2009 Dallas Guitar festival closing number - Johnny Hiland - Call Me the Breeze

[jackblasio]

Dusty Rhodes!!

[fendertelecaster8225]

absolutely amazing . and from what i hear in nashville, he is the nicest guy you could meet

[philjit1]

well ,any style . any player .. johnny . will match or better it .. if you dont agree .. get in touch......

[Howage1]

I think I might just give my left nut to see this boy play!!!

[leo78915]

guitar plays so fancy skill more than feeling!

[yankeeG]

The most tits you can get in Texas Rock and Roll, More than ZZ Top!

[murfbass]

I eat babies.

[bramblechops]

outstanding performance,thank you youtube cos without you i would never get to hear stuff like this

[bend0matic]

lol....at 2:12 a birdy flew right out of his guitar!

[megaterra69]

lol its like fuckin death blues!

[teroberts4gospel]

This ought to be illegal...who the hell needs drugs!

[alan4sure]

Man, he can do some amazing string bends!!!

[rick420p3]

best guitar player hands down you rock buddy

[rootube808]

Holy Shit, I just love a guitarist who can frighten the crap out of me. Great attitude & truly awesome playing.

[SangheilliJedi]

i think....my ears...just meted off.....Epic talent!!!!

[gregbutcher1]

Wicked Johnny.

[RADLADRICK]

A few years back I met Johnny and his agent/manager at Ontario Ca. airport going to Vegas. Man they were the coolest cats around. He had his PRS out and his agent was fiddling with it unplugged. He dig's the PRS better than any of his Tele's. I sat between Johnny and his agent on the plane it was a bit cramped the plane was real small but what a blessing to meet him. we talked gear all the way. Class act,Great guy,excellent musician. Rock on Johnny!!!!

[Pepe00ad]

That dude is so talented that it almost hurts, however I personally think that his playingstyle suits a Telecaster/country-style better than a Rn'R/PRS-style.. That being said JH is still one of the best, no doubt...

[toobie11]

@Pepe00ad He used to play a tele, but they made him stop cause everybody just passed out from it being so good. : )

[TheMajanful]

Chubby master fucks mother.Haven't seen anything better lately :)))

[cajunstrat]

He reminds me of Gatton, not Larry, but Danny Gatton. Google it if you have never heard of him.

[cyoteblues]

Man can really rock. Finally someone to pickup where SRV left off.

[cyoteblues]

I'd like to see this guy at the next Crossroads.

[TheScream432]

man very nice tone i wish i had it xD.

[peyoteblues]

Johnny Hiland is the best

[MrBoblangan]

guy is flat out awesome

[15111936]

thx JR for the vids of Mr Hiland!his's a one hell of a player!!!!!

[jasonbourneabc123]

My Dearest Johnny,

I just love the yankee doodle dandy riff at 4:37 the triplets were awesome!!!

Everone should HIT THE LIKE BUTTON FOR JOHNNY!!!

JB

[fenstratful]

Let's see, there was Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Billy Gibbons, Pat Travers, Gary Moore, Rory Gallagher, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Joe Bonamassa, Larry McCray,... great singer guitarists... Johnny Hiland is right up there on this list, but his guitar playing is downright scary, absolute badass.

[chunter5100]

@fenstratful absolutely!!!! Well said!!!

[fenstratful]

@chunter5100 any fan of big Johnny Hiland has gotta be a guitar slinging brother of mine!

[chunter5100]

@fenstratful Thank you bro! If you play guitar, as you and I do, you really appreciate this!

[chunter5100]

@fenstratful

Oh yeah, lol...I play steel resonator with a slide, lap steel, acoustic, and rebuilt an Ibanez RG50. with american electronics and a Dean Markley and a Humbucker.....and also machined a new pick guard ....and painted it neon yellow like the rest of the guitar..then covered the whole thing with black stripes and black dots, lol lol...it's got that maple Wizard Neck, and I did a fret job on it! ...you and I both appreciate how good Johnny really is....

[callasexperience]

born to pick

[Vintage1976]

It's refreshing to see someone playing today that is not good looking and packaged up like the record labels want you to see. This guy is the real deal, great player!

[carndawgy]

How many people were at this thing? It's too bad such an incredible player isn't getting a huge a crowd (by the sounds of it, at the end).

Mind blowing talent.

[bronenalladin]

@chunter5100 in that sense he reminds me of Shawn Lane

[hallbergjonatan]

The best country/rock guitar player in the hole fucking world!!!

