I've seen Eric 3 or 4 times.  After each of those shows - for at least a week or two - I walk around telling people that he's the best I've ever seen.  This happens with Tommy Emanuel, too.  😉   I don't usually go for "processed" guitar sounds, but he's an awesome player!

Yes I've watched an Eric Johnson rig rundown and he has a lot of pedals.  Eric has a beautiful cherry burst Les Paul he uses on certain songs but he is so processed it sounds so similar to his Stratocasters. His Cliffs of Dover tone on his old 54 Stratocaster almost sounds like a concert violin. 

Speaking of Tommy Emanuel,  here he is with Molly Tuttle with an old truck driving song in high gear.

Hot picking from Tommy and Molly.

I believe I read that Eric recorded "Cliffs of Dover" on a Gibson ES-335.

Oh that is interesting Rusty. I've seen him twice but years ago. Once was an amusement park.  He did play a very pretty cherry burst Les Paul on a song and the second show I saw Eric did use an ES-335 on a song too but the rest of the songs were Stratocasters including Ciffs of Dover like this one. 

I don't know this group doing All Along The Watchtower.  Almost turned it off as I wasn't sure the guitar player would really hit me good. But he REALLY gets going on that red guitar in the last 3rd of this. 

@robertdee  Howie G.  Don't know who he is.  Band called P.L.O.T.  I thought they were Mahogany Rush for a minute.  He scalds!  https://www.howieg.co.uk/

Oh Rusty! Thank you. Howie G is who is singing and playing so fine on the video above then. I found some other videos of him and he is a good player. Used different guitars. Another Strat on a slow blues and a nice sounding Gold Top Les Paul on the other two I enjoyed. Never heard of Howie before.

Wow man!!! Just watching and listening to Howie G again and he DOES SCALD on All Along The Watchtower in the video above. He is smoking hot in the last half and decent singing too. And to me he has Hendrix's tone on Jimi's studio version nailed. 

I had never heard of Howie G from England before until just 3 days ago.

Everyone needs to check out the video once as Howie is smoking hot.

Might be a couple of places where he misses his place but not sure. But he is playing some real fine rock electric guitar.  As Rusty said. "HE SCALDS!!"

I can't even figure out what his real name is ... Howie G.  He can certainly play, though!

Not to marginalize his skills ... AT ALL - because he's an incredible player - he is pretty much imitating something that has been invented by another player.  The same thing happened after Duane Allman.  Suddenly, there seemed to be an onslaught of slide guitar players.  I KNOW that Duane didn't INVENT slide guitar - but he sure brought it to the forefront of rock and roll guitar playing.  His style bled over into what I call, "modern country pop".  You hear a lot of Duane-ish sounding slide on modern C&W songs ... then the "sangin'" starts!  😉 

I read an interview with Warren Haynes right after Eddie Van Halen died.  He pointed out that right after Van Halen came around that there were suddenly hundreds of clones and copy-cats - with most of them falling short of the original item. The types of electric guitars being sold even changed!  A lot of 'Strat style bodies with only ONE knob!  

There have been several players of various styles who just re-routed the flow of music.  Chuck Berry, Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, Duane, Eddie Van Halen ... there have been several who inspired many other GREAT players.

I've seen some guys on local levels who can get real close to the licks of all the aforementioned players.  Like Howie G. - they're all incredibly amazing players!  For me, it's the INVENTION of the style that merits the most attention.

But Howie G. can scald!  No doubt, he can!  

with reference to the original post... Eric Johnson is simply an incredible player, not much to debate there... the singer I could have done without.

@robertdee

Wow...That was great!  Not only is the guitarist smoking in this  clip, but the whole band. Great rhythm section and the acoustic guitar adds a nice component to the overall sound in a bright and subtle way if that makes sense....

Just finished watching this. It is 4 short clips from a performance in London and he is scalding.  2nd and 3rd clips he is playing a really road worn Goldtop Les Paul. Last clip is killer and Howie is scorching hot on a Telecaster. 

But as Rusy said, does he have his own style?

Hot player though.  Very good.