Jonny Lang American performer, composer and lyricist Date of Birth: 29.01.1981 Country: USA

1. Johnny Lang: An American Musician and Songwriter
2. Early Career and Band Formation
3. Solo Career and Recognition
4. Further Success and Collaborations

Johnny Lang: An American Musician and Songwriter

Johnny Lang is an American performer, composer, and lyricist who has won the hearts of both critics and numerous fans with his unique style of performance. Critics say that Lang has the voice of a forty-year-old bluesman, which is why he received the prestigious Grammy Award. Johnny Gordon Langseth Jr., performing under the pseudonym Johnny Lang, was born on January 29, 1981, in Fargo, North Dakota.

Early Career and Band Formation

Lang began playing the guitar at the age of twelve when his father took him to a concert by the local Bad Medicine Blues Band. Soon, Johnny was taking lessons from Ted Larson, the guitarist of the same Bad Medicine Blues Band. Within a few months, Lang was already playing in a group that was later renamed Jonny Lang & The Big Bang. The band consisted of Lang, Ted Larson, his brother Michael Rey Larson, and Jeff Haynes. Drummer Bruce McCabe joined them in 1995. The group relocated to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and released their first official album, "Smokin." Johnny Lang had a direct involvement in the recording, despite being only fifteen years old at the time.

Solo Career and Recognition

In 1996, Lang signed a contract with A&M Records and released his debut solo album, "Lie to Me," a year later, which went on to become multi-platinum. The album featured contributions from Bruce McCabe, Doug Nelson, and Billy Thommes. In October 1998, Lang released his second album, "Wander This World," which earned him his first Grammy nomination. Throughout his nearly ten-year career, Johnny Lang had the opportunity to perform with the Rolling Stones, Buddy Guy, Aerosmith & Will Taggart, B.B. King, Blues Traveler & Michael Rafizadeh, Jeff Beck, and Sting. In 1999, Lang was invited to perform at the White House, playing in front of a large audience, including President Clinton and his spouse.

Further Success and Collaborations

In 1998, Johnny Lang appeared in the film "Blues Brothers 2000," but not as a musician, rather as a janitor. Two years later, Lang's bandmate and bassist, Doug Nelson, tragically died in a car accident. In the same year, saxophonist David Eiland joined the group. In 2003, Lang released the album "Long Time Coming," and a year later, Eric Clapton invited Lang and his band to perform at the Crossroads Guitar Festival, a charitable event. In 2009, Lang collaborated with the Fisk Jubilee Singers to record the song "I Believe" for the compilation album "Oh Happy Day." He also participated in the recording of the Jonas Brothers' album "Lines, Vines and Trying Times."