Once you hear Gary “Arizona” Johnson I think you will enthusiastically agree with me he is, bar none, one of the very best Cowboy recording artists in the southwest today.
Blessed with a rich baritone voice and a smooth western style, Johnson’s velvety vocals will remind you of Don Williams and Roger Whitaker. His love of western and country music takes us back to simpler times and days gone by when singing cowboys like Roy Rogers, Rex Allen, Gene Autry, and Vaughn Monroe ruled the box-office and the airwaves.
With a voice similar in timber to Vaughn Monroe, Johnson’s dulcet tones harkens us back to those Saturday matinée western movies and radio days of the late 1940’s and early 1950’s when Western music was king and the cowboy was the iconic American hero. His newest CD, Songs of the Wild West, includes songs from the 1960’s and 70’s when radio DJs were allowed, and even encouraged, to play good music from any genre. Within the first few notes, you will frequently find yourself singing along.
People in the know today claim that Johnson is one of the best singers of the cowboy music genre living in the 21st Century.
Cowboy Artist and Actor Buck Taylor of motion picture and television fame exclaimed that Johnson’s rendition of Blue Shadows on the Trail “is the best version I’ve ever heard.”
Although he is no relation, the late Oscar Winning Cowboy and Stunt man Ben Johnson was heard to say about Gary’s voice, “Now that Cowboy can flat out sing!”
Gary Marshall Johnson performs at the Arizona Biltmore, The Phoenician Resort, The Hyatt Gainey Ranch Resort, Marriott’s Camelback Inn, Rancho De Los Caballeros Guest Ranch, the Flying E Guest Ranch, Merv Griffin’s Wickenburg Inn Guest Ranch and Griffin’s Scottsdale Hilton Resort.
So saddle up and have a listen to Gary’s music and see if you agree with the experts that he is one of the best western singers today.
Gary Lewallen
Co-Executive Producer
Songs of the Wild West
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