SHADY PINES

VOL. 2

Stream ON SPOTIFY

Thank you so much to the multi-talented @witchqueenart for my new friend! I’ll get another tattoo when pigs fly 🐷🪽

Thanks so much for everyone who came out to the Elysium festival this past weekend ✨

Always great to see and play with my buddies @nightspins and @carrierstheband . And great to hear the incredible songs of @gbrlbrnbm and @theadamlytle.

Thanks to

Wow. 7 whole years ago. They are all special but this one in particular.

The culmination of a series of dramatic events - losing mom, losing my mind, a chance encounter/hang and pep talk with Dave Chappelle, moving to Italy, getting kicked out of I

🚨SHOW ALERT🚨

ELYSIUM - Oct. 19th

It’s going to be a very special night under the stars in beautiful field in Ohio. So excited to get to play a hometown festival with some of my favorite people and bands on earth:

My good buds are coming i

🚨NASHVILLE!!!! I kept my calendar light this year BUT @americanafest and anything with my besties @keystoneartistconnect is written in permanent marker EVERY year. I can’t tell you much I can’t wait to see all my pals and hear everyone d

Friends, Heroes, and Random Fandom: A mix of songs and bands that are resonating with me this Summer. There are folks I’ve had the pleasure of playing with, bands/artists I’ve seen out, long (looong) drive discoveries and songs that are j

Cincinnati! A rare local show tonight @stanleys_pub! It’s a good excuse to have big time fun with @smalltimecriminalsband! We’ll kick it off around 9. Come beat the heat and chill this evening 🍻

Very excited to play the Songwriter Showcase at Burritofest at @cometbar this Sunday with a killer lineup of pals and familiar faces!

It’s one the handful of shows/events on the books for this year. Honestly, the break has been nice. I’

SXSW is a fever dream in the best way. An overstimulating, exhausting adventure of discovery and sound. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the enormity of venues and bands and events. I’ve found the best way to navigate it is a delicate bala

nicholas Johnson

Kentucky-born and based in Cincinnati, Ohio, singer-songwriter Nicholas Johnson’s story is not a typical one, including quiting his job and uprooting his life to move across the pond to Milan, Italy. Once there, he inadvertently began his music career in earnest by playing in cafes and bars along the canals of Navigli. From there, he was adopted and welcomed into the music scene and helped along by the likes of Andrea Rock (Virgin Radio), fellow expat Nic Cester (Jet), and many others.

His fourth release, the seven-track album spanning twenty-six minutes, Shady Pines Vol. 2 (Ninja Jam Records), Johnson follows-up 2017’s Shady Pines Vol. 1 to complete the vision he originally had for the two-part project.

Shady Pines Vol. 1 (Ninja Jam Records) was the first half of the collaboration that found Johnson teaming up with acclaimed producer and engineer Patrick Himes (Ryan Adams, Ethan Johns, Lilly Hiatt) with the goal in mind to craft a recording that matched the intensity of his live shows. The result is a fiery brand of roots and rock that manages to sound both achingly familiar and fiercely original.

Building upon Vol. 1, Shady Pines Vol. 2 combines his Southern and Midwest roots into a sound that is best described as Southern roots meets Midwest rust-belt rock: Heartfelt, earnest, melodic, and true to the soil he was raised on. Paying homage to the likes of Tom Petty, Jeff Tweedy, and even Bruce Springsteen, Johnson creates a rock record that has as much grit as it does polish.

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“A sound that is warm and full, with rich textures and absorbing musical layers. Cincinnati singer-songwriter Nicholas Johnson displays outstanding songcraft on the new single” - Americana UK

“The record sways from sounding like Whiskeytown, smooth LA sounds of the 70’s and rocking like a Midwestern Lucero. Standout is the shimmering, vulnerable “Sinner”. If you hear that song and don’t feel the naked emotion, then you have some work to do.” - Art Jipson, Tuesday Afternoon Alternative

“The first single “Sinner” is beautiful and soothing. “Back Upstate” has songs to make you cry, dance and sing, get in your car, take a long drive and it will be a perfect soundtrack and it will definitely be at the top of our playlist for a long time” - Feelin’ Alright Promo (UK)

“A beautiful, energetic mixture of fuzz and twang from one of the next great voices in Americana music” - Cincymusic.com

“Must listen…such an energetic sound!” - Radio 6023 (Italy)

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PREVIOUS PROJECTS

“Back Upstate” (Ninja Jam Records, 2020) - A COVID project in collaboration with Producer Rich Reuter that reimagined Johnson’s earlier works in a genre-hopping homage to his influences ranging from Americana to Brit Pop to Yacht Rock and more. The fun, free-spirited album is highlighted by the standout single, “Sinner”.

