RT JOHNSON

                                                                    FT. WADE HAYES

                                                             "This Old Guitar" 

                                                              CCB Nashville

While “Feel Good Again” propelled RT Johnson onto the charts and really set things in motion for him in 2021, as part of his label’s uber ambitious #newmusicfriday initiative throughout 2022 he was strategically able to utilize his 12 releases to give the listener a clear definition of who he is, both personally and musically.

Walking a line between strong influences of 90’s country with the slightest touches of modern branding lacing the middle, Johnson’s big voice wrapped perfectly into his down-home, country boy personality on songs such as “Turn Row Memories,” “American Tough,” “Daylight Southern Time,” and “You Can’t Go Wrong.”

He now teams up with neo-traditional trendsetter Wade Hayes (“On A Good Night,” “Old Enough To Know Better”) to give us our first taste of new music from him with “This Old Guitar.”

The 90’s infused hit of guitar licks and keyboard strikes that pump the intro immediately entices the listener and gets their toes tapping along as Johnson and Hayes combine their voices in a true duet to weave us through the tale of a first guitar and the effects it has on their lives.

Painting perfect pictures of back when his dad took him to the general store for his birthday, Johnson sets the pace of the story in the opening verse when he reminisces on running right past the toys and BB-guns to grab the dusty old guitar from the back of the store. 

As the instrumentation ignites the dance hall floor with a two-steppin’ rhythm, the chorus sings total appreciation of the friendship that old guitar has shown him throughout the years:

“He stands by my side through thick and thin

The things we done the places we’ve been

He opened the door to this life I love

Sometimes easy sometimes rough

But seeing  my name in those neon lights

It never gets old, it feels so right

I can’t believe we made it this far

Me and this old guitar”

Hayes taking over the second verse adds several nice touches of flare to the song, first with an Easter egg wink when he namechecks “On A Good Night,” before pulling us into an electric honky-tonk show that sees his Fender talking as the crowd rocks along with him, giving him the ultimate high.

“This Old Guitar” is RT Johnson doing what he does best. His clear signatures remain a focal point of the production, as he endearingly turns the page of his photo album to further invite listeners in, connecting who he is and where he comes from like old friends who are simply waxing nostalgic at the bar over a cold one.

(Review Written By: Jeffrey Kurtis)

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