Will Johnson is a Texas titan, a revered and influential singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has left a long trail of sturdy, beautiful music from Centro-matic to South San Gabriel to his more recent solo albums, including the recently released Diamond City, a characteristically excellent collection of songs packed with grit and heart. He’s also been a member of Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit for the last few years.
Will joins me to talk about The Replacements and how they were a haven for him growing up in small town Texas. We talk about his memories of seeing the band live, how this record acts as a pivot point between the band’s brash early sound and more sophisticated later records, the unexpected covers the band would throw in live and more, plus Will talks about the rules governing the tour bus playlist in the 400 Unit.