Johnny Guitar Carson

BIO - Johnny Montgomery Carson aka "Guitar"

Johnny Montgomery Carson, was born in California, right off of Route 66.
He has the nickname "Guitar", but prefers to go by Johnny Montgomery Carson,
indicate his Montgomery roots. His Grandfather William Montgomery moved from
Greneda Mississipi to to Tennessee at a young age married and had a large family,
of which a large part moved west from Memphis to the Los Angeles area of California.

From Johnny Montgomery Carson's earliest days he showed talents as a Musician entertainer by learning to play boogie/woogie piano at the age of 8 and performing as a young actor in plays at the local Community College thanks to lots of inspiration from his older brother Harry Lee Carson Jr also a musician & actor. Johnny learned his acting skills from Davis Roberts, (who is often remembered for his Doctor roll on Sanford and Son). Johnny studied Violin for many years, but one day he started fiddling with a guitar his sister owned and It did not take him long to learn that this was his favorite instrument. The inspiration of family (Montgomery & Carson) pushed him deep into music early. By the age of 14 he was playing lead guitar regularly with local bands in Southern California while still taking those violin lessons. Local bands used him regularly for very grown-up gigs, at many clubs and Southern Cal Air Force bases, and at 14 years of age played regularly and Johnny was working as lead guitarist at these shows.

While attending Eisenhower High School in California, his music mentor became Professor Karlton Hester currently a UCSC Music Professor. Professor Hester would bring artist such as Dexter Gordon, Ed Thigpen & Buddy Collete (Hester's freinds) to play concerts with the High School stage band and this exposure to these great artist early in life had a big influence on Johnny. Hester even recorded his stage band creating a realistic musical direction for many of his students. Professor Karlton Hester remains his mentor to this day.

In 1976 Johnny made his first trip to Europe performing with his brother Bill in a Rock/Soul group. Soon after arriving he met Leif Kiviharju. Kiviharju and Carson created "Clovis" and Johnny performed with this Fusion power trio out of Helsinki Finland. He has spent many years, on and off, in Scandinavia performing and is a part of Finnish musical history.
He has performed, recorded and jammed with many famous Finnish artist such as,
Leif Kiviharju, Pave Maijanen, and jammed often with Jukka Tolonen and Coste Apetrea.
Johnny was influenced dramatically by many of the worlds greatest musicians while in
Scandanavia, with so many of them passing thru for shows and gigs, they would most
often be more available there for jams and conversation than in the States.

Picture: Johnny Montgomery Carson (left) playing live at the Pori Jazz Festival in Finland Europe.
Jamaaladeen Tacuma (Formely Ornette Colman) Peter Erskine ( Wheather Report & Steps Ahead)

Picture Courtesy Helsingin Sanomat

Johnny Montgomery Carson would later form a band while living in L.A. called "Cosmic Test Tubes". Johnnys cousin, Donald Montgomery & Entertainer Freddie Fly (X-Johnson Crew member) kept him in Los Angeles playing and meeting musicians like Gap Band & Parlament /Funkadelic & Bootsy . Johnny and Freddie Fly would often go to Backstage Management with demos trying to get help with the "Cosmic Test Tube" project. Johnny met with Bootsy & George Clinton, but many times just sat reading the Hustler mags in the lobby while waiting. The late Glen Goins ( Parliment and Funkadelic member) was a personal friend of Johnny and later his brother Kevin Goins (Quasar) would work with the General Caine band.

Johnny Montgomery Carson worked with a band called "Bad Baby" while living in Oakland CA. which included, Dave Brown (ex-Carlos Santana bassist) Jerry Bell, and
Patryce Choc'Let Banks Graham Central Station member. Choc'Let exposed him to the
music business (*proper) and influenced him tremendously as to how to make a living as a world class musician.

Johnny Montgomery Carson worked with a band named "ALEXANDRITE" ( band leader Fred Johnson (brother of Ralph Johnson of EARTH,WIND & FIRE) this project gave Johnny exposure to new disciplines and was a great opportunity for him to be exposed to some members of EARTH,WIND & FIRE.