[bluesmain1]

j. j. cale  was the writer...the original breeze matic

[jspates56]

this guy is kick ass... hes an example of a guy who loves to play music

[ObiWanKentucky]

I just discovered Johnny Hiland. Yeah yeah I know, "where have I been?". But I'm here now aint I?

Johnny Hiland rocks!

[meowtrox]

too much steak

[fr44ed]

I just found Johnny and am still picking my self up off the floor. Man this Johnny guy can really set a mean pace! Is that a magic guitar or what??

Truly a great artist.

[MrGuimbard]

he s the best!

[the51drummerboy]

One of the best !!!

[chunter5100]

I just looked at the original, and hey they wrote it and all, but honestly, I think the guitar here blows the Lynyrd Skynyrd live performance version away, but that's just my 2 cents...I do think he is a better guitar player than Rossington & Collins though..much more creative..wish Ronny Van Zant could have sang vocals on this though..but so what? And look what Johnny is doing for fat guys everywhere!!!

Just my opinion now!..lol

[jimdog1964]

Awesome. 

[jp6l6]

Hello Johnny, we want to see and hear you again and again so please be careful about your health !!!

[stupidcompany]

anyone can tell me the name of the song ?

love it..... and JH owns...nice..!!

[rockinredneck57]

@stupidcompany Sure. It's "Call Me the Breeze" written by JJ Cale, made famous by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Rocked hard by Johnny Hiland,

[chunter5100]

Oh cmon now! He is GREAT!!! Yes , he really can't sing , but man, what a guitar player!!!!! I just gotta say , if you play guitar, you appreciate this guy...I also hope he doesn't die of a heart attack on stage, or anywhere else for that matter...and I also pray he gets a good lead singer! Go Johnny Go!!!

[westdiver03]

he is good guitar player but so fat and ugly////

[bettset]

the skynyrd guys can play, but jh is somewhere else. great version. we've done the breeze like skynyrd, & we have up tempo'd it a bit for fun. but this is a runaway train. just a bit of satriani, & i've heard some grissom too. & he's having fun.  i hope he gets a hit, or a band picks him up to soup up their band--like grissom did with mellencamp

[rockinredneck57]

@bettset You can't put him behind a band, he IS the band. His playing is the whole show. His singing isn't bad either. Steve Gaines might have been the best Skynyrd guitarist, but even at that, they were all very good players who don't get enough credit. Hiland is just head and shoulders above the rest of the players out there, country or otherwise. His slide work is good too, but not in the Johnny Winter/ Duane Allman category.

[bettset]

@rockinredneck57 he is amazing. some guys with his talent cannot play with others. my bet is he could because he's having so much fun. it looks so effortless. my hope is he does get more recognition. like i said--he is somewhere else. amazing

[GonzGunner]

@bettset-You can see a few videos here on YouTube where he plays with others, even little kids. I love this man, he is a good, decent human being who just wants to be happy and make people happy with music. Stevie Ray was taken from us, but God gave us Johnny so we could keep the house rockin'! I would have loved to see Stevie and Johnny play together, talk about Johnny playing with others! :)

[bettset]

absolutely. i hope his talent gets more attention. his hands have "that" magic all musicians want, but you are only born with.

[chunter5100]

I can hear Rory Gallagher in his playing...amazing...although he could use a lead singer...well...actually..ther­e WAS a lead singer..but Johnny ate him...sigh...

[chunter5100]

GO JOHNNY GO!!!!

[jasonbourneabc123]

Great

[wiseguymarshall1]

looks like the guy could pass anything but a buffet table...my god

[wiseguymarshall1]

lloks like i could pass anything but a buffet table..omg...

[epeemstr316]

good guitar player, but im no fan of his vocals. that's something johnny should look into (i havent been keeping up with hiland recently. so if he has one let me know) :)

[knowMusicMan]

Skynyrd need to hire him. He looks like Ed King circa 1975

[rockinredneck57]

He's more like Ed, Gary and Allen circa 1975 all rolled into one. He's as good as the three of them too.

[sparkyboy1959]

I just hope he has the longevity of Leslie West of Mountain cause they both weigh the same and Leslie is in his mid 60's. Johnny outweighs me by a little bit more than 30 or 40 pounds but at 50 yrs old my ancient doctor said I'm the healthiest FAT OLD SLOB he has EVER seen ROFL!! my blood pressure is like a marathoner's 112/54 Live long and prosper Johnny H! \\ //

[hummerass]

What an amazing guitarist Johnny is!I would like to see him with Eric Johnson Satiani etc .He is in their league.

