Gordie Johnson

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Gordie Johnson

Johnson, left, with Kelly Hoppe
Background information
Also known as Grady Johnson
Born Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Origin Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Genres Reggae, rock
Occupations Guitarist, singer
Instruments Guitar, vocals, bass
Years active 1988–present
Associated acts Big Sugar, Grady, Wide Mouth Mason, Sit Down Servant
Website shadygrady.net
Notable instruments
Gibson double neck guitar Gibson Gordie Johnson Signature Model
Johnson performing with Grady at the London Balloon Festival, 2006

Gordie Johnson (born ca. 1964/5)[1] is a Canadian musician, best known as the front man for the reggae-rock band Big Sugar, and later southern rock band Grady. He is also the bassist for blues rock band Wide Mouth Mason.

Biography

Johnson was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, of Ukrainian descent.[2] He grew up in Medicine Hat, Alberta, and Windsor, Ontario, where he frequently crossed the river to play in Detroit, Michigan. He is a vocalist and guitarist for the reggae-rock band Big Sugar[3] and the cowboy metal band Grady, where he now uses his nickname "Grady" Johnson. Johnson is also known for wearing Hugo Boss clothing, as part of a long-term sponsorship deal with the designer.

Johnson is a producer having done albums for other artists, including Gov't Mule, Taj Mahal, The Trews, The Joel Plaskett Emergency, Wide Mouth Mason, The Respectables, Reel Big Fish, Tim Chaisson & Morning Fold, Meredith Shaw and Chris Kirby among others.[4][5] He is also the songwriter/ co-writer of numerous hit songs in many genres.

Splitting his time between Alberta and Texas,[6] Johnson is a proud Canadian, evident in his version of the Canadian national anthem "O Canada" and frequent discussions/interviews over the years.[7] More recently the Texas influence can be heard through his songwriting for Grady. He stays very busy either playing live or working in the studio. Summer 2010 will see him playing his first instrument – the bass – with his friends in Wide Mouth Mason as part of the ZZ Top tour. In March 2011, it was announced that Johnson would be joining Wide Mouth Mason full-time as bassist. Johnson reformed Big Sugar in 2010 for some concert dates. The band released their new studio album Revolution Per Minute in 2011.

Discography

Big Sugar

Grady

  • 2006 – Y.U. So Shady?
  • 2007 – A Cup of Cold Poison
  • 2009 – Good As Dead

Wide Mouth Mason

  • 2011 – No Bad Days

See also

Footnotes

Citations

  1. ↑ Darryl Sterdan (10 May 2012). "Big Sugar star reveals health scare". Toronto Sun. 
  2. ↑ Darryl Sterdan (27 June 2011). "Big Sugar sweet on hitting the road". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 22 September 2012. "A lot of performers say they get their energy from the crowd. I have never looked at it that way. I guess it's my Ukrainian work ethic." 
  3. ↑ "Big Sugar Biography". maplemusic.com. Maple Music. Retrieved 14 December 2011. 
  4. ↑ Bliss, Karen (June 2011). "A Man of Many Parts: Singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer — Gordie Johnson does it all and does it well". Words & Music (Toronto: Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada). socan.ca. ISSN 1195-8316. Retrieved 14 December 2011. 
  5. ↑ "MEREDITH SHAW FINDS HAPPY PLACE WITH NEW ALBUM, NEW TOUR, AND BUSINESS SUCCESS". PhotoMusicography. 2012-05-24. 
  6. ↑ Ross, Mike (13 July 2005). "Gordie Johnson abandons T.O. for Texas". jam.canoe.ca. Jam!. Retrieved 14 December 2011. 
  7. ↑ Factor, Amanda (20 June 2001). "Big Sugar’s Gordie Johnson I Am Canadian Rant". Chart (Toronto: Chart Communications). chartattack.com. ISSN 1198-7235. Retrieved 8 October 2009. 

References

External links

Big Sugar
Studio albums
EPs
Compilations
Live albums
  • Hit & Run (Run)
Singles
Side projects
Authority control
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