"This is Home" (Ammonia Records, 2019) is a high-spirited collaboration between Nicholas and Italian singer-songwriter and Virgin Radio personality, Andrea Rock. The split-album serves as a love letter to Johnson's adopted home of Milan, Italy and also a celebration of the winding roads and friendships that led him across the pond. The sound combines Johnson's Americana-based influences with Rock's background of traditional folk and lingering notes of punk peppered throughout.

“Shady Pines Vol. 1” EP (Ninja Jam Records, 2017) is the first release of the double EP project that had Johnson teaming up with acclaimed Producer and Engineer Patrick Himes (Ryan Adams, Ethan Johns, Lilly Hiatt) with the goal in mind to craft a recording that matched the intensity of his live shows. The result is a fiery brand of roots and rock that manages to sound both achingly familiar and fiercely original.

THIS IS HOME (2019)

SHADY PINES VOL.1 (2017)

BACK UPSTATE (2021)

SHADY PINES VOL.2 (2023)

Available on all digital formats

Ammonia Records (Italy)/ Ninja Jam Records (US)

UPCOMING SHOWS

2025

JAN 13 SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL NEWPORT, KY

JAN 30 OREGON EXPRESS DAYTON, OH

MAR 14 ARLYN STUDIOS (SXSW) AUSTIN, TX

MAR 28 TBA HARTFORD, CT

MAR 29 TBA BOSTON, MA

APR 13 RAMBLING HOUSE COLUMBUS, OH

APR 18 LAUNCH MUSIC CONFERENCE LANCASTER, PA

MAY 10 SOUTHGATE HOUSE REVIVAL NEWPORT, KY

MORE SPRING/SUMMER DATES COMING SOON

PAST Shows

2024

SEP 18 Americanafest Nashville, TN

JUN 21 Stanley’s Pub Cincinnati, OH

MAY 12 Burritofest Cincinnati, OH

MAR 16 Arlyn Studio (SXSW) Austin, TX

FEB 26 Beachland Tavern Cleveland, OH

2023

OCT 22 Kingsmeade High Wycombe, UK

OCT 21 Spiritual Bar London, UK

OCT 20 Holmfirth Tavern Holmfirth, UK

OCT 19 Lock 91 Manchester, UK

OCT 15 American Bar Belfast, UK

OCT 13 Hole in the Wall Kilkenny, IRE

SEP 20 Americana Fest @ Dee’s Lounge Nashville, TN

AUG 20 Parlour Providence, RI

AUG 19 Sleepwalker Brooklyn, NY

AUG 18 Dogwood Beacon, NY

AUG 17 Lucy’s Garage Pleasantville, NY

AUG 13 Bar Freda Queens, NY

AUG 11 Southside Works Pittsburgh, PA

AUG 10 Woodland Tavern Columbus, OH

AUG 4 Southgate House Revival Newport, KY

JUL 13 Blind Bobs Dayton, OH

APR 22 Oddfellows - Benefit for East Palestine, Ohio -

Cincinnati, OH

MAR 25 Mecca OTR Cincinnati, OH

MAR 24 The Bridge Music Bar Pittsburgh, PA

