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RONNIE JOHNSON'S FIRST LIGHT
 First
Light
was formed by Ronnie Johnson and Geoff Dunn following their long
association with Van Morrison as Guitarist/Musical Director and Drummer
/ Percussionist respectively. The band has toured to critical acclaim in
Europe and North America, with their first album being voted critics
choice in the US magazine ‘Guitar’.The group’s music is described by the
international press as ‘uncommonly melodic’.
Their
latest CD, ‘Field Day’, was recorded at various locations around the
world and mixed by the legendary Jan Erik Konshaug at Rainbow Studios
Oslo.
Ronnie
Johnson
was born and bred in Richmond Surrey. Discovered by film and
screenwriter Richard Lester in local primary school. Consequently cast
in “The Knack” with Rita Tushingham, and “A Hard Days Night” featuring a
small time rockin’ combo called ‘The Beatles’. Ronnie went on to
appear in “Oliver” and then a BBC situation comedy featuring the great
Ian Carmichael.
On
leaving school went to play at ‘The Speakeasy’ club in
London, where members of the Van Morrison band recommended him to Warner
Bros records with whom he signed.
He
left to work in
America with singer Paul Williams, and on return to England auditioned
and joined Georgie Fame's group, during which time he met Geoff Dunn and
they began working together. He met Roy Shipston through mutual friends
and together they worked on the Peter Green records.
He
recorded his solo album for Andrew Brel’s Bridge Recordings with John
Edwards and Charlie Morgan, and went on to a fruitful relationship with
Van Morrison as Guitarist/Musical Director for nine years. This period
included Geoff Dunn as drummer during which the notable hghlights were
“A Night In San Francisco”, “Days like This”, “Healing Game”, “Too Long
in Exile”, as well as projects with Sting, Bob Dylan, Joe Cocker, and
“The Blessing”.
Geoff Dunn
was born in London, started playing drums at age 10 in his grandfather's
dance band, in his teens he first started to make a name playing with
Incognito, recording their first two, “now cult” albums, then on to play
with many of the Brit Funk bands of the time, such as: Junior, Central
Line, Morrissey/Mullen, and US soul acts: Shalamar, Jermaine Stewart.
Jazz acts: Spyro Gyra, Georgie Fame. Rock acts: Jimmy Page, Eric Burdon,
amongst others,
The
80’s saw him working with Feargal Sharkey and Dave Stewart, Andrew
Roachford, Kim Wilde, Terence Trent D’arby, whom he recorded and toured,
also playing at the Grammy’s and just about every high profile TV show
in the USA. Paul Young, Zucchero, Randy Crawford, 10cc, Ashley Maher and
Q magazines darling band, The Blessing.
In the
early 90’s he joined Van Morrison stepping in at a days notice,
recording four CDs and numerous other tracks with the man, being a major
contributor to his music.
TOO
LONG IN EXILE, LIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO, DAYS LIKE THIS, HEALING GAME,
While playing with Van Morrison he got to play with some of the great
artists of our time.
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