By Joe Ross
– Everyone’s heard of Merle Haggard and Merle Travis, and now it’s time to get acquainted with Merl Johnson. Growing up in Woodbridge, Va. about 20 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., the young musician accompanied his dad to many festivals, concerts, and jams. Merl took to music early on, appearing on his first radio show at age six. He also had the opportunity to travel and play with such legends as Dave Evans, James King, Frank Wakefield, Charlie Waller, the Stoneman Sisters, Gillis Brothers, Junior Sisk, Don Stover,Joe Meadows, Bobby Hicks, Buzz Busby and Bill Harrell.
Blessed with a smooth voice and talent for fiddle and mandolin, Merl Johnson is now “A Better Man,” knowing that he can succeed at about anything he decides to take on. Perhaps that’s why he’s relocated to Asheville, N.C., where he plays fiddle with Travers Chandler & Avery County, a second-round nominee for IBMA’s “Emerging Artist of the Year” Award. While that bandemphasizes “Baltimore Barroom Bluegrass,” Johnson’s solo album displays his own versatility and eclectic tastes. Yet he never forgets his upbringing and influences with songs like Carter Stanley’s “Sweetest Love,” Bobby Hicks’ “Angel’s Waltz” or a ballad about a 1970s murder spree in Richmond, Va., “The Briley Boys,” written by Bob Perilla.
“In Those Hills” and “Power of Prayer” were penned by his father, and Merl shows his own hand at instrumental tunecrafting with “Amandalyn” and “You’ll Find Monroe WrittenThere.” Fans of fine bow work should tune into the slow triple fiddled closing rendition of Peter Jung’s waltz “Far Away.”
Merl Johnson has developed a fairly extensive network of pickers in his
region. For example, banjo-player Dick Smith makes his home in Alexandria, Va. and has worked with The Country Store, Del McCoury Band, Country Gentlemen, Lynn Morris Band, Bill Clifton and Mike O’Reilly.
On “Better Man,” we also hear guitarist Danny Knicely, another well-rounded and proficient picker from Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. The album also features Stefan Custodi (bass), Jay Starling (Dobro), Brennen Ernst (clawhammer banjo on “Dance Around the Daisies”), Tad Marks (fiddle on two cuts) and Jenny Leigh Obert (second fiddle on four cuts.)
Vocal harmonies are laid in by Jay Starling and Tom Mindte. Their chorus blends work better on some songs than on others, but we certainly appreciate Mindte’s support of young up-and-comers like Merl Johnson on his Patuxent label.
“In Those Hills” is a song that speaks to Virginia’s beauty and color, and this CD illustrates that Merl Johnson’s music from the area is also
very special.