Thursday July 30
Johnson's Crossroad
at Town Pump Tavern
9pm
http://www.myspace.com/johnsonscrossroad
www.myspace.com/townpumptavernllc
Johnson's Crossroad has taken their love of old time mountain music, bluegrass, and the Texas singer/songwriters of the 1970s
and 1980s to create a sound that they have coined "bent acoustic country". The band's original material is steeped in the traditional country themes of lost love, lost fortune, lost time, and overcoming hardships. Vintage style mics are used for their live performances to create intimacy between both the band members and their audience.Johnson's Crossroad now resides in the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina but all originate from different parts of the country. The band consists of Paul Johnson (from West Virginia) on guitar and lead vocals, Keith Minguez (from New Jersey) on mandolin and vocals, Moses Atwood (from Maine) on dobro and vocals, and Justin Eisenman (from Wisconsin) on bass.
Keith Minguez—Mandolin, Harmonies. “The deader, the better” that’s the country and old time music that drives this New Jersey native. A successful, working glass blower, Keith’s Life is dedicated to music and art. Keith has made a career of bringing practical and passion together and marrying his enviable talent with equally enviable drive and ethic.
Justin Eisenman-Bass Fiddle, Harmonies If you knew that this Wisconsin native was an excelsior flatpicker on the guitar and the mandolin, not to mention a writer of original bluegrass music, then you may begin to appreciate the subtlety and restraint he’s bringing to the songs back there on the stand up.
Moses Atwood-Dobro, Harmonies If you don’t know, you better ask somebody. Stick around for a whole Johnson’s Crossroad set, stay for their break and if you’re lucky, Moses will play solo. This Mainer’s career stands out in it’s own right. Presence, proficiency, performance, Power.
Paul Johnson-Rhythm, Vocals, Songs “West Virginia movin’ slow” there is so much stimulation in our life today that one can easily miss a national treasure when he’s right in front of you. Paul Johnson is a powerhouse songwriter. Lyrics tough and tender, a visceral growl to his voice that calls up and reminds us of the broken majesty inside us all.
And they’re all friends. And if you think that’s irrelevant, then you haven’t seen a live show. You haven’t gotten a whiff of the chemistry between these four formidable individuals when they are doing their thing onstage.
Maybe it’s the Blue Ridge Mountains down in Asheville, North Carolina where they all met and now reside. Maybe it’s timing. They’re not wasting a moment of it, though. If they’re not on tour as you read this then they will be in a few weeks, and that’s a bankable fact.