While working in Chicago Johnny was nic named "Route 66" by some musicians he worked with. He played rhythm guitar for the blues guitar icon "Buddy Guy" and claims it was 8 weeks of guitar school.These shows were at Buddy's old club named CheckerBoard Lounge (right inside the Loop) . He was also fortunate enough to jam with the great John Lee Hooker in a music store in Chicago and later would become freinds with his son John Lee Hooker Jr. He has jammed on the streets of Chicago couple of times once with Snooky Pryor and credits this type of exposure to these musical giants for a lot of his "Blues" enlightenment.

Johnny was a musical director for Maverick Flats in Inglewood California, helping the owner John Daniels prepare new talent for recording and performing on European tours. At Maverick Flats he worked with such artist as LakeSide, Howard Hewitt, Robert & Ralph Deblanc and many others.

Johnny was a member of General Caine where he worked as Lead Guitarist, song writer & musical director for Mitch McDowell's General Caine (CBS Records) on the album entitled "Dangerous" , and many arrangement chores were handled by band leader Mitch McDowell, Hershall "Happiness" Kennedy, Johnny "Guitar" Carson (aka, Grandman), world renowned jazz musician Ndugu Leon Chancellor & producer Reggie Andrews.Johnny claims to have learned the ability to walk between the R&B and Jazz disciplines seemlessly from individuals like Ndugu. The Dangerous" album had songs written by Mitch McDowell, Johnny Guitar Carson , Hershall "Happiness"s Kennedy, Ndugu, and Reggie Andrews.

Now as the guitarist for the "Bluesman" John Lee Hooker Jr. he sees himself supporting one of the more powerful Blues Icons around today. John Lee Hooker Jr has developed a Blues presentation that has earned Mr Hooker Jr. "2" Grammy nomminations. In 2012 Johnny Guitar Carson will be working with JOHN LEE HOOKER Jr. (aka) "Bluesman", both on tour and in the recording studio in 2012..

