Jonny Lang October 14, 2006

JONNY LANG
With special guest
REEVE CARNEY
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 8PM
PARAMOUNT THEATRE

It’s not important where you’ve been, but where you are, and at 22, JONNY LANG is right where he wants to be. Though his past awards, commendations and achievements are enough -- including having two platinum selling albums and a Grammy nomination by age 19 -- Jonny comments, “I’m the happiest I’ve ever been, and I’ve just finished recording an album I couldn’t be happier with.” That album is the aptly titled Long Time Coming. It is Jonny’s third release, but it celebrates several noteworthy firsts: this time around he not only wrote or co-wrote all but one of the album’s tracks, and served as its co-producer, but also he has made an album that he feels very honestly reflects who he is. With a four-year gap between his last album and Long Time Coming, many people have questioned his whereabouts. Taking it in stride, Jonny revealed his sense of humor and good nature by once joking with an interviewer, “I promise it’ll come out before I’m 40.” With the help of co-producer Marti Fredrickson (Ozzy Osbourne, Aerosmith, Faith Hill), he has been able to craft a dozen soulful and canny songs that are full of nuances and emotion, conjuring up a spirit of Muscle Shoals and Motown, filtered down through his own life experiences. Marti also helped Jonny develop a new respect for his prodigious talent on guitar. Though the blues guitar great Jimmy Thackery once commented about Lang, “He plays so good, I want to break his fingers,” Marti pushed Jonny past his comfort level. Not without impressive backing, Lang and Fredrickson commissioned the help of a rock and roll great for this much-anticipated release by asking Steven Tyler to contribute to a track, “Steven doesn’t sing, but he plays harmonica on “Happiness and Misery.” Explains Jonny, “He’s such a nice guy, not a prima donna at all. We asked him to play and he was like, ‘Yeah man. Send me the tracks; I’ll do it right away.’” With age and maturity, Jonny is growing into his vocal gifts. When he began his career at 13 years old, his voice, which sounded aged and weathered, inspired US News World Report to write, “Don’t be fooled by that peach-smooth face. Jonny Lang has the voice of a grizzled blues veteran with a 20-year Marlboro habit — and guitar skills to match.” But on Long Time Coming, there is more of an authentic expression of who he is, passionately veering somewhere between rock and soul.

Tickets are $27.50, $33.00 and $37.50 plus applicable service charges and go on sale Saturday, September 9 at 10 a.m. and are available online at ticketmaster.com or hob.com, at all Ticketmaster outlets or charge by phone at (206) 628-0888

Official Website: http://hob.com/tickets/eventdetail.asp?eventid=41206