Can anyone recommend particularly good albums Willie Johnson plays on? I've only recently come across him, but I've been trying to learn to play in the Shetland guitar style for quite a while and he sounds like he'll be well worth listening to.
He guests on some of the "Boys Of The Lough" recordings, and also was on a couple of tracks on Cathal McConnell's 1st solo LP. Best thing to do would be to get yourself up to the Shetland Folk festival, and go to "The Lounge" bar in Lerwick. Willie has several proteges playing in his style, in particular, Peter Miller of the Shetland band "Hom Bru". Another was Dave Jackson who used to live in Aberdeen. He recorded an LP with Shetlander Davy Tulloch, and Veronique Nelson, as a trio called "Curlew". They're not the master, but it's his style. Tich Richardson also played in that style with "Boys Of The Lough" - see the recording "Regrouped".
He plays on Cathal mcConnell's first album, 'On Louh Erne's Shore' on a few tracks. There are also a couple of tracks with him on an album of Shetland fiddle music, one volume of the 'BBC Scottish Tradition' series.
Curlew isn't available on CD as far as I know but there are afew mint copies around - mine isn't mint. The late Davie Tulloch was a phenomenal fiddler who never quite reached the wider public. Dave Jackson is still on the go I think - maybe around Arbroath?
Some younger guitarists who have absorbed Willie's message are Orcadians Kris Drever who has done great stuff with Fine Friday and recently, solo, and Brian Cromarty who records with Saltfishforty, combining blues, cajun and Western Swing with trad tunes.
A lot of guitarists have listened to and been influenced by Willie, if I wasn't so crap I would say me as well, but I can only repeat his advice "Eddie Lang, that's the man"
He did an album with Shetland fiddler Debbie Scott, in the 70s or early 80s, not sure if it's still available.The nearest you can get to Willie is Brian Nicholson of Hom Bru.
Greentrax have just released an album of recordings of Willie,called "Willies World", it's mostly jazz,but some great archive recording of Willie on bass,and electric guitar, as well as his ususal acoustic.
'Peerie' Willie Johnson recordings
'Peerie' Willie Johnson recordings
Can anyone recommend particularly good albums Willie Johnson plays on? I've only recently come across him, but I've been trying to learn to play in the Shetland guitar style for quite a while and he sounds like he'll be well worth listening to.
Thanks,
Andy
# Posted on March 24th 2006 by Andy V
Re: 'Peerie' Willie Johnson recordings
He guests on some of the "Boys Of The Lough" recordings, and also was on a couple of tracks on Cathal McConnell's 1st solo LP. Best thing to do would be to get yourself up to the Shetland Folk festival, and go to "The Lounge" bar in Lerwick. Willie has several proteges playing in his style, in particular, Peter Miller of the Shetland band "Hom Bru". Another was Dave Jackson who used to live in Aberdeen. He recorded an LP with Shetlander Davy Tulloch, and Veronique Nelson, as a trio called "Curlew". They're not the master, but it's his style. Tich Richardson also played in that style with "Boys Of The Lough" - see the recording "Regrouped".
# Posted on March 24th 2006 by Kenny
Re: 'Peerie' Willie Johnson recordings
He plays on Cathal mcConnell's first album, 'On Louh Erne's Shore' on a few tracks. There are also a couple of tracks with him on an album of Shetland fiddle music, one volume of the 'BBC Scottish Tradition' series.
# Posted on March 24th 2006 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: 'Peerie' Willie Johnson recordings
You can hear seminal Willie on the Silver Bow compilation http://www.footstompin.com/music/fiddle_music/the_silver_bow
and see him on some of Aly Bain's DVDs
Curlew isn't available on CD as far as I know but there are afew mint copies around - mine isn't mint. The late Davie Tulloch was a phenomenal fiddler who never quite reached the wider public. Dave Jackson is still on the go I think - maybe around Arbroath?
Some younger guitarists who have absorbed Willie's message are Orcadians Kris Drever who has done great stuff with Fine Friday and recently, solo, and Brian Cromarty who records with Saltfishforty, combining blues, cajun and Western Swing with trad tunes.
A lot of guitarists have listened to and been influenced by Willie, if I wasn't so crap I would say me as well, but I can only repeat his advice "Eddie Lang, that's the man"
# Posted on March 25th 2006 by Bren
Re: 'Peerie' Willie Johnson recordings
He did an album with Shetland fiddler Debbie Scott, in the 70s or early 80s, not sure if it's still available.The nearest you can get to Willie is Brian Nicholson of Hom Bru.
# Posted on March 26th 2006 by tirvaluk
Re: 'Peerie' Willie Johnson recordings
Greentrax have just released an album of recordings of Willie,called "Willies World", it's mostly jazz,but some great archive recording of Willie on bass,and electric guitar, as well as his ususal acoustic.
# Posted on December 2nd 2007 by tirvaluk