The Johnny Hawthorn Band
Abe’s Records
Hawthorn has been doing session work in Los Angeles for more than a decade. The former Philadelphian graduated from the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, and teaches at the National Guitar Workshop. He’s also a member of Lapdog, the new band for guitar player Todd Nichols (Toad the Wet Sprocket).
Stepping out of the sidelines and into the limelight, Hawthorn has crafted an excellent album built around his prodigious electric and acoustic guitar, lap steel guitar and mandolin skills. The lineup is basic power trio, with occasional Hammond B-3 assistance by Arthur Barrow.
It’s straight-ahead blues rock, with a little funk and country thrown in — not unlike Stevie Ray Vaughan or Tom Petty, with shades of Eric Clapton from his Oklahoma-shuffle era. All of the songs are originals, except for two covers: Earl King’s “Come On” and Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads,” the latter being performed on two and sometimes three lap steels, through the miracle of overdubbing.
On two originals, the repetition of the melody as an instrumental is employed to great effect. “Sorry” is preceded by an instrumental intro, while “Mercy” is followed by an instrumental jam.
Hawthorn’s guitar tone, by the way, is very clean.
Tracks
1. Walden’s Pond
2. Come On
3. Sorry (intro)
4. Sorry
5. Mercy
6. Mercy Jam
7. Hey Baby
8. Crossroads
9. Still In love
10. Shadow Man
11. Cream
Total time: 34:51
External Links
artist’s link
Abe’s Records
