Johnny Guitar Carson

Guitar@Tmail.com

BIO - Johnny Montgomery Carson aka "Guitar"

Snap Shots by Mike

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, to indicate his Mississipi 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.

In Honor of William E. Montgomery
1st picture in Greneda Mississipi 90yrs old
2nd picture in Hawaii

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 6 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 Johnnywas 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 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 of the famous artist of Finland, 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)
click the artist pic for more.....

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 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 Patrice "Chocolate" Banks Graham Central Station member. Patrice Banks exposed him to the music business (*proper) and influenced him greatly 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 on a gig were he played rhythm guitar for the blues guitar icon "Buddy Guy". 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. He has jammed on the streets of Chicago with Snooky Pryor a couple of times 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), Ndugu Leon Chancellor & Reggie Andrews (Dazz Band producer). This album had songs written by Mitch McDowell, Johnny Montgomery Carson , Hershall "Happiness"s Kennedy, Reggie Andrews.

Now with his new Band he sees himself creating a more Blues /Jazz style of Fusion, while also returning to the more powerful Lead guitar driven types of music he created with his European band. Johnny "Guitar" Carson has developed a live presentation that works for Concerts, Jazz Clubs and Music Festivals. He is also involved in a project which focuses on his Montgomery influence's and inspirations. Johnny has been featured and presented at Music Festivals and Universities.

Johnny with a few of the Jazz Worlds Greatest

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

_______________________________________________________________

Hire Johnny "Guitar" Carson :: click here ::

_______________________________________________________________

Education Link:

1. Karlton Hestor - Prof. of.Jazz.Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz

2. Esmond Selwyn - Gresford Academy JazzGuitarMasterClasses


Guitar@Tmail.com BIO - Johnny Montgomery Carson aka "Guitar" Snap Shots by Mike 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, to indicate his Mississipi 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. In Honor of William E. Montgomery 1st picture in Greneda Mississipi 90yrs old 2nd picture in Hawaii 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 6 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 Johnnywas 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 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 of the famous artist of Finland, 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) click the artist pic for more..... 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 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 Patrice "Chocolate" Banks Graham Central Station member. Patrice Banks exposed him to the music business (proper) and influenced him greatly 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 on a gig were he played rhythm guitar for the blues guitar icon "Buddy Guy". 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. He has jammed on the streets of Chicago with Snooky Pryor a couple of times 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), Ndugu Leon Chancellor & Reggie Andrews (Dazz Band producer). This album had songs written by Mitch McDowell, Johnny Montgomery Carson , Hershall "Happiness"s Kennedy, Reggie Andrews. Now with his new Band he sees himself creating a more Blues /Jazz style of Fusion, while also returning to the more powerful Lead guitar driven types of music he created with his European band. Johnny "Guitar" Carson has developed a live presentation that works for Concerts, Jazz Clubs and Music Festivals. He is also involved in a project which focuses on his Montgomery influence's and inspirations. Johnny has been featured and presented at Music Festivals and Universities. Johnny with a few of the Jazz Worlds Greatest ONLINE INFO; Larry Ridley , Nelson Harrison , Freddie Redd , _______________________________________________________________ Hire Johnny "Guitar" Carson :: click here :: _______________________________________________________________ Education Link: 1. Karlton Hestor - Prof. of.Jazz.Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz 2. Esmond Selwyn - Gresford Academy JazzGuitarMasterClasses				* Music Samples 1. The Lover- 2. AtomSmasher 3. ChokeHold * *Hire Johnny* YouTube Etudes> ** Join Friends-MySpace** * Join Friends-*FaceBook* * ISIM Associates** * *Email***