New Album: Gerald Johnson, Whatcha Gonna Do Now

Solo album from bass legend Gerald Johnson (Steve Miller, CSN, Dave Mason, etc.)…

After nearly 50 years of playing alongside other artists, bassist Gerald Johnson stepped into Seattle’s Robert Lang Studios to record something of his own. Working with engineer/producer Chris Rahm (Chris Cornel, Natalie Merchant), Johnson brought in longtime friend Alvino Bennett (Dave Mason, Slash) to track a series of songs that Gerald had written over the years. Once complete, he shared the recordings with close friend, Mike Finnigan (Jimi Hendrix, CSN, Bonnie Raitt) to track various keys and Shane Fontayne (Joe Cocker, Bruce Springsteen, Marc Cohn) to add guitar.

The album, Whatcha Gonna Do Now, draws listeners in with writing that provides a sense of wisdom and wit, both lyrically and musically. The songs capture his authentic personality; balancing confidence, humility, insight, and charm that come through naturally. As expected, his bass is prominent in the mixes, but not in a way that feels forced. Rather Gerald’s bass is an extension of himself, so he uses it the way a typical singer/songwriter would use a guitar or piano; crafting chords and fills that serve the story he is telling. With this established, the other instruments fall right into place. Mike Finnigan’s work on keys are extraordinary, as songs like Turn Away from Danger and Where Do We Go From Here melt the signature sounds of these notorious musicians together into something truly authentic and captivating.

Whatcha Gonna Do Now is streaming now on Spotify, Apple Music & iTunes and Amazon Music. Limited edition Vinyl and CDs will be available for order in March 2023.