MAR 23 Blind Bobs Dayton, OH

MAR 22 Feinstein’s Indianapolis, IN GET TICKETS

MAR 21 TBA Nashville, TN

MAR 20 Queen City Shout Festival Springfield, MO GET TICKETS

MAR 19 Thelma’s Peach Tulsa, OK

MAR 18 SXSW Austin, TX

MAR 17 SXSW Austin, TX

MAR 16 SXSW Austin, TX

MAR 15 SXSW Austin, TX

MAR 14 SXSW Austin, TX

MAR 13 Stockyards Ft. Worth, TX

MAR 11 Rino Kansas City, KS

MAR 10 Kinkaider Brewing Omaha, NE

MAR 9 Aster Cafe Minneapolis, MN GET TICKETS

MAR 8 The Bur Oak Madison, WI GET TICKETS

MAR 7 Gibson Music Hall Appleton, WI

MAR 6 Space Chicago, IL GET TICKETS

MAR 5 Tip Top Deluxe Grand Rapids, MI GET TICKETS

MAR 4 Urban Artifact ALBUM RELEASE Cincinnati, OH GET TICKETS

MAR 3 The Monarch Louisville, KY GET TICKETS

2022

NOV 19 Mag Bar Louisville, KY

NOV 12 Trolley Stop Dayton, OH

NOV 10 Oddfellows Cincinnati, OH

OCT 9 Sweet Rust Distilling Legonier, PA

OCT 8 1700 Penn Pittsburgh, PA

SEP 25 Harmony Hill Vineyards Bethel, OH

SEP 17 Southgate House Revival Cincinnati, OH

SEP 14 Americana Fest Nashville, TN

AUG 11 Black Heath Meadery Richmond, VA

JUL 28 Southgate House Revival (Artist in Residence)

Newport, KY

JUL 25 The Garage at Lucy’s Pleasantville, NY

JUL 22 Newport Folk Fest Sideshow Newport, RI

JUL 20 Rockwood Music Hall New York City, NY

JUL 16 DATV LIVE Dayton, OH

JUL 15 Baker Square Summer Series Pittsburgh, PA

JUL 14 Southgate House Revival (Artist in Residence)

Newport, KY

JUL 7 Southgate House Revival (Artist in Residence)

Newport, KY

JUN 4 Dee’s Lounge Nashville, TN

JUN 3 The Monarch Louisville, KY

MAY 14 South Park Tavern Dayton, OH

MAY 13 Paddy’s on Main Covington, KY

APR 15 WDVX Blue Plate Special Knoxville, TN

APR 7 HiFi Lounge Cincinnati, OH

MAR 27 Devil Wind Brewing Xenia, OH

MAR 25 Rambling House Columbus, OH

MAR 19 SXSW (Rainey Street) Austin, TX

MAR 18 SXSW (SHHH Party) Austin, TX

MAR 17 SXSW (CherryFest) Austin, TX

MAR 16 SXSW (Tiny Van Showcase) Austin, TX

MAR 13 SXSW (ShowX/San Jac Showcase) Austin, TX

MAR 12 SXSW (ShowX/San Jac Showcase) Austin, TX

FEB 25 Northern Row Cincinnati, OH

FEB 4 Magnolia Bar Louisville, KY

JAN 22 Southgate House Revival - Bash for the Bluegrass: Benefit Concert for Western KY Newport, KY

JAN 15 Grog Shop Cleveland, OH

JAN 14 Northern Row Cincinnati, OH

2021

DEC 19 MOTR Pub Cincinnati, OH

DEC 9 Cobblestone OTR Cincinnati, OH

DEC 4 Findlay Market (Holiday Market)