[rockinredneck57]

@hummerass He's got something good going on. His record label is owned by Steve Vai. Vai signed him personally. That's pretty high praise.

[rockinredneck57]

@hummerass He's got something good going on. His record label is owned by Steve Vai. Vai signed him personally. That's pretty high praise.

[rockinredneck57]

@hummerass He's got something good going on. His record label is owned by Steve Vai. Vai signed him personally. That's pretty high praise.

[OvertEnemy]

Holy shit, that bass player looks EXACTLY LIKE ME.

[bloozeman1969]

are you sure your not talking about the guitar player fat boy.....

[OvertEnemy]

Actually yeah I am 100% positive I am talking about the bass player!

[bloozeman1969]

c'mon dude I was just having fun with ya

[Valamarth]

Coolest playing I've heard since Dimebag Darrell (r.i.p. bro)! Johnny rocks :-)

[fivepiece]

Johnny is going to die young if he doesn't lose some weight, that's no joke. Personally, I'd hate to see that happen because that man is a fucking phenomenon and it would be a tragedy to lose him. Or maybe it's because I'm a "GAY BOY."

[awesomejohnnet]

God bless my brothers hands..

Go Johnny Go...

you may be my long lost brother ,

we certainly weigh the same, :)

Good going Johnny spread the joy brother..

warmest regards

Awesome John

[rockinredneck57]

Is there any style of playing that Johnny hasn't mastered? I think he covers them all in this song! he rocks, he chicken picks, he shreds, he taps. He's an awesome player! Truly has no equal, in my opinion. I don't care what he looks like, he's got the goods!

Now, for his own health, I'd like to see him shed some weight, cause I'd like to have him around playing for years to come!

[maxomilian]

@rockinredneck57

Check out Guthrie Govan , he can truly play anything.

Hiland rocks , but way to lazy to transcribe his solos.

[mftmaine]

What drug are you on! To lazy to transcribe his solos??? Johnny is probably the best country picker around today, and one of the best all around guitarist, period.

[bowtechspeedfreak]

Funny when the piano player turns the volume knob down on the guitar.

That big boy can PICK!

[pickstrumbum]

haha yeah that is some good stuff

[Hazafi4life]

great stuff... too bad "Mommy"didn't take her smart mouthed little "BOY" home with her when she left with the band though....probably forgot to on purpose...lol.

[txrock]

I love being able to watch vids of great musicians. I love Lynyrd Skynyrd and always will. This guy obviously does too. In order for one guitarist to play their music, they have to be awesome and ready to improvise and change styles. Why does it always have to become him versus them and they did it better etc. Grow up, this guy is great and so is Skynyrd.

[RadiatorBoy]

you'd think that those fast fingers would burn off some calories.

[YTSolidLifters]

The fact you learned the ability to communicate with words and learned to type would leave us to believe you could contribute something intelligent, but I guess not to both, huh?

[RadiatorBoy]

Maybe if you'd get over your man crush of Blimpy the Whale playing guitar, you wouldn't be so butt hurt when people make comments about his obvious physical appearance.

But I can always count on the internet police, like you, to feel the need to "put me in my place"

Congratulations, your life is fulfilled.

[YTSolidLifters]

Why yes, 'boy,' life is very fulfilling for me. I never lose the chance to put down jealous, narrow-minded, losers such as yourself. It's what I love to do.

Plus, the only person who sounds 'butt hurt' is you that Johnny isn't sexy enough for you, on account you're so hung up on his body. So, go watch somebody 'more sexy' for you and enjoy your gay fantasy. In the meantime, the rest of us will enjoy Johnny for his amazing music abilities and ignore any homosexual connotations.

[RadiatorBoy]

Easy there old man, just because I started with the implication that you are having homo-erotic fantasies with the Marshmallow Man up there doesn't mean that you can stem your retort off of my original statement.

Funny, I never said he was a bad guitar player, was just merely commenting on his more than robust size, but of course I didn't need to tell you that, you chaser of chubbies.

[YTSolidLifters]

Funny, yes, how you once again include your gay fantasies with what I didn't say. I like Johnny for the single fact he's a fantastic guitar player. Not once did I mention I'm hung up on his body. Yet again, that's exactly where you went.

Listen, I'm sorry that Johnny is too chubby to give you a 'chubby.' So, why don't you go watch a Vai or Van Halen video instead. I've seen videos of them playing with their shirts off. I bet that really turns you on.

