Will Johnson will be supporting Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit in the UK in June.
From 2:00pm CT on Wednesday, February 11, to 2:00pm on Friday, February 13, all profits from Will Johnson’s web sales will be donated to the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota. Thank you!
Will Johnson and the members of Magnolia Electric Co. release version of “The Big Beast,” Announce September Texas tour and 7-inch record.
Will Johnson and the remaining members of beloved band Magnolia Electric Co. have joined forces for new recordings as Magnolia & Johnson Electric Co.
In September, Magnolia and Johnson Electric Co. will pay tribute to their work with the late Jason Molina and perform four shows in Texas, September 18-21, 2025.
Today they share a roaring version of “The Big Beast“ and announce a seven-inch record out in September.
On September 19th they’ll release the two-song 7″ record “Wooden Heart” / “Twenty Cycles To The Ground,” which are full band recordings of two of the songs from the Molina and Johnson album.
Will Johnson released his 10th solo album Diamond City last month, and was part of the 2009 collaborative album Molina and Johnson, a record for which a tour was canceled due to Molina’s struggles with alcohol.
The September tour follows the well-worn Texas trail that Molina and Magnolia traveled many times during their seven years of near non-stop touring as Magnolia Electric Co. It marks the 20th anniversary of a ten-show Texas tour undertaken in 2005 as part of their massive world tour supporting the 2005 albums What Comes After the Blues and Trials and Errors. Expect multiple sets and a solemn yet celebratory evening in memory of Jason Molina — their bandmate, collaborator, and friend.
Magnolia and Johnson Electric Co. (featuring Will Johnson along with original Magnolia Electric Co. members Mike Brenner, Jason Evans Groth, Michael Kapinus, Mark Rice, and Pete Schreiner) convened in Texas earlier this year to record new studio versions of both Molina’s and Johnson’s songs, much in the vein of the 2018 Goshen Electric Company collaboration between Magnolia and Tim Showalter of Strand of Oaks.
The sessions were recorded and mixed by Johnson’s longtime collaborator Britton Beisenherz and mastered by Magnolia mastering engineer Matthew Barnhart. Iconic artwork by Will Schaff graces the cover, whose artwork has now been inextricably linked to Jason Molina’s songwriting.
Magnolia and Johnson Electric Co.
“The Big Game is Every Night” Texas Tour 2025
Tickets on sale now!
Thursday, 9/18 : Austin TX – 29th Street Ballroom
Friday, 9/19 : San Antonio TX – The Lonesome Rose
Saturday, 9/20 : Denton TX – Rubber Gloves
Sunday, 9/21 : Houston TX – Continental Club
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“The idea for ‘Floodway Fall’ cropped up before a summer 2022 rehearsal with Scott Danbom. We were still setting up, getting sounds and levels. I remember him looking out the window, loosely playing along on his fiddle, likely unaware that I was recording it. I quickly forgot about it, then stumbled across it a few months later and decided to see the song through. For the most part, it’s a small town document of tension, travel, and ultimately undying love.” – Will J.
Listen to “Floodway Fall” and pre-order your copy on Denim Blue Vinyl or CD or pick up a Diamond City shirt, ball cap, or pennant.
PRE-ORDER “Diamond City”
https://undertowstore.com/collections/will-johnson
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I’m thankful to Keeled Scales for helping see my new LP, “No Ordinary Crown” into the world today.
Thank you Ramble Creek, Lindsey Verrill, Ricky Ray Jackson and Roberto Sanchez for being a part of it. We have a good number of recording hours between us at this point, and the trust levels are such that there’s not much preparation, or any rehearsal on the ramp up. Each session is largely based on gut instinct, and working in the moment. It’s not a refined or flawless approach, but (to me) embodies the best sensations of what making something together is about.
Thank you Adam Young for the stunning cover art, Helms Workshop for the layout work, Maddy Underwood for the design and merch help, to Britton Beisenherz and Jim Wilson for their generosity and efforts in engineering, mixing and mastering, and to Undertow for helping guide the ship for decades.
There will be a (solo) in-store at Waterloo Records on September 25, and a Texas full band 4-step (including everyone from this session) with the great Renée Reed in February.
Thanks for reading this, and maybe see you down the road.
-wj
BUY “NO ORDINARY CROWN”
Undertow Store : https://tinyurl.com/5n7hcjmu
Keeled Scales : https://tinyurl.com/38bc2jvy
Keeled Scales UK/EU Shop : https://tinyurl.com/2pb7cxae
Bandcamp : https://willjohnson.bandcamp.com
Streaming : https://lnk.to/WillJohnson
SHOWS
September 25 : Austin TX – Waterloo Records In-store performance @ 5pm
February 1 : Denton TX – Dan’s Silverleaf – TICKETS
February 2 : Houston TX – Continental Club – TICKETS
February 3 : San Antonio TX @ Lonesome Rose – TICKETS
February 4 : Austin TX @ Ballroom – TICKETS
We’re excited to announce these full band shows happening in February! The band will be the same folks who played on the new album…. Britton Beisenherz, Lindsey Verrill, Ricky Ray Jackson and Roberto Sanchez.
