Hailing from Shreveport, Patrick Johnson grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with music coursing through his veins from a very young age. Patrick is the son of a trumpeter and flautist, as well as nephew to two original Louisiana Hayriders. “Music was huge in our home. My dad has this incredible record collection that seemed to remain on constant rotation when we were kids. Everything from The Beatles to Ray Charles to Chet Atkins to Beethoven - nothing was off limits. It was a great way to grow up, and taught me any appreciation for all music. That amount of exposure to such diversity at so a young an age certainly helped kick-start my musical imagination.” When asked about his influences, Patrick claims that can come from everywhere, anything and everything. “I think I’ve been influenced by every sound I’ve ever heard, some leaving more lasting impressions than others. More to the point though, my musical loves are deeply rooted in rock, pop, jazz, punk, alternative, country, industrial, electronica, soul, blues - you name it. There's something to appreciate in all music.” Primarily a bassist, vocalist, and songwriter, Patrick also plays guitar. He studied music and piano while attending LSU, eventually earning a Bachelor's in English (Creative Writing). "Creative writing was essential for me, lyrically. Specifically, it taught me what alternate possibilities exist to express the same basic human emotions that have been put into song for centuries, within the confines of language. The written word, combined with my love of music, afforded me a better understanding of verbal rhythms through poetic stanzas, and how important syllable patterns can affect the musical flow." As much as he loves a good band, Patrick is most impressed by singer-songwriters. Some favorites include Jeff Lynne, Sting, Mose Allison, Frank Black, and Lou Reed. When asked who his favorite bassist is, he answers John Entwistle with little to no hesitation. Why Entwistle? “Because of his versatility. The respect I have for him is unmatched. I’ve tried to emulate his style to some degree in terms of his playing standard bass lines while alternately improvising with leads. I’m no Entwistle, and will never profess to be, but I certainly feel that my study of him has made me a far better player. He’s been a phenomenal influence on my personal playing style.” After college, Patrick spent many years touring the entirety of the United States and Scandinavia with several bands including Poor Harvey, Kristin Diable, Dash Rip Rock (for which he was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2011), and the Undisputed Heavyweights, to name but a few. In 2010 he began focusing on more solo oriented work while touring. He released his debut album, "Last River Drive-In," on St. Patrick's Day in 2014, and has finished production on his second, "Monsters in the Clouds," which is set for a fall 2017 release. By Charlotte Smith