Lloyd Green or Mike Johnson?

[David Hartley]

[David Hartley]

Please read the bottom paragraph on the linked video notes..

[David Hartley]

Lloyd just answered my question..

Cheers all.

David -
Mike Johnson never recorded any of those good records with Mel Street. Oh,
he might have been on an occasional obscure cut, but I don't even know if
that occurred. And the band may have cut a road album for Mel...maybe?
Of course I cut "Borrowed Angel" with Mel on the very first session he cut
in Nashville in 1970 or '71. After that, he didn't want to cut without me
and I became leader on all of his sessions. At some point he hired a road
band of which an 18 year old Mike J. became the steel guy. Mike used to come
to all of the Street sessions just to listen to what I was cutting with Mel
since he was gonna have to duplicate it. He was pretty good then, not
exceptional, but better than average.
Rarely, I was already booked on something that conflicted with a Street
session and it couldn't be changed. So Hal Rugg, Pete Drake and maybe John
Hughey are on an album cut. But that's me on any and all of the best Mel
Street records including "Borrowed Angel".
Mike, in fact, only in the past 11 or 12 years became a session player. I
don't know what he did before that. Mel killed himself in 1978.

Regards,
Lloyd

[Ken Byng]

One thing for sure, Mikey J has improved way beyond Lloyd's description of him as an 18 year old. He is now as good as anyone out there, and tone-wise I have yet to hear anyone who can match him.

[David Patterson]

Not to take anything away from Mr Green in any shape or form, his style on many hit records speaks for itself, however, I would like to agree with Ken regarding Mike Johnston---his touch and tone on both necks is a joy to listen to---thanks to You tube, I have found him on the Country Family Reunion Shows, and one of my favourite tunes that he performs, is backing Larry Gatlin on the show singing "Houston"------to my personal taste it don't get any better than that-----going of topic for a moment if I may-----I rediscovered one Jim Ed Brown on one of these shows singing an old tune done many years ago by Bing Crosby called "The Old Lamplighter"-----it's delightful, again to my taste---Jim Ed has still a great voice even as the years roll on----please have a listen and see if you agree with me-----I could go on to talk about rediscovering the great Jeanie Seely singing "Don't touch me" on one of these same shows again with Mike Johnston, but I'll stop in case I stray into a rant about a lot of today's so called modern Country Music, which has little or no melody or indeed content----nufff said-----I'm sorry guys I don't know how to attach the You Tube stuff to the thread------D.

[Ken Byng]

I was lucky to be able to hang out with Mike Johnson for a few days last April, and he recognises Lloyd Green as the legendary icon that he is. Buck Reid is another Lloyd fan, as I guess most of us on this forum are. I have to agree with David P though, Mike Johnson is one of a small group of Nashville layers who have modernised pedal steel and have taken it to the next level. Mike's solos are little artistic masterpieces - Beneath Still Waters and Me Neither are two good examples. I did think that Lloyd's description of Mike was just a little patronising, but with what happened to Lloyd's recording career in the 1990's - understandable.

I have been in a studio with Mike, and he is extremely meticulous about his tone. He is just a brilliant technician on both necks, and the Country Family Reunion recordings have been a great showcase for his skills. I have the complete collection of CFR dvd's - over 40 of them, plus I am a member of the RFD channel, where there are clips of all of the great players of the last 30 years. Anyone who likes 'real' country music would do well to sign up for the RFD channel. You can access hundreds of clips on it.

[Donny Johnston]

Ken, I don't think I've heard Me Neither with Mike Johnson on it. Can you post a link please ? Thanks Donny.

[Ken Byng]

Here it is Donny. You'd better sit down when you listen to Mike's solo. Your jaw will hit the ground.

[Ken Byng]

Here is a lovely ballad from Brad Paisley with some beautiful steel guitar from Mike Johnson throughout - especially towards the end when he is right up in Hughey-land. Mike's tone is............well it's Mike

I asked Mike about his recordings with BP, and he just smiled and shrugged his shoulders and said that Brad just let everyone on the session do their own thing. What a player, and such a lovely man.



Here I am with the maestro at Dallas in 2013.

[Donny Johnston]

Thanks Ken, both great tracks. And I was sitting down, don't do much else now.