship or family bond.

Overall, "By Your Side" is a heartwarming song that reminds us of the importance of having someone we can count on in our lives. It conveys a message of unyielding support and love for the person who means the world to us.

Line by Line Meaning

When you're sad
Whenever you find yourself feeling unhappy or downhearted

Call on me
Feel free to reach out to me for assistance or support

There I'll be
I will make myself available to be by your side

By your side
In close proximity to you, for comfort and assurance

All the time
Consistently, without fail

When you need someone else
In cases where you require the presence of another individual

I will help, till the end, no good-byes
I will extend my aid to you until the issue has been completely resolved, without any parting words

When the fun is left undone
When an enjoyable task or endeavor is incomplete

I'm the one, count on me
I am the person that you can rely on in this situation

Cause I'm the one, by your side
I am the individual who will remain close to you

All the time, yeah
Continuously, definitely

I'm the one, all the time, by your side
I am the person who will be in your presence without fail, even during difficult times

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ERIC PRYDZ, JANICE JOHNSON, PERRY KIMBLE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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