Guitarist and Producer Robert Johnson Reflects on Jeff Beck’s Oxblood Les Paul, 50 Years of Music History, and Upcoming Projects.
Los Angeles, United States, 11th Feb 2025, – Guitarist and producer Robert Johnson discusses his history with Jeff Beck’s OXBLOOD Les Paul guitar, (which just sold for $1,315,708) & the 50th anniversary of Beck & Johnson playing together on the Rolling Stones’ Black & Blue Sessions in Rotterdam.
In June 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 colour of 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 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, but neither told the 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, Robbie Krieger, Andy Powell & Ted Turner (Wishbone Ash), Rory Gallagher, Leslie West, Ronnie Montrose, John Entwistle & 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 in the Summer of 2025. Johnson is also working with Gail Clifton, Little Anthony, Ann Wilson & Tanya Tucker interviewed by writer-musician
Hulley Gulley
Writer-Musician
to view photos for this press release click here: https://postimg.cc/gallery/zqY3gJQ
Media Contact
Organization: Regent Sound
Contact
Person: Hulley Gulley
Website:
https://www.regentsound.com/
Email:
sirhulleygulley@gmail.com
City: Los Angeles
Country:United States
The post Robert Johnson and Jeff Beck’s Oxblood Les Paul: Celebrating 50 Years Since Their Rolling Stones Collaboration appeared first on
Brand News 24.
It is provided by a third-party content
provider. Brand News 24 makes no
warranties or representations in connection with it.
Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No State Today USA journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.
