Chuck Johnson began playing fingerstyle acoustic guitar in the early 1990’s, inspired by the North Carolina Piedmont blues of Elizabeth Cotten, Rev. Gary Davis, and Etta Baker, as well as the “American Primitive” approach to steel string guitar as a solo concert instrument. These influences can be heard in his contributions to the Idyll Swords and in his music for film.

For more information, go to Chuck Johnson’s Myspace page.

Dissevered (2009) Open D tuning.

Alight in the Nor’easter (2009) Open G tuning.

Spanish Fandango (traditional) A late 19th century parlor guitar and Piedmont blues standard. The name is thought to refer to the open G, or “Spanish” tuning as well as the triple meter.

Slope to Chatham (2007) Inspired by Hawaiian slack key style. The guitar is tuned to open C, which Robbie Basho believed evoked the colors “sunyellow, gold, emeraldgreen,” and a “majestic, grand symphonic” mood.

Ranch Memories (2005) From the soundtrack for the documentary film Rocaterrania. Performed on a 12-string in open G tuning.

Pittman’s Violets (from Spatula Despina By Land - Squealer, 1998) With Chris Eubank on cello.

In the mid to late 1990’s Johnson performed and recorded solo improvised guitar under the moniker Ivanovich. In 1999 Amish Records released Ivanovich’s “Solo Guitar, ” an album of free improvisations on acoustic, electric, and prepared guitar that Johnson had previously released as a cassette on his Cirrus Oxide tape label.

Recombinant Breakdown (from Ivanovich Solo Guitar - Amish, 1999)