Davey Johnstone facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Davey Johnstone
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Johnstone in concert with Elton John, 2023
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| Birth name | David William Logan Johnstone |
| Born | 6 May 1951 Edinburgh, Scotland |
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| Years active | 1968–present |
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David William Logan Johnstone (born on May 6, 1951) is a talented Scottish rock guitarist and singer. He is most famous for playing with Elton John for many years as part of the Elton John Band.
Contents
Davey Johnstone's Musical Journey
Johnstone was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. When he was seven, he started learning the violin in primary school. By age 10, he was playing it "sideways like a guitar." For Christmas, one of his sisters gave him a guitar. By the time he was 12, he was already forming bands at his secondary school, Forrester High School. He knew then that he wanted to be a musician when he grew up.
Early Career and Session Work
Johnstone's first professional music work was with Noel Murphy in 1968. He received his first album credit on Murphy's album Another Round. By 1969, Johnstone was working regularly as a session musician. This meant he played on recordings for different artists. He started exploring many types of music and trying out various instruments.
In 1970, Johnstone joined the British folk group Magna Carta. He recorded several albums with them, including Seasons (1970) and Songs from Wasties Orchard (1971). He also played on their live album, In Concert. While with Magna Carta, Johnstone played many instruments. These included guitar, mandolin, sitar, and dulcimer.
Joining the Elton John Band
During his time with Magna Carta, Johnstone caught the attention of producer Gus Dudgeon. Dudgeon asked Johnstone to play on Bernie Taupin's solo album in 1971. This led to Johnstone meeting Elton John. Soon after, Johnstone played on John's 1971 album Madman Across the Water. After this, he was invited to become a full member of the Elton John Band. Before Johnstone joined, the band only had Elton John, bassist Dee Murray, and drummer Nigel Olsson.
Johnstone's first album as a full-time member of Elton John's band was Honky Chateau in 1972. On this album, he played electric and acoustic guitars, slide guitar, banjo, and mandolin. He also sang backing vocals with Murray and Olsson. In 1972, he also worked with Joan Armatrading on her first album, Whatever's for Us. He played guitar on several songs and sitar on "Visionary Mountains."
Solo Projects and Other Collaborations
In 1973, Johnstone released his own solo album called Smiling Face. It was released through The Rocket Record Company. He also formed a band called China, which released an album in 1977.
Even while playing with other artists like Stevie Nicks, Meat Loaf, and Alice Cooper in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Johnstone stayed close to Elton John's projects. He reunited full-time with original bandmates Nigel Olsson and Dee Murray for the 1982 "Jump Up" tour. Since then, he has almost always been part of Elton John's albums and tours.
In 1990, Johnstone started working with lyricist Steve Trudell. They formed a band called Warpipes. This band included past and present Elton John band members like Nigel Olsson on drums and Bob Birch on bass. In 1991, Warpipes released their only album, Holes in the Heavens.
Johnstone also produced Addison Steel's album Stormy Blue in 1991. He played guitar, mandolin, sitar, and banjo on it. In 1996, he released a guitar instruction video called Davey Johnstone: Star Licks Master Sessions. In this video, he played many classic Elton John songs.
In 1997, while on tour with Elton John, Johnstone and fellow bandmate John Jorgenson created an album of acoustic music called Crop Circles. It was released in 1998.
Milestones and Current Role
On June 10, 2009, Johnstone played his 2,000th show as a member of the Elton John Band. This special concert took place at the SECC in Glasgow, Scotland.
Johnstone is currently Elton John's musical director. This means he helps lead the band, in addition to playing guitar. He performs with Nigel Olsson and John Mahon. He also played with Bob Birch before Birch passed away in August 2012.
In 2014, he played on two songs, "Belle Fleur" and "If You Were My Love," from Stevie Nicks' album 24 Karat Gold: Songs from the Vault. He had known Nicks since he played guitar on her 1981 album Bella Donna.
On October 1, 2019, Johnstone performed his 3,000th show with Elton John. This was during the Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour at the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Most recently, on June 25, 2023, he played with Elton John at the Glastonbury Festival. This performance was one of the main headline acts. It was announced as Elton John's last live performance in the UK.
Personal Life
Johnstone lives in Los Angeles with his wife. They have seven children together.
Solo Albums
- Smiling Face (1973)
- Deeper Than My Roots (2022)
Collaborations
With Elton John
- Madman Across the Water (1971)
- Honky Château (1972)
- Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player (1973)
- Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
- Caribou (1974)
- Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975)
- Rock of the Westies (1975)
- Blue Moves (1976)
- Too Low for Zero (1983)
- Breaking Hearts (1984)
- Ice on Fire (1985)
- Leather Jackets (1986)
- Reg Strikes Back (1988)
- Sleeping with the Past (1989)
- The One (1992)
- Made in England (1995)
- The Big Picture (1997)
- Songs from the West Coast (2001)
- Peachtree Road (2004)
- The Captain & the Kid (2006)
- Wonderful Crazy Night (2016)
Other Notable Collaborations
- With Alice Cooper
- From the Inside (1978)
- Flush the Fashion (1980)
- With Joan Armatrading
- Whatever's for Us (1972)
- With Stevie Nicks
- Bella Donna (1981)
- 24 Karat Gold: Songs from the Vault (2014)
- With Rod Stewart
- A Spanner in the Works (1995)
- With Bernie Taupin
- Taupin (1971)
- With Kiki Dee
- Loving & Free (1973)
- With Leo Sayer
- Leo Sayer (1978)
See also
- Gibson Flying V
