Saturday March 30, 2024

Johnny Irion comes by his American roots bona fides honestly. He has performed and collaborated with Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, Jeff Bridges and John Goodwin (Crazy Heart), Superchunk, The Jayhawks, Wilco, Glen Phillips, and Ramblin Jack Elliot and been seen on stages around the world, such as Royal Albert Hall, Carnegie Hall, Newport Folk Festival, Winnipeg Folk Festival, Royce Hall, and Byron Bay Blues Festival. Born in Columbia, South Carolina, Irion grew up in the restaurant business hearing the sweet songs of his grandfather, a singer-pizzaiolo and first-generation American who crooned as he cooked. As a teen, he cut his teeth on bass in a punk group with Zeke Hutchins (Sharon Van Etten, Leon Bridges) before going on to develop a unique voice all his own. He has a new album coming out early summer featuring Jeff Bridges, Chatham Rabbits, and members of REM and Wilco.