Banner Johnson - Gasoline and Purple Weed

​Banner Johnson

Gasoline and Purple Weed
self-released; 2024

​By ​Dino DiMuro

Country music artist Banner Johnson of North Carolina has just released a new album provocatively titled Gasoline and Purple Weed. That phrase is a line from his single “The Road is Callin’” and harkens back to his travels after high school, along with the stress of dealing with a 2005 tour in Baghdad with the help of medicinal Marijuana. The full album features 14 original songs and is available on Spotify.

Banner Johnson (Marty Coolidge to his friends and family) hopes to “redefine country music by taking it back to its traditional roots, with a sprinkle of soul.” With a musician father, and having himself written songs from an early age, Johnson was influenced by a wide array of country artists including Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney, Brooks & Dunn and Sawyer Brown. Among his rock and blues influences are Tom Petty, The Doors, Muddy Waters and B.B. King. Johnson asserts: “My music may not be for everyone, but it's for someone, and it takes a very special person to be that someone."

“Old Friend” immediately casts a spell and establishes a mood almost totally based on acoustic guitar, vocal and spare production (kick drum and claps). Not so much country as dark folk, Johnson says this song pays homage to Homer, New York. “It’s a reminder to be thankful for where you came from.” Johnson keeps memories of that small town in his metaphorical back pocket, knowing those experiences helped shape the person he’s become. Musically the guitar chords are beautiful but with a certain foreboding, along with some eerie distant vocal harmonies as the song progresses.

With “I See You” Johnson scoots right up close to the vocal mic, so that there’s little separation between singer and listener. This one’s a bit more traditional country, but almost totally thanks to the amazing background electric guitar that underlines and comments on the lyrics. It has a slide guitar tonality without actually sliding; I think it’s all technique! Further along we have a second, lovely lead vocal by “Phoebe” and what might be a Dylan-like organ. This song was inspired by Banner’s travels bringing him “experience with many different cultures, with a few loves and heartbreaks along the way.”

“Hello Stranger” takes us even deeper into country territory, given the presence of lap steel, tremolo guitar and the twang in Johnson’s voice. You’d never guess but this song is said to reflect Johnson’s time in Baghdad. I love how lyrically Johnson switches to “goodbye stranger” by the end. “Annie O’i Dunno” features a spooky fiddle, cello, tentative percussion and an almost whispered vocal by Johnson. The song’s title is a brilliant interpolation of “Annie, oh, I don’t know.” This one really gave me the feels! “Cold” is said to illustrate Johnson’s similarity to both Wynonna Judd and Garth Brooks. I can’t confirm that but this track’s got a lot more going on production-wise, beefed up with handclaps and solid drumming and adding harmonica, keys, resonator guitar and more. It’s much more of a wall-of-sound production for sure! Lyrically there’s mention of the Devil and Sinners and Cold Ladies. “Party Again” appropriately brings in fuzz rock guitars for a unrestrained blues-rock slammer, and the mixture of acoustic and electric gittars reminded me of the Allman Brothers.

“Health Camp Road” is a familiar reference for the folks of Homer, and is apparently where Johnson and his close friends spent a lot of time in high school. This is a languorous folk tune bathed in bittersweet fiddle and sweet vocal harmonies. “The Wicked Ways” has a similar minor-key vibe, with crispy resonator guitar melodies bathed in reverb with a constant, eerie background whine. The somber mood fits a song about a Navy friend of Johnson’s who struggled with addiction. But as if to close out a small trilogy, “My Saving Grave” is a sweet, optimistic tome about Johnson meeting his wife after his Baghdad tour, who thus became his saving grace. I’m so glad he included this upbeat track as we all needed it! “Baby, you saved me.”

“The Road is Calling (Gasoline and Purple Weed)” is sort of the title track, and as previously mentioned has to do with restless travel and Marijuana helping Johnson through a sort of PTSD after the military. As Johnson says: "Marijuana is not a drug, it's medicine, it's a life-changer. There's so much hate, violence, lies, and just plain negative energy in our country, why not escape? Why can't we all get high and get along?!" If anything this track is even more celebratory than his love song, as it portrays a man coming out of depressing fog into a more joyous “fog.” Sort of the flip side of “Weed, Whites and Wine” by Little Feet.

​In all honesty I’m not a pure country fan, though I love bluegrass and what’s now called Americana. Johnson also says he hates current country radio, saying it’s all about bros, trucks, dirt roads and fishing. He wants his brand of country to reflect true life, and he’s certainly done that here. I loved this album!

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