Damon Johnson American guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Date of Birth: 13.07.1964 Country: USA

1. Damon Johnson: Early Life and Musical Beginnings
2. Joining Split The Dark and Relocating to Birmingham
3. Transition to Record Deals and Forming Brother Cane
4. The Success of Brother Cane
5. Post-Brother Cane Projects
6. Joining Damn Yankees and Alice Cooper
7. Brother Cane Reunion and Other Collaborations
8. Joining and Leaving Alice Cooper's Band
9. Personal Life and Interests

Damon Johnson: Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Damon Johnson, an acclaimed American guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter, was born in the small town of Monroeville, Alabama. His passion for guitar emerged during his middle school years, where he formed his first garage band with fellow eighth-graders. After relocating to Geraldine, Alabama, he graduated from high school and continued playing in various bands across the northeastern region of the state.

Joining Split The Dark and Relocating to Birmingham

In 1987, Johnson joined Split The Dark, a up-and-coming band featuring former members of the pop group Hotel. This move led him to relocate to Birmingham, Alabama, where the band gained significant popularity as a live act among college students throughout the Southeast.

Transition to Record Deals and Forming Brother Cane

Johnson's first band with a record deal was Witness from Atlanta, where he played in 1988. This was followed by a stint with Delta Rebels from Memphis in 1989. During the same period, he performed with Chinatown and Chyld, the latter of which caught the attention of Virgin Records. After signing a contract in November 1990, the label convinced Johnson to become the lead vocalist and prompted a name change to Brother Cane.

The Success of Brother Cane

Brother Cane brought Johnson widespread recognition. The band released three albums (their self-titled debut, Seeds, and Wishpool) and had three number-one rock radio singles with "Got No Shame," "And Fools Shine On," and "I Lie in the Bed I Make." "And Fools Shine On" was also featured in the horror film Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers. Brother Cane toured extensively, both as headliners and supporting acts for renowned artists such as Van Halen, Aerosmith, Robert Plant, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Candlebox.

Post-Brother Cane Projects

After Virgin Records deemed the band's record sales disappointing, Brother Cane parted ways in an amicable split. Johnson continued to make notable contributions to the music industry, including co-writing and playing guitar on Sammy Hagar's 1997 album Marching to Mars, releasing his acoustic solo album Dust in 2000, and co-writing the song "Every Day" for Fleetwood Mac's Stevie Nicks. He also collaborated on side projects such as Slave to the System in 2001 and Red Halo in 2003.

Joining Damn Yankees and Alice Cooper

Johnson briefly joined Damn Yankees and recorded an unreleased album with them. He performed with John Waite from 2001 to 2003 and was a member of the cover band The Welfare. In 2006, he played with the country rock band Whiskey Falls.

Brother Cane Reunion and Other Collaborations

In 2005, Brother Cane reunited for two live shows, with plans for a live DVD release. In 2009, Johnson contributed as a songwriter and guitarist to Queensr?che's tenth studio album, American Soldier, and released an EP titled Spin Like A Drill with his project The Motorbelly.

Joining and Leaving Alice Cooper's Band

Johnson joined Alice Cooper's band towards the end of their 2004 tour. He participated in recording and songwriting for the album Dirty Diamonds and toured with Cooper until 2007, when he left to focus on Whiskey Falls. However, in 2009, Johnson returned to Cooper's band.

Personal Life and Interests

Damon Johnson is married to Linda and has two children, Gabriel and Jolene. He also has three children from his first marriage to Jamie Collins: Heather, Marshall, and Sarah Johnson. Johnson is an avid golfer and often plays with Alice Cooper and his bandmates during tours. He also enjoys recording and producing various artists at his personal studio, Double Dragon.