From the Randall Bramblett Band to Widespread Panic, guitarist Nick Johnson takes music ‘to a whole ‘nother level’

When Athens-based multi-instrumentalist-songwriter Randall Bramblett takes the stage at Eddie’s Attic this Saturday at 7 p.m., guitarist Nick Johnson will be “present and accounted for” as part of the musician’s “band.”

“Oh yeah, I’ll be there and ready,” Johnson said recently. It’s a position he’s held for the past 13 years. As Bramblett continues to tour in support of Paradise Breakdown, his 13th album, the band cooks up a hybrid sound he often calls “modern roots music.”

Die-hard fans of jam-band icons Widespread Panic will instantly recognize him for his recent contributions to that organization, as well. As longtime guitarist Jimmy Herring takes some time off to focus on his health issues, Johnson has been chosen to step in as lead guitarist for the Athens-born band.

“Needless to say, I was surprised when they reached out to me,” explained Johnson. “[Panic drummer] Duane Trucks called me in December and asked if I was available to fill in for Jimmy. I am still shocked they thought of me.”

But longtime scenesters weren’t alarmed by the move. Known for stints in Col. Bruce Hampton’s projects and his ongoing role in the venerable Bramblett Band, the crafty guitarist has already made an indelible mark on the jam band scene.  

“People like Jimmy Herring, Col. Bruce and Randall are exactly why I moved to Atlanta in the first place,” Johnson said. “Growing up near Boston, people thought I might head to Berklee or something, but most of the musicians I really looked up to were down in Georgia.”

Not only were his favorite performers based in the Peach State, but some of them had also been actively inviting him to visit and sit in on various sessions. “Every time I’d see some of the Atlanta folks, they’d be so encouraging,” Johnson continued. “They’d say, ‘Come on down here. Look us up and we’ll play.’ So finally, I did!”

Soon, he was playing guitar in Hampton’s group, along with Trucks on drums, and his jam band cred was solidified. “Bruce taught me so much — not only about playing, but just about how to survive in the scene. Creating with him was inspirational on so many levels. He encouraged me to take chances whenever I had an opportunity. That advice definitely came in handy when I got the call about stepping in for Jimmy.”

“Everything happened so fast,” Johnson continued. “After I got the call, I had to head down to the Fox Theater to check out Panic during their New Year’s run. I’d been listening to as much Widespread Panic as I could find. When I got to the Fox, they set me up in a dressing room with an amp to practice.”

The Fox shows were Herring’s most recent appearances with Panic before his current health hiatus.  

“Nick sat in with us between two other sit-ins from [guitar virtuoso] Billy Strings, and he totally held his own with everybody,” recalled Panic bassist Dave Schools. “He had so much fun up there playing with Jimmy, and it was all pretty amazing to see. Those shows are like family reunions anyway, where everyone is just lovin’ on each other. It seemed like a warm welcome.”

Schools said the band reconvened at the Georgia Theater a few days later to practice for a series of shows in Mexico. “Within two or three songs,” he continued, “we felt this incredible sense of relief with Nick. We just knew everything was right. Then, once we were in Mexico, we had four shows in a row — all without Jimmy — and Nick took the lead. At one point, I literally watched him come out of his shell. He was able to just let it go. He went from concentrating and looking at charts to being in a pure flow state. It’s like the Dead so cleverly put it: ‘The music was playing the band.’”

More on ArtsATL: 30 Under 30: Guitarist Nick Johnson came to Atlanta to find his musical home

Panic vocalist-guitarist-co-founder John “JB” Bell was also duly impressed. He said Johnson’s entry into the band has been “seamless.”

“He had some big shoes to fill, and Jimmy has big fingers, too,” continued Bell. “I think Jimmy really steered us toward Nick, and it’s just been an inevitable convergence. Nick’s time with Randall is pretty full circle, too — because Randall is a member of our extended family from way back. From not knowing how things would shake out in November until now, it’s just been so seamless.”

Bell added that Johnson was Panic’s first and only choice for the lead guitar spot, however temporary it might be. “That’s the call,” he said. “To find somebody with this much talent, and who was willing to actually do it has just been amazing. He listens and we play off each other because he’s always right there to support us or take it in another direction.”

Bramblett said he has admired Johnson’s guitar prowess for years. “He’s a multitasker with a full plate, always good with compartmentalization,” he laughed. When Johnson was first learning the extensive Panic catalog, the Bramblett Band was playing a cruise. “He was just locked in his room trying to learn all these Panic songs the whole time,” he said. “He had like 80 songs to learn, but I knew he could do it. He’s got what it takes to be in those big ol’ shoes right now.”

More on ArtsATL: Guitarist Nick Johnson on Col. Bruce, Randall Bramblett and playing the blues

“Nick bears down and learns fast,” Bramblett concluded. “I know from playing with him for around 13 years now — he’s an instinctive player. I know Panic needs that kind of person for all their material, and we do, too. So it just plain works. He loves that material as a musician and a fan and loves Jimmy Herring as a friend and a peer. I’m glad it’s worked out so well for him. The Panic schedule still allows him to play with us, so it’s a good thing anyway you look at it.”

Bramblett said Johnson is a consummate professional with a relatable work ethic. “Doing what he does is what musicians do if they’re good enough. It’s all a matter of getting in the mode. Like, I’m going back out on the road with Steve Winwood in September for three weeks. I have to get back in that mode and start learning that stuff. It’s a different vibe than what we do with the band. So I can see that with Nick learning all the Panic stuff. He knows how to anticipate things, which is so important in any situation.”

“Nick and I can really listen to each other,” Bramblett explained. “We know how to take it off to other places. That’s probably because Nick is a real ‘song person.’ I mean, he knows how to serve the song. He just knows what to do in the moment. He knows exactly when to hold back and when to take it to that whole ’nother level.”  

Where & When

Randall Bramblett Band (including Nick Johnson). 7 p.m. Saturday, February 21, Eddie’s Attic, 515-B North McDonough St., Decatur.

::

Lee Valentine Smith is an Atlanta-born artist, writer and musician. Currently a regular contributor to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, his work has been syndicated internationally. He has appeared at Music Midtown, on CBS Radio and on Air America. He also served as art director, consultant and archivist for projects with ’80s hitmakers The Go-Go’s.