#eric d. johnson

[krispyweiss]

Song Review: Aoife O'Donovan and Eric D. Johnson - “Don’t Let it Bring You Down” (Live)

Their voices are dissimilar - and they’re nothing like Neil Young’s - but Aoife O'Donovan and Eric D. Johnson sing Young’s “Don’t Let it Bring You Down” almost as if it was their own.

Swapping verses, she first; he second, and coming together on the chorus, O’Donovan and Johnson channel the songwriter as O’Donovan’s immediately identifiable guitar playing confirms her presence for those who don’t recognize the echoey voice as captured at the 2025 Green Mountain Bluegrass & Roots Festival.

Christian Sedelmyer, Daniel Kimbro and Jordan Tice add fiddle, bass and second guitar, respectively. And although Young’s two-verse number could’ve easily wound up as an inconsequential snippet, he packed a ton of imagery into his sparse lyrics.

Grade card: Aoife O'Donovan and Eric D. Johnson - “Don’t Let it Bring You Down” (Live) - B+

9/9/25

[bigprincess-energy]

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Bonny Light Horseman (Anaïs Mitchell, Eric D. Johnson, Josh Kaufman) Performs Bonny Light Horseman at The Chapel in San Francisco, California on January 22, 2020. 

[krispyweiss]

Song Review(s): Phil Lesh and Friends - “Althea,” “China Cat Sunflower” -> “I Know You Rider” (Live, Oct. 18, 2021)

Though anti-authoritarian by nature, Phil Lesh is happily playing traffic cop with his latest big group of Friends.

With three guitarists in Eric D. Johnson, Josh Kaufman and Grahame Lesh; saxophonist Stuart Bogie; plus drums (Joe Russo) and keys (Benmont Tench), this group is a traffic jam waiting to happen. But bassist Lesh kept things running smoothly and the three songs shared from the Friends’ Oct. 18 gig/stream in New York State indicate jamming - not getting tied up - was the order of the evening.

Johnson did the singing on “Althea” and the arrangement left plenty of room for Bogie and Tench to shine. While this show-opener was tentative, the second-set kick off was not.

“China Cat Sunflower,” also with Johnson on the mic, allowed the band to weave a multi-colored tapestry that fell seamlessly into “I Know You Rider.”

Amy Helm appeared on stage to soften up the vocal harmonies and the final round of solos, wailing sax and screaming guitars propelled by Russo’s two-drummers-in-one-guy pounding of the kit, proved a Dead, 81-year-old traffic cop is still perfectly capable of orchestrating sweet, controlled chaos.

Grade card: Phil Lesh and Friends - “Althea,” “China Cat Sunflower” -> “I Know You Rider” (Live - 10/18/21) - B/A-/A

10/19/21

[bigprincess-energy]

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Bonny Light Horseman (Anaïs Mitchell, Eric D. Johnson, Josh Kaufman) Performs Jane Jane at The Chapel in San Francisco, California on January 22, 2020. 

[bigprincess-energy]

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Bonny Light Horseman (Anaïs Mitchell, Eric D. Johnson, Josh Kaufman) Performs Magpie at The Chapel in San Francisco, California on January 22, 2020. 

[bigprincess-energy]

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Bonny Light Horseman (Anaïs Mitchell, Eric D. Johnson, Josh Kaufman) Performs Go Your Way at The Chapel in San Francisco, California on January 22, 2020. 

[bigprincess-energy]

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Bonny Light Horseman (Anaïs Mitchell, Eric D. Johnson, Josh Kaufman) Performs Blackwater at The Chapel in San Francisco, California on January 22, 2020. 

[bigprincess-energy]

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Bonny Light Horseman (Anaïs Mitchell, Eric D. Johnson, Josh Kaufman) Performs Green Rock and Roll at The Chapel in San Francisco, California on January 22, 2020.