[MrHardrod2]

And congratulations, you made a fool of yourself. Now go up on stage and let's hear you play guitar. If you can even sound half as good as this dude then you'll be excused but I hardly doubt you can even lift a finger. This guy rocks and that's an outstanding feat in itself. Vain conceited people like should stick at looking at the mirror and admiring yourself because no one's paying attention to your looks or how vain you are. Get over yourself. Your shit stinks as well.

[RadiatorBoy]

How vain I am?

Me saying that this guy is morbidly obese is me being vain?

Yeah I'll work on that, right after you go fuck yourself.

[MrHardrod2]

Fuck you idiiot. YOu're in the wrong forum. For models and good looks , go to a modeling gay site. You pathetic gay shit. He's overweight, yes but the issue is nothing how he looks, it's how he plays guitar. I would listen to this guy play than look at some fag boy looking at himself at the mirror overtly proud of his looks and how queer he acts. Oh wow, you're so good looking, let's hear you play guitar. Wow, you suck like a gayboy in guitar but you look good. Get over it, FAG.

[MrHardrod2]

If you were a real man, this conversation would not even exist. REAL men don't talk about other guys looks. Only faggots do that. LOL. You must be a queer or a closet homo. LOL. Like the song says " you're so vain. You probably think this song is about you. you're so vain"  What a choice. FAT or FAG? hahahaha you're a FAG. Go SUCK on a BIG DICK and shut up, FAG BOY

[MrHardrod2]

If you were even any good at playing guitar, you'd actually get contracts from recording artists and music producers as well as contracts from Fender and PRS, which you don't cause you suck BIG DICK big time. LOL. You're so jealous of someone who obviously makes a lot of money playing guitar than looking at himself in the mirror like yourself. If you stopped looking at the mirror for awhile and just concentrated on playing guitar, you would not be jealous of Johnny. YOU SUCK DICK, U GAY BOY

[rockinredneck57]

What does his being overweight have to do with his guitar playing? Jeff Healey was blind, but you'd be hard pressed to find a better player. Just concentrate on his playing and close your eyes.

[kc5tng]

Its a Health issue...nothing to do with the playing or singing...Personally, I would love to have him alive more years than he will have, unless he does lose some of himself.

The man can PLAY and SING...no doubt about that fact and he has a kickin band behind him.

[MrHardrod2]

I think his nickname is either Johnny "Killer Fingers" Hiland or Johnny "Lightning Fingers" Hiland. This guy rocks.

[senorchristoph]

In my opinion when you see Johnny Hiland play, you are shown how the guitar is supposed to be played.

[justinshanehatcher]

Johnny is not autistic the keyboard player happens to have played on all my albums, that look on johnny's face is because he is blind, cant drive a car barely read a book he has to hold things like literally inches from his face to see, which makes it even more amazing!!! he is awesome

[Metalfooll]

hes great!

[slinkydinky999]

Anyone who cuts down Johnny Hiland's guitar playing doesn't know a thing about playing the guitar. Johnny can do it all. Fom Chet Atkins style to EVH.

[krang07]

super star talent

[Guitarooster52]

Some of you guys are pretty rough on Hiland. He has talent in spades and even if you don't like his style, chances are he'll play circles around anyone that bothers to comment on this site! We're typing...he's playing!

[grayson340910]

i dont understand how anyone doesnt like his style. he is a master of all styles. from blues to jazz to rockabilly. even metal!

[sailbeyondthesunset]

@Guitarooster52 It's great to see people like your good self speaking the truth on here.

[L4Z3R37H]

you guys got it all wrong. Johnny is almost autistic with stringed instruments. you could give him a tennis racket and he would find a way to play it. johnny picks up a guitar and has an ear to ear grin the entire time. Skynard had it in for Neil Young, and a tin shack to practice in. Skynard had sweat, blood and selfishness. Hiland has that same look on his face as your kid did when he shit himself in church.

[doubleotwentyone]

He is THE man, no question

[guitarcomet5]

This guy smokes anyone that ever played for Skynyrd, but I'd rather hear Skynyrd do this song.

Plus Johnny is a Country picker at heart.

Even so, he can hang with most rock players.

[chetplayerwhoknows]

as usual, the sound guys suck. Good audio engineers for live play are hard to find.

And no, the excuse that this is 'consume cam encoded for the web" doesn't cut it. Vocals are out

[Vermillion2176]

I don't recall a lot of Skynyrd jazz tunes. And like Skynyrd.

Listen to Hiland for an hour and you will hear 20 different guitar players.