Cincinnati, OH

DEC 3 Trolley Stop Dayton, OH

NOV 27 Bircus Brewing Ludlow, KY

NOV 23 AC Hotel Cincinnati, OH

NOV 20 Northside Tavern Cincinnati, OH

NOV 19 Be Here Now Muncie, IN

NOV 14 Second Sunday on Main Cincinnati, OH

NOV 12 Northern Row Brewery Cincinnati, OH

NOV 6 Hi-Fi Cincinnati, OH

NOV 5 South Park Tavern *BACK UPSTATE ALBUM RELEASE SHOW*

Dayton, OH

OCT 14 Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati, OH

OCT 14 Findlay Market Cincinnati, OH

OCT 2 Trolley Stop Dayton, OH

SEP 11 South Park Tavern Dayton, OH

SEP 9 Yellow Cab Tavern Dayton, OH

SEP 8 Fretboard Brewing Cincinnati, OH

SEP 4 Trolley Stop Dayton, OH

AUG 28 Southgate House Newport, KY

AUG 8 Great American Ballpark Cincinnati, OH

JUN 25 Philanthropub Cincinnati, OH

JUN 21 Hyde Park Square Cincinnati, OH

JUN 21 Sawyer Point Amphitheater Cincinnati, OH

MAY 22 Yellow Cab Tavern Dayton, OH

2020

STAY SAFE AND STAY THE F*@K HOME

2019

NOV 15 Bar Diamond Lugano, Switzerland

OCT 27 Spice of Life SOHO London, UK

OCT 26 Spiritual Bar London, UK

OCT 25 Fiddlers Elbow London, UK

OCT 23 The Rose & Monkey Manchester, UK

OCT 22 Fuel Cafe Bar Manchester, UK

OCT 21 Jacaranda Club Liverpool, UK

OCT 20 Radio Radio Berwick Upon Tweed, UK

OCT 19 Wangies Eccles, UK

OCT 18 Malaga Drift Manchester, UK

OCT 17 Santiago Bar Leeds, UK

OCT 16 Strathduie Bar Glasgow, UK

OCT 14 Whelans Dublin, Ireland

OCT 12 America Bar Belfast, N. Ireland

OCT 11 Hard Rock Cafe (supporting Tim Brooks)

Dublin, Ireland

SEP 28 Politeatro (HUMAN IN PROGRESS BENEFIT SHOW)

Milan, Italy

SEP 4 Tir Na Nog Bresso, Italy

AUG 22 Bellagio Blues Fest Bellagio, Italy

JUL 26 The Belmar Binghamton, NY

JUL 24 Mercury Cafe Denver, CO

JUL 21 MOTR Pub Cincinnati, OH

JUL 20 South Park Tavern Dayton, OH

JUL 20 OMEGA Records - In Store Show Dayton, OH

JUL 17 WYSO: Kaleidoscope Show Yellow Springs, OH

JUN 29 The Peacock Milan, Italy

JUN 22 Lungo La Strada Festival Landriana, Italy

JUN 7 Chemona Milan, Italy

JUN 6 Rock N’ Roll Club + Rho, Italy

MAY 26 Spaghetti Unplugged Milan, Italy

MAY 19 Ti Aspetto Sul Tetto Milan, Italy

MAY 18 Pogue Mahones Milan, Italy

MAY 16 Maiali Con le Ali Verraze, Italy

MAY 9 Loft + Trieste, Italy

MAY 8 Freakout Club + Bologna, Italy

MAY 7 Vinoria + Chiavari, Italy

MAR 17 Spirit De Milan (with Bock and the Sailors)

Milan, Italy

MAR 17 St. Paddy’s Day at Pogue’s Milan, Italy

MAR 16 Jameson Whiskey St. Patrick’s Night - Piu Superstudio

Milan, Italy

MAR 9 Rock N’ Roll Club (AMNESTY IN ROCK - BENEFIT SHOW FOR AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL)

Milan, Italy

MAR 8 Pogue Mahones (ALBUM RELEASE SHOW)

Milan, Italy

FEB 22 The Rabbit * Milan, Italy

* SOLO/ACOUSTIC SHOW

+ Supporting Tim Vantol

2018

DEC 10 Pogue Mahones (SOLO) Milan, Italy

NOV 23 Railroad Brewing Company Seregno, Italy

NOV 10 ROCK TOWN Cordenons, Italy

OCT 27 Pogue Mahones - 25th Anniversary Party (w/Bock and the Sailors, Andrea Rock, others)

Milan, Italy

OCT 06 Ca’ San Barto Boscalto, Italy

OCT 05 Shallo Milan, Italy

SEP 28 All’ 1e35 Circa* Cantu, Italy

JUL 24 The Meadowlark Denver, CO

JUL 18 The Belmar Binghamton, NY

JUL 13 Magenta Summer Festival Magenta, Italy

JUL 07 Fabbrica Del Vapore Milan, Italy

JUN 12 Ghe Pensi Mi Milan, Italy

MAY 12 Arnolds Cincinnati, OH

MAY 10 Southgate House Revival Newport, KY

MAR 04 GhePensi Milan, Italy

MAR 03 Rock n' Roll Club -Amnesty International Event- with ANDEAD and others
Milan, Italy

