Virtuoso guitarist Eric Johnson recently opened up about challenging experiences during his session work career. He shared candid details about being fired from recording sessions in an interview with Guitar World.
Johnson reflected on two particularly difficult sessions that became learning experiences. One session resulted in his dismissal due to arrangement conflicts.
“Oh, yeah! There was a famous country artist – I can’t remember his name,” Johnson said. “The piano player had played almost every fill in between the vocals. He was doing a thing between every vocal. The producer wanted me to put something in there besides chords, but I couldn’t find any room.”
Johnson explained the challenge he faced trying to work around the existing arrangement.
“I hadn’t learned every lick the piano player had done, so I couldn’t harmonize, double, or come up with a continual part,” he continued. “I got fired from the session because I couldn’t get it.”
The guitarist also recalled another difficult session experience with Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen.
“I once worked on a session for Donald Fagen – that didn’t work out too well either,” Johnson said. “Not because of him; he was just looking for a certain thing, but I don’t think that I came up with it immediately. Sometimes you want to go with that first impulse. But I guess the first thing I came up with wasn’t good enough or something.”
Johnson characterized both experiences as valuable learning opportunities despite their challenging nature.
These early setbacks were part of Johnson’s extensive journey through the session music world. He developed the skills that would later define his solo career during this period.
Mascot Label Group reported that Johnson spent years as a highly sought-after session player working with notable artists like Carole King, Christopher Cross, and Cat Stevens. This extensive session work helped him develop versatility and technical precision that would become hallmarks of his playing style.
Johnson has acknowledged that session work helped him “get a wider grip on music” and exposed him to various songwriting styles that influenced his own playing and composing approach. Guitar World noted that those experiences allowed him to develop a more considered, compositional style rather than just generic fills. This approach later shaped his solo work.
The transition from session player to solo artist proved transformative for Johnson. Concord Records documented that his eventual solo debut “Tones” in 1986 marked a turning point. The album blended his refined technical command with his unique musical voice and led to later acclaimed albums such as “Ah Via Musicom.”
Despite the challenging moments like being fired from sessions due to crowded arrangements or creative mismatches, these experiences ultimately contributed to Johnson’s growth into one of the most respected guitar virtuosos of his generation. His ability to learn from difficult situations and adapt his approach has become a defining characteristic of his long and successful career.