Johnny with a few of the Jazz Worlds Greatest Icons

ONLINE INFO; Larry Ridley , Nelson Harrison , Freddie Redd ,


BIO - Johnny Montgomery Carson aka "Guitar" Johnny Montgomery Carson, was born in California, right off of Route 66. He has the nickname "Guitar", but prefers to go by Johnny Montgomery Carson, indicate his Montgomery roots. His Grandfather William Montgomery moved from Greneda Mississipi to to Tennessee at a young age married and had a large family, of which a large part moved west from Memphis to the Los Angeles area of California. From Johnny Montgomery Carson's earliest days he showed talents as a Musician entertainer by learning to play boogie/woogie piano at the age of 8 and performing as a young actor in plays at the local Community College thanks to lots of inspiration from his older brother Harry Lee Carson Jr also a musician & actor. Johnny learned his acting skills from Davis Roberts, (who is often remembered for his Doctor roll on Sanford and Son). Johnny studied Violin for many years, but one day he started fiddling with a guitar his sister owned and It did not take him long to learn that this was his favorite instrument. The inspiration of family (Montgomery & Carson) pushed him deep into music early. By the age of 14 he was playing lead guitar regularly with local bands in Southern California while still taking those violin lessons. Local bands used him regularly for very grown-up gigs, at many clubs and Southern Cal Air Force bases, and at 14 years of age played regularly and Johnny was working as lead guitarist at these shows. While attending Eisenhower High School in California, his music mentor became Professor Karlton Hester currently a UCSC Music Professor. Professor Hester would bring artist such as Dexter Gordon, Ed Thigpen & Buddy Collete (Hester's freinds) to play concerts with the High School stage band and this exposure to these great artist early in life had a big influence on Johnny. Hester even recorded his stage band creating a realistic musical direction for many of his students. Professor Karlton Hester remains his mentor to this day. In 1976 Johnny made his first trip to Europe performing with his brother Bill in a Rock/Soul group. Soon after arriving he met Leif Kiviharju. Kiviharju and Carson created "Clovis" and Johnny performed with this Fusion power trio out of Helsinki Finland. He has spent many years, on and off, in Scandinavia performing and is a part of Finnish musical history. He has performed, recorded and jammed with many famous Finnish artist such as, Leif Kiviharju, Pave Maijanen, and jammed often with Jukka Tolonen and Coste Apetrea. Johnny was influenced dramatically by many of the worlds greatest musicians while in Scandanavia, with so many of them passing thru for shows and gigs, they would most often be more available there for jams and conversation than in the States. Picture: Johnny Montgomery Carson (left) playing live at the Pori Jazz Festival in Finland Europe. Jamaaladeen Tacuma (Formely Ornette Colman) Peter Erskine ( Wheather Report & Steps Ahead) Picture Courtesy Helsingin Sanomat Johnny Montgomery Carson would later form a band while living in L.A. called "Cosmic Test Tubes". Johnnys cousin, Donald Montgomery & Entertainer Freddie Fly (X-Johnson Crew member) kept him in Los Angeles playing and meeting musicians like Gap Band & Parlament /Funkadelic & Bootsy . Johnny and Freddie Fly would often go to Backstage Management with demos trying to get help with the "Cosmic Test Tube" project. Johnny met with Bootsy & George Clinton, but many times just sat reading the Hustler mags in the lobby while waiting. The late Glen Goins ( Parliment and Funkadelic member) was a personal friend of Johnny and later his brother Kevin Goins (Quasar) would work with the General Caine band. Johnny Montgomery Carson worked with a band called "Bad Baby" while living in Oakland CA. which included, Dave Brown (ex-Carlos Santana bassist) Jerry Bell, and Patryce Choc'Let Banks Graham Central Station member. Choc'Let exposed him to the music business (proper) and influenced him tremendously as to how to make a living as a world class musician. Johnny Montgomery Carson worked with a band named "ALEXANDRITE"* ( band leader Fred Johnson (brother of Ralph Johnson of EARTH,WIND & FIRE) this project gave Johnny exposure to new disciplines and was a great opportunity for him to be exposed to some members of EARTH,WIND & FIRE. While working in Chicago Johnny was nic named "Route 66" by some musicians he worked with. He played rhythm guitar for the blues guitar icon "Buddy Guy" and claims it was 8 weeks of guitar school.These shows were at Buddy's old club named CheckerBoard Lounge (right inside the Loop) . He was also fortunate enough to jam with the great John Lee Hooker in a music store in Chicago and later would become freinds with his son John Lee Hooker Jr. He has jammed on the streets of Chicago couple of times once with Snooky Pryor and credits this type of exposure to these musical giants for a lot of his "Blues" enlightenment. Johnny was a musical director for Maverick Flats in Inglewood California, helping the owner John Daniels prepare new talent for recording and performing on European tours. At Maverick Flats he worked with such artist as LakeSide, Howard Hewitt, Robert & Ralph Deblanc and many others. Johnny was a member of General Caine where he worked as Lead Guitarist, song writer & musical director for Mitch McDowell's General Caine (CBS Records) on the album entitled "Dangerous" , and many arrangement chores were handled by band leader Mitch McDowell, Hershall "Happiness" Kennedy, Johnny "Guitar" Carson (aka, Grandman), world renowned jazz musician Ndugu Leon Chancellor & producer Reggie Andrews.Johnny claims to have learned the ability to walk between the R&B and Jazz disciplines seemlessly from individuals like Ndugu. The Dangerous" album had songs written by Mitch McDowell, Johnny Guitar Carson , Hershall "Happiness"s Kennedy, Ndugu, and Reggie Andrews. Now as the guitarist for the "Bluesman" John Lee Hooker Jr. he sees himself supporting one of the more powerful Blues Icons around today. John Lee Hooker Jr has developed a Blues presentation that has earned Mr Hooker Jr. "2" Grammy nomminations. In 2012 Johnny Guitar Carson will be working with JOHN LEE HOOKER Jr. (aka) "Bluesman", both on tour and in the recording studio in 2012.. Johnny with a few of the Jazz Worlds Greatest Icons ONLINE INFO; Larry Ridley , Nelson Harrison , Freddie Redd , Johnny has been featured and presented at Music Festivals and Universities,				Email , Tour Info with JLHJr * Music Samples 1. The Lover- 2. AtomSmasher 3. ChokeHold YouTube Etudes ** Join Friends-MySpace** * Join Friends-*FaceBook* * ISIM Associates** * *Email***