NASHVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 30,
2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In June of 1972, Robert Johnson purchased a 1953 Les Paul Gold
Top guitar from a local Memphis
music teacher. That guitar eventually became known as
Jeff Beck's Oxblood Les
Paul.
After purchasing the Les Paul, Johnson had John Evans, the former Boxtops keyboardist,
modify the pickups & bridge & Tom
Keckler spray painted the guitar at Strings & Things
Music Store using auto-paint to match Johnson's 1960
Oxblood shoes.
Johnson did not like the color or the guitar & put the
guitar on consignment.
On November 7th 1972, Johnson
drove to Little Rock to see his
friend Billy Gibbons & ZZ Top
open a show for Beck, Bogart & Appice, all acquaintances of
Johnson. Johnson sold Beck a 1967 Fender guitar in 1971 & had
played a studio session with Beck previously in NYC.
Beck asked Gibbons & Johnson about any good guitars for
sale. Johnson replied that he had seventeen, including the
Oxblood Les Paul at Strings & Things.
Beck had a friend take him to Strings & Things the next day.
Beck loved the Oxblood Les Paul & his manager bought it.
On January 31st 1975, Johnson saw
Jeff Beck and the Oxblood Les Paul
together. Johnson & Beck had both been invited to a
recording session with The Rolling Stones in Holland, unaware that the other would be
attending. Jagger invited Johnson & Richards invited Beck,
neither told each other. Beck's primary guitar at the
session was the Oxblood Les Paul. Beck & Johnson played on
several tracks. Neither Johnson nor Beck could have imagined that
the guitar would sell for 1.3 million
dollars. Beck & Johnson played together for 2 days.
From 1970-1976, Johnson sold guitars to British & American
Rock Stars including, Marc Bolan,
Andy Powell & Ted Turner (Wishbone Ash), Leslie West, Ronnie
Montrose & and over 100 guitars to Guitar Village &
Top Gear in London.
Johnson is currently producing Billy
Gibbons on the missing 1971 Albert King Stax record album,
featuring the Muscle Shoals Swampers. Johnson is also remixing a
live 1973 Lynyrd Skynyrd recording he engineered in
Memphis. Both projects will be released by Regent Sound
Records Summer 2025. Johnson is also working with Ann Wilson & Tanya
Tucker.
Interview by writer-musician
Hulley Gulley
hulleygulley@gmail.com
www.hulleygulley.com
https://www.regentsound.com/
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SOURCE Regent Sound
