“I played note-for-note. Those albums are the soundtrack to people's lives. I wanted to hear them how it was supposed to be”: Damon Johnson on how he came to play with Thin Lizzy and Lynyrd Skynyrd – and his identical approach for both gigs

Damon Johnson has amassed a staggering list of credits across his career, having played electric guitar with the likes of Brother Cane, Alice Cooper and Black Star Riders, while touring with bands such as Van Halen and Aerosmith.

Johnson has also held down roles in not one, but two, classic rock outfits, and in both cases was given the monumental task of stepping in to replace a string of iconic guitar players.

Specifically, in 2011, Johnson was tapped by Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy to fill a role previously held by Gary Moore and Brian Robertson. 

A decade later, he was appointed by Lynyrd Skynyrd, initially as a temporary replacement for Gary Rossington – who was recovering from emergency heart surgery at the time – and later on a permanent basis following Rossington's death.

As Johnson explains in a new interview with Guitar World, both opportunities had their own distinct challenges, but his approach for the gigs remained largely the same: honor the original material as closely as possible.

“I was incredibly flattered that Scott would even ask,” Johnson says of his Thin Lizzy recruitment. “I showed up the first day beyond prepared, knowing the Gary Moore and Brian Robertson versions.

- YouTube

Watch On

“After the first couple of rehearsals, Scott said, 'Buddy, you're playing your ass off, and we love it. But don't feel like you have to play those songs note-for-note. I want you to be Damon Johnson.' 

“He said, 'I want you to bring your style to the lead guitar of Thin Lizzy,' and I didn't hesitate. I said, 'Scott, I appreciate that, but respectfully if I'm a fan of Thin Lizzy and come to see the band, I don't want to hear this new guy playing his interpretation.'”

Johnson carried this strong desire to closely honor the source material into his Lynyrd Skynyrd stint. That made things slightly easier, given the fact he received far stricter stage notes from the band’s leaders.

“When I got the phone call from Johnny Van Zant and Rickey Medlocke about needing someone to fill in while Gary was home recovering, they said, 'Damon, we need you to put in the time and learn these songs note-for-note.' 

“I said, 'Guys, I wouldn't dream of doing it any other way.'”