Eric Johanson reflects from his home in New Orleans, in an interview with music journalist Peter Schavemaker, on the creation and meaning of his live album Live in Mississippi, recorded in August 2024 at Ground Zero in Biloxi and released by RUF Records in 2025. For him, the album captures the essence of how his music is meant to exist—alive, improvisational, and shaped by the energy of the moment. “The songs are never exactly the same twice,” he explains, emphasizing his goal to bring listeners “into the live experience” even when touring cannot reach everyone. The intimate, “fat and upfront” sound was crafted to make listeners feel as if the trio were performing directly in their homes.
Johanson sees live performance as an extension of songwriting: once captured in the studio, songs evolve on stage. His approach is rooted partly in lessons from mentor Tab Benoit, who produced his 2017 debut Burn It Down and showed him the importance of capturing authentic performance.
Raised in Alexandria, Louisiana, Eric Johanson absorbed influences far beyond blues—from Metallica and Soundgarden to Joni Mitchell and Fiona Apple—yet identifies the blues as his natural musical language. His acoustic Covered Tracks albums and admiration for Delta blues pioneers such as Son House and Mississippi Fred McDowell show his deep connection to the genre, even as his electric trio sound leans toward British power-blues and 1970s heaviness.
Live in Mississippi includes Skip James’ Hard Time Killing Floor Blues, chosen for its enduring message about economic insecurity. Johanson also honors his Louisiana and New Orleans roots with performances of the Neville Brothers’ Yellow Moon and Dr. John’s I Walk on Guilded Splinters.
Looking ahead, he hopes to collaborate again with Samantha Fish, plans more touring, including Europe in 2026, and envisions a new studio album created through deeper band-based exploration, possibly self-produced.
Interview © 2025 by Peter Schavemaker Tekst, Audio en Podcast Producties. All Rights Reserved.
