Kit's Bio

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Kit Johnson relocated in Calgary in 1999 after 27 years playing music in Toronto and has since been working in Calgary's recording and live music scenes as well as continuing to tour and play with some of Canada's top musicians.  In Toronto, Kit played extensively with some of the country's finest roots, country and rock acts and has backed up many international artists on stage and in the studio over the last 30 years.  After his relocation, Kit has continued to tour with artists like Murray McLauchlan and Charlie Major and his long-time friend and musical mentor David Wilcox as well as playing and recording with many different Alberta artists. He has also appeared onstage in musical theatre productions including the show 'Fire' for Theatre Calgary and 'Oh Canada, What a Feeling' for Annerin Productions.

Solid 'no-nonsense' bass playing is Kit's forte though he is also an award winning songwriter, a record producer and a guitar player.


    Kit's first gig- January 1968- Kit at 16


  • MUSICIAN

    • RECORDINGS
      • with DAVID WILCOX
        • 'My eyes Keep me In Trouble', 1983 (Platinum record)
        • 'Bad Reputation', 1984 (Gold record)
        • 'Best of David Wilcox', 1986 (Gold record)
        • 'Over 60 Minutes with David Wilcox', 1988 (Platinum Record)
        • '13 Songs', 1995
        • 'David Wilcox Too', 1996
        • 'Rockin' the Boogie', 2002
      • with MURRAY McLAUCHLAN
        • 'Swinging on a Star', 1988
        • 'Modern Age', 1991
      • with WILD STRAWBERRIES
        • 'Bet you Think I'm Lonely', 1994
        • 'Heroine', 1995 (Gold record)
      • with AMOS GARRETT
        • 'Amos Behavin', 1982
        • 'Return of the Formerly Brothers', 1987 (Juno Award Winner)
      • plus recordings with
        • Tom Cochrane
        • Jo El Sonnier
        • Christopher Ward
        • Ellen McIllwaine
        • Ken Whitely
        • Willie P. Bennett
        • Gene McLelland
        • Johnny D. Fury
        • Big Sugar
        • and many others


    • LIVE CREDITS
    •  Big Sugar

      • all the above artists PLUS
        • Chris de Burgh
        • WCMA performance with Corb Lund, 2003
        • Theatre Calgary's production of "Fire", 2004
        • Musical director and performer, "Hank Williams - The show He Never Gave" 2005
        • Calgary Choral/Revv52 at The Jack Singer Concert Hall, 2003, 2004, Jubilee Auditorium 2007, Grace Church 2009,2010, 2011
        • 33rd year as bass player in Edmonton Folk Music Festival House Band, Aug 2018
        • George Fox
        • Big Sugar
        • Charlie Major
        • Kate and Anna McGarrigle
        • Sylvia Tyson
        • Kevin Welch
        • Solomon Burke
        • Doug Sahm
        • Taj Mahal
        • Lowell Fulsom
        • Jack de Keyser (2002 Juno winner)
        • Lynn Miles (2002 Juno winner)
        • bass player on CBC's popular weekly interview/performance songwriter show "SWINGING ON A STAR" with Murray McLauchlan, 1989 -1994. Accompanied 250+ guests including Joni Mitchell, Sarah McLachlan, Tom Cochrane, Richard Thompson, Kim Mitchell, Loreena McKennitt, Gord Downie of the Tragically Hip, The Rankins, Kashtin, Crash Test Dummies, Jann Arden




  • SONGWRITER

    •  Socan Awards 2004

      SOCAN Classic Song Award, Toronto, Nov. 2004 commemorating 100,000 plays of 'Lover of Mine'

    • Co-writer, 'Lover of Mine' with Alannah Myles, SOCAN Song of The Year, 1991
    • Co-writer, 'Countryman (Freedom From War)" Electric Caravan 2009',
    • Writer, 9 songs from "Pretty Lies" Kit Johnson
    • Co-writer, 10 songs from 'Bet You Think I'm Lonely' album, Wild Strawberries
    • Co-writer, 'Fire Escape' with Sarah Harmer
    • Writer, 'Sad Sad Song', Toronto band Compass
    • Co-writer, 12 songs, 'Music of the 80s', Bag of Toys
    • Writer, 'Lotta Bull', from 'Rivers And Rails" 2007
    • Writer, 10 songs, from eponymous "Pretty Lies" 2009



  • PRODUCER

  •                  In the Studio

    • Laurene "Give It Time" producer 2012
    • Mike Hanes "Famous Addiction" producer 2011
    • Pat Zawalykut "Night Train to Nowhere" producer 2011
    • Electric Caravan "Countryman (Freedom From War)" producer 2009
    • Kit Johnson, "Pretty Lies" producer 2009
    • Mike Stack, '98 Years', producer 2008
    • Darren Johnson 'Close To Home,' producer 2007
    • 'Hwy 63', producer, 2006
    • music producer, writer and performer, for the sound track for documentary film"Peacemaking in Progress", with Arthur Kent, 2006
    • music producer, writer and performer, for the sound track for short film"Home In Alberta", which saw theatrical release in 2005
    • Tom Phillips, 'High Flyer', producer, 2004
    • Steve Pineo, 'Around the Horn', co-producer, 2003
    • Mike Stack, 'I Need Wheels', producer 2001
    • Mean Steve Piano, 'Wreck', producer 1998
    • Bag of Toys, 'Music of the 80s', producer 1997
    • Wild Strawberries, 'Bet You Think I'm Lonely', mixer, 1994
    • Murray McLauchlan, 'Swinging on A Star', co-producer, 1988
    • numerous demos for various artists in Calgary and Toronto


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