FEB 09 Tambourine Seregno, Italy

FEB 08 Ostello Bello Punk - Goes Acoustic Benefit Show
Milan, Italy

** Supporting Tim Vantol

* Supporting Erika Wennerstrom (Heartless Bastards)

Management/Booking:

Danielle Mashuda

Keystone Artist Connect: keystoneartistconnect@gmail.com

Press:

Alex Steininger

In Music We Trust

alex@inmusicwetrust.com

Label:

Ninja Jam Records

www.ninjajamrecords.com

Other Inquiries:

info@nicholasjohnsonmusic.com

blog

As an independent musician and an expat living abroad in Europe, I’m perpetually finding myself in the middle of a story. There’s always a new, unique experience, interesting person, or a cultural anecdote to share. So in the interest of preserving these experiences and presenting the world through a different cultural lens, I’ve decided to write about them. This is my space to share that part of my life: my crazy adventures on tour, interviews with fascinating and super-talented people, random stories, or just general music stuff.

Entry 1: “reasons and rewards”

Music is the most important gift I’ve been given. I’m not talking about talent. I simply mean the gift of music as an outlet; the ability to participate in the experience of sound and be transported. For me, it’s been my form of expression when I couldn’t speak. It’s served as a place to store my love, my fears and doubts, my rage and frustrations, or to explore my untethered thoughts - a release. It’s been my hideaway when the world was darkest and my escape from a tumultuous upbringing. It’s where I go when I’m at my happiest and what I’ve clung to when I’ve landed at the absolute bottom.

Music is a community. It’s my tribe. It’s where I’ve found my closest friends and kindred spirits. It’s without borders and language barriers; just a wave of energy passed from one human to the other. It’s where you can hand someone a ticket, pass through an entrance and forget everything else in the world for an evening.

My journey in music began at Edmonson County Middle School in sixth grade band class with a sorry-assed attempt to play trumpet. The first obstacle was that I had to rent one, much to my family’s chagrin. We were nowhere near wealthy. In fact, we were quite the opposite. In addition, we lived about an hour away from any music store. But the main objection was money. It was tight and you better believe my parents let me know about it; one more monthly expense. Thankfully for them, I fucking sucked at trumpet. It didn’t last one week.

“Play a low note,” Mr. Ulm, my band director, requested.

“BAAAAAA”. The trumpet blared uncontrollably.

“Play high”

“BAAAAAAA”. Identical to the first one.

“Play medium”

“BAAAAAAA”. Precisely like the other two.

“Go play percussion”, he said pointing to the back.

It turned out I wasn’t the next Louie Armstrong. So I handed over my trumpet and went to the back of the room with the big, booming bass drums and snare drums that stood nearly as tall as me. And that was my home for the next seven years. Playing in the rhythm section of concert bands, marching bands, and pep bands (drums sets, snares, tympanis, quads, xylophones, triangles, tambourines, etc.) consumed my young life and most formative years. And though I hated both middle and high school (and I mean absolutely fucking hated it), I loved band. It taught me structure and how to make myself better every day. It also taught me humility and how to work in harmony with others and be part of the whole. I’m lucky to have discovered these things as a young man and carry them forward through the rest of my life.

That’s partly why I forsook common sense and decided to do this for a career. It’s not for fame and damn sure not for fortune. I just love it…even when I hate it. And for those reading who may be contemplating this path…you better fucking love it. It’s filled with long nights of driving for a gig that pays maybe $25 and a bottle of beer and days filled with writing hundreds of emails and hustling to find the next opportunity to do it again. It’s a dark and noisy bar full of strangers looking up from their drunken conversations just long enough for me to give them a little piece of myself. That’s the reward sometimes; a smile and a nodding head. Every now and then, music is just an unspoken, gentle exchange of understanding and enough gas money to get to the next show. And that’s enough. That and maybe a shitty part-time job.