Alice Johnson

From co-founding Brother Cane to playing with Alice Cooper, Thin Lizzy, and Black Star Riders.

Damon Rogers Johnson (born July 13, 1964) is an American guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. He is currently a solo artist, a member of Brother Cane, and a guitarist in Lynyrd Skynyrd. In the 1990s, he co-founded Brother Cane, and joined Alice Cooper's band as lead guitarist in 2004. He joined Thin Lizzy in 2011 and was also the lead guitarist and co-songwriter for hard rock group Black Star Riders from 2012 to 2018. Johnson has also released several solo albums, and his songs have been recorded by many artists including Stevie Nicks and Carlos Santana.

Lore & Background

Johnson's early career began with an offer to join Split the Dark, prompting his move to Birmingham, Alabama in 1987. Split the Dark had won the MTV "Basement Tapes" competition in 1986 but failed to secure a record deal. He later got his first taste of "bands with record deals" as guitarist for Witness in 1988 and Delta Rebels in 1989. During this time he also performed with Chinatown and Chyld.

It was with Chyld that Johnson garnered the attention of A&R at Virgin Records. After a developmental deal in November 1990, the label persuaded Johnson to take over lead vocal and change the band's name to Brother Cane. Brother Cane released three albums on Virgin Records, selling 300,000 copies of their debut, and yielding three #1 singles on rock radio: "Got No Shame", "And Fools Shine On", and "I Lie in the Bed I Make". "And Fools Shine On" was featured in the horror film Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers.

Brother Cane toured as a headliner and supported Van Halen, Aerosmith, Robert Plant, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Candlebox. The band amicably disbanded in 1999 after changes at Virgin Records and a shift in rock radio.

Reader's Guide

Damon Johnson is currently a solo artist, a member of Brother Cane, and guitarist in Lynyrd Skynyrd. He co-founded Brother Cane in the 1990s, releasing three albums on Virgin Records that sold 300,000 copies of the debut and produced three #1 rock radio singles. He joined Alice Cooper's band as lead guitarist in 2004, co-wrote and recorded on Dirty Diamonds, and toured with Cooper from 2004 to 2006 and again from 2009 to 2011. He joined Thin Lizzy in 2011, touring worldwide until early 2013.

He co-founded Black Star Riders in December 2012, releasing three albums: All Hell Breaks Loose (May 2013), The Killer Instinct (February 2015, № 13 UK), and Heavy Fire (February 3, 2017, № 6 UK). He left Black Star Riders at the end of 2018. His solo work includes the acoustic albums Dust (2000) and Release (2010), the electric EP "Echo" (March 18, 2016), and the live album Birmingham Tonight (September 22, 2017). His next solo album, Memoirs of an Uprising, was recorded over 2017 and early 2018.

He co-wrote songs recorded by Stevie Nicks ("Every Day") and Carlos Santana ("Just Feel Better"). He also contributed to albums by Sammy Hagar, Faith Hill, and Queensrÿche.

Did You Know?

He co-wrote the Carlos Santana song 'Just Feel Better', which featured Steven Tyler of Aerosmith on vocals.
Johnson played electric and acoustic guitars on Faith Hill's smash hit single 'Cry' in 2002.
He was recruited for Alice Cooper's band in 2004 and later credited Cooper with assisting greatly in his golf game, as they played hundreds of rounds together.
Johnson's five-track solo EP 'Echo' was recorded and mixed by Nick Raskulinecz, the producer of Black Star Riders' album The Killer Instinct.