[jkmehoff]

I Like his Playing .But I think he had better tone when he used the Gold Fender tele.

[LukeNewb]

Fatastic!

[Gustavowebstercc]

hEI Johnny!!!! take your telecaster, please!

[possumtail]

I will agree he is a highly talented player, but Skynyrd PLAYED for the song.....Hiland here is a USER of the song....a pimp kinda. He wanks his way thru it....Lynyrd Skynyrd never did that; they wrote and patented solos for all their songs for the SONGS sake. Their solos were another verse. Hiland couldn't calm down enough to pull something like that off.

There is a lot of show in this video but no soul.

[YofterMofter]

Completely agree. This is horrible.

[pcgreer]

The fact that you're comparing Johnny Hiland (a great guitarist alot of people have never heard of) to the infamous players in Lynyrd Skynyrd tells me you are either totally clueless or you have a serious grudge against Rossington, Collins and Gaines for whatever ridiculous reason.

Talk about lame comments....lol

[rockinredneck57]

@pcgreer Hiland IS better than the Skynyrd guys. I can say that being a true, very long time Skynyrd fan. Rossington/Collins/ Gaines/King do not get near enough credit for being as good as they were/are, but I'm afraid Johnny outshines them. Ed King would be the first to tell you so too. I think Hiland just has more in his guitar arsenal than they did. They may have been better pure rock players, but not by much.

[MartyCohen]

Continued ...

But a bunch of "fretboard gymnastics" don't make him a better player than those you so offhandedly malign. Could he fit in with two others pickers and blend seamlessly in and out of of solos the way Ed, Allen & Gary did? I think not. People who say Skynyrd's music was "simple" to play are plain ignorant musically speaking. Try to re-create the subtleties of those tunes if you can. (you can't)

[prsfrank]

It's JJ cales song he cant interpretate it any way he wants, he is an awesome guitar player and is well known for his diversitity, Skynyrd's version is their version and shouldnt be drawing comparisions.

[silkysausage]

yeah

he can blend in. He does on the sessions he does in Nashville. This is a vid of him showing off, not on a recording session. Two different thyings. Dont think that what you see here is all you'll ever see.. He's a far superior player than the Skynyrd guys.

[MartyCohen]

Hey JRGUITAR, First off, this guy would never have even performed this tune if it weren't for Skynyrd's version ... It sounds a lot more like them than it does JJ Cales .. Just saying. He's a good palyer, don't get me wrong.

[helobelow]

Thats a good version of this song...good job guys!

[Dollytxno1]

Fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JRGUITAR]

Not only is Hiland a better player than Rossington & Collins, but even though legally blind, he's clearly a MUCH better driver.........

[JamieBeauxis]

This is the least knowledgable comment I've ever seen on youtube. You just told on yourself.

[rockinredneck57]

@JRGUITAR True, but he's not drunk either! Much as I like all the players from Skynyrd and Steve Gaines may have been the best of them all, Johnny has them beat. Course, they do play different styles of music. I've seen Johnny really rock once on video and that with Sammy Hagar and he rocked hard there.

[knowMusicMan]

@JRGUITAR Is JH better than Ed King? Keep in mind that EK is a songwriter, and just happend to write most of Sweet Home Alabama and others. Have a good one.

[sambo75420]

@JRGUITAR Dude thats the funniest thing i've heard all day.....but i think you are right!

[Videowatcher76]

@JRGUITAR

I wouldn't say he's better , He simply puts a different twist on it though .

[SonicBoomerang01]

@JRGUITAR fuck you sir

[witchman1]

Not only does this man play the guitar, he is the guitar. I agree, the best living guitarst in the world.

[EduardoAllo]

magic touch

[BeKindBeNice]

liked this clip..johnny plays great...thanks

[beerdeddi]

This guy rips Malmsteen to pieces...

[aaaah909]

fucking right man that guy is a piece of shit compared to this.

[kesx]

LOL, I wouldn't go that far, and besides they play completely different types of music.

[gbrycki]

Thanks for posting this, JRGUITAR! The man is insanely good...for my money, the best living guitar player in the world!

[BubbaHiggenbotham]

Awesome!

[normacagle]

Being a Skynyrd Fan for the longest time, The Hiland Band did a great job of thisTune! Johnny and the boys are as nice as they come!

[awsom0]

man, johnny was awesome! it was my second time seeing him, did you get any of Jeff Baxter's sessions recorded?

[JRGUITAR]

I just put two up from Skunk, although they were shot inside and are not so good as the others.