Tickets are on sale for all shows. Come out and see us if you can.
February 1 : Denton TX – Dan’s Silverleaf – TICKETS
February 2 : Houston TX – Continental Club – TICKETS
February 3 : San Antonio TX @ Lonesome Rose – TICKETS
February 4 : Austin TX @ Ballroom – TICKETS
I have a new song in the wild this week. “Sinker, Sinking” fell together in a Tulsa hotel room fairly quickly in 2021. It’s a pop song for the greater part, zeroing in on its subject’s hiding out as a storm builds outside. I guess it’s no stretch to suggest that the storm represents a kind of anxiety, and the hope is to zoom out, let the movements of the day occur naturally, and try to omit the waves of incessant worry. I knew I wanted the band to shine as the outro unfurled, and they certainly did.
“No Ordinary Crown” is my new full length LP, and it comes out courtesy of Keeled Scales on September 15. Vinyl and CD pre-orders are up and running via Keeled Scales or Undertow. There will also be a pink vinyl edition from Good Records limited to 200 copies, hand numbered, including an art print and baseball card.
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The Keeled Scales merch store will also include a classic diner mug, a gradient-printed silkscreen shirt, and mesh hats w/ sewn on patch. These new items will also be available from Undertow starting on August 16.
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The LP art and design elements were assembled by my dear friend Adam Young. Album layout by Helms Workshop. Merch designs by Maddy Underwood. New press photos by the great Todd Wolfson.
No Ordinary Crown was engineered and mixed by Britton Beisenherz at Ramble Creek, mastered by Jim Wilson, and played by Britton Beisenherz, Ricky Ray Jackson, Little Mazarn, Roberto Sanchez, and me.
Thank you for checking it. ♥️, -wj
Links to pre-order vinyl, cd, new merch and pre-save digital here…
https://lnk.to/willjohnson
Jason Isbell and I have gotten to make a whole bunch of racket, see a good number of touring miles, and sing a lot of songs together in various forms since 2004. As of this week I’ll be joining along on drums, percussion, guitars, backing vocals (and gong) as part of the 400 Unit for a bunch of touring through the rest of this year, and maybe even some more down the road.
Come hang with us this summer. If the Weathervanes release show on Friday was any sign of things to come, I think the joy buffet will be more than plentiful.
♥️, -wj
Will is headed out on tour in March and April, playing all acoustic shows in small capacity spaces.
BUY TICKETS:
https://undertowshows.com/collections/will-johnson
Wed March 22 : St Louis MO – SOLD OUT
Thur March 23 : Chicago IL – SOLD OUT
Fri March 24 : Detroit MI – SOLD OUT
Sat March 25 : Cleveland OH – SOLD OUT
Sun March 26 : Pittsburgh PA – SOLD OUT
Mon March 27 : Buffalo NY – SOLD OUT
Wed March 29 : Syracuse NY – SOLD OUT
Thu March 30 : Boston MA – SOLD OUT
Frid March 31 : Weehawken NJ – SOLD OUT
Sat April 1 : Philadelphia PA – SOLD OUT
Sun April 2 : Baltimore MD – SOLD OUT
Tue April 4 : Washington DC – SOLD OUT
Thu April 6 : Athens GA – SOLD OUT
Fri April 7 : Atlanta GA – SOLD OUT
Sat April 8 : Waverly AL – SOLD OUT
Sun April 9 : New Orleans LA – SOLD OUT
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Undertow Shows are intimate events hosted by fans in private spaces such as: living rooms, lofts, recording studios, coffee shops, museums, yoga studios, bike shops, churches, indoor skate parks, and more.
Each show is completely unique. We try to find the most accommodating spaces for both the artist and the fans. Things we always try to consider is: acoustics of the room, accessibility, available seating and proximity to parking and public transportation. It all adds up to a magical experience.
Thank you!
Presented by The Joe Pat Hennen Family and Dan’s Silver Leaf. Enjoy two nights under the desert stars listening to some of the best Texas connected music you’ll ever hear, no doubt. Ticket price does NOT include lodging. BYOB. BYOF. These lovely evenings take place in the beautiful environs of The Marathon Motel in Marathon, Texas. Spend your mornings and afternoons day trippin’ or just hangin’ out and relaxing. Music starts each night at 7pm. On Friday, Telecaster Slingin’, Honky Tonkin’ Mary Cutrufello & Trevor McSpadden will be kickin’ things off! Isaac Hoskins & The Glass Mountain Orchestra will finish up the night. Saturday night it’ll be Will Johnson, solo. Your co-hosts for both evenings will be Isaac Hoskins and Tex Bosley. Price of a ticket DOES include some complimentary beveraging. During both night’s shows, you’ll be enjoying the delicious beer provided by Denton County Brewing Co., brewed specifically for this event. Also, refreshing cocktails provided by Deep Eddy Vodka! Pass your bottle and pass what have ya!. This thing is called the Big Bender for a reason. There should be camping space available at the Marathon Motel ($) as well as rooms at The Gage ($$$$$) but you need to act now. Plenty of Air B & B action in town as well. Please join us for this VERY special weekend.
