Dean Johnson^US

As soon as you hear Dean Johnson sing, you feel like his wistful country voice has been with you your whole life. And yet, incredibly, he released his first solo album, Nothing for Me, Please, last year! 

The album was released on his own 50th birthday, and you can hear that these are songs coming from someone with solid life experience. Musically, the Seattle-based songwriter is also experienced, having played with a wide range of acts in the alternative country scene, as well as being a regular in the band The Sons of Rainier. But until last year, the humble and hard-working musician kept a low profile while making a living as a bartender. 

Luckily for the rest of us, Johnson is now stepping into the spotlight with his beautiful country melodies, reminiscent of Townes Van Zandt in their melancholic tone. As a songwriter, Johnson has a rare poetic sense for portraying quiet existences who would rather mumble their sorrows into a glass than shout them out. Still, the songs vibrate with a longing for intimacy and tenderness, and the understated romantic tone is lifted by Johnson's poignant tenor, which can melt any cold heart. 

Drawing on an almost archetypal Americana, Johnson creates ballads that speak of deep and universal human emotions. Be prepared to shed a tear when one of contemporary country music's most powerful singers and songwriters visits Roskilde.