Gil's latest single "Can We Pretend" featuring legendary smooth jazz guitarist Doc Powell, will be released on February 7, 2025.
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"Can We Pretend", the new single from vocalist Gil Johnson, featuring legendary smooth jazz guitarist Doc Powell, was written by actress Denise Nicholas and recorded by her then husband Bill Withers.
"I have been listening to and singing that song for the past 50 years", says Gil. "I was riding in my car about 2 years ago when the song came on my playlist. My girlfriend said I should record the song and from there the process began. It is an honor to see it come into fruition."
Gil has released several singles on smooth jazz radio.
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Gil’s full length debut album titled “Sometimes A Man” is now available. Click on the songs to the right to hear samples.
The album features the radio singles “Wishful Thinking”, Gil’s lyrical interpretation of the classic Earl Klugh song, and “Keep On Walking”, a cover of the Gino Vannelli hit along with six other tracks recorded with an all-star cast of musicians including Tom Braxton, David Lee Spradley, Ron Otis, Al Turner, Randy Bowland, Al Duncan and more.
Gil’s debut album features the radio singles “Wishful Thinking”, Gil’s lyrical interpretation of the classic Earl Klugh song, and “Keep On Walking”, a cover of the Gino Vannelli hit along with six other tracks recorded with an all-star cast of musicians including Tom Braxton, David Lee Spradley, Ron Otis, Al Turner, Randy Bowland, Al Duncan and more.
$18.95 each includes shipping & handling.
“I grew up in Detroit, but I never really considered singing until I was as a freshman at Fisk University in Nashville. I became serious about it in 1977 when, after leaving Nashville, I met guitarist Earl Klugh. Earl had recently released his first album and there was song on the album called “ Wind and the Sea “. The first time I heard it I heard lyrics in my head. One day I wrote down and shared the lyrics with Earl and we’ve been friends ever since. Years later, I would record lyrics to Earl’s ”Wishful Thinking” and “Acoustic Lady.”
I grew up listening to all types of music. But Jon Lucien, Nancy Wilson, Terry Callier, and Karen Carpenter were vocalists that I listened to a lot along this journey.
After a career change in 2017, my wife (who passed in 2020) and I decided that I should give this lifelong musical passion, one good try. From that, my first album was born. Looking back, it was more an education than anything else. But much to my surprise, three radio singles on that album were well recieved on smooth jazz radio. There have been five radio singles since. Among them, “405” which featured the great Darren Rahn on saxophone.
It’s been an honor and a dream come true to have recorded in the last five years with the likes of Doc Powell, Ayron Lewis, Darren Rahn, Alan Palanker, D. Cooper Getschal, and Tom Braxton.”
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