John Willis (musician)
John David Willis is an American guitarist and songwriter. He is best known for work as a session musician and as a songwriter for television and the video game industry.
Biography
John Willis was raised in St. Martinville, Louisiana. At age 15, he learned to play banjo and then guitar. At age 22, Willis moved to Los Angeles, where he studied guitar at the Guitar Institute of Technology. Upon graduation, Willis moved to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where he began playing guitar in sessions for Shenandoah, Brian McKnight, The Impressions, and others.Upon the suggestion of David Briggs, Willis moved to Nashville. Willis has been a supporting musician on albums by Shania Twain, Taylor Swift, Willie Nelson, and many others.
Willis" songs have been featured on television networks and video games. He produces projects and jingles in his Willisoundz recording studio.
In 2002, Willis won the Guitarist of The Year award from the Academy of Country Music.
Willis is married to animal rescue activist Stephanie Willis.
Discography
This section contains a partial list of albums Willis has contributed to.1983 - 1989
- 1983: Mac McAnally - Nothing But the Truth
- 1983: Percy Sledge - Percy!
- 1984: C. L. Blast - C. L. Blast
- 1984: Clarence Carter - Singing for my Supper
- 1984: Blaze Foley - Blaze Foley
- 1985: The Forester Sisters - The Forester Sisters
- 1986: The Forester Sisters - Perfume, Ribbons & Pearls
- 1986: The Kendalls - Fire at First Sight
- 1987: Alabama - Just Us
- 1987: The Forester Sisters - You Again
- 1987: T. G. Sheppard - One for the Money
1990 - 1994
- 1990: Matraca Berg - Lying to the Moon
- 1990: Robin Lee - Black Velvet
- 1991: Lionel Cartwright - Chasin' the Sun
- 1991: Billy Dean - Billy Dean
- 1991: Robin Lee - Heart on a Chain
- 1991: Randy Travis - High Lonesome
- 1992: Brian McKnight - Brian McKnight
- 1992: Michelle Wright - Now and Then
- 1993: Matraca Berg - The Speed of Grace
- 1993: Beth Nielsen Chapman - You Hold the Key
- 1993: Billy Dean - Fire in the Dark
- 1993: Barbara Fairchild - The Son in My Eyes
- 1993: Sammy Kershaw - Haunted Heart
- 1993: Toby Keith - Toby Keith
- 1993: Dude Mowrey - Dude Mowrey
- 1993: Shania Twain - Shania Twain
- 1993: The Winans - All Out
- 1994: BlackHawk - BlackHawk
- 1994: James House - Days Gone By
- 1994: La Toya Jackson - From Nashville to You
- 1994: Pat McLaughlin - Unglued
- 1994: Michelle Wright - The Reasons Why
1995 - 1999
- 1995: Lonestar - Lonestar
- 1995: Victoria Shaw - In Full View
- 1996: Terri Clark - Just the Same
- 1996: Jeff Foxworthy - '
- 1996: Ty Herndon - Living in a Moment
- 1996: The Kinleys - Just Between You and Me
- 1997: John Anderson - Takin' the Country Back
- 1997: Sheri Easter - Sheri
- 1997: LeAnn Rimes - '
- 1998: Terri Clark - How I Feel
- 1998: Billy Ray Cyrus - Shot Full of Love
- 1998: LeAnn Rimes - Sittin' on Top of the World
- 1998: The Wilkinsons - Nothing but Love
- 1998: Mark Wills - Wish You Were Here
- 1999: Faith Hill - Breathe
- 1999: Alan Jackson - Under the Influence
- 1999: Kris Kristofferson - The Austin Sessions
- 1999: Tim McGraw - A Place in the Sun
- 1999: Rosie O'Donnell - A Rosie Christmas
- 1999: John Rich - Underneath the Same Moon
2000 - 2004
- 2000: Chad Brock - Yes!
- 2000: Andrew Gold - The Spence Manor Suite
- 2000: Eric Heatherly - Swimming in Champagne
- 2000: The Kinleys - II
- 2000: Tracy Lawrence - Lessons Learned
- 2000: Jo Dee Messina - Burn
- 2001: Jewel - This Way
- 2002: India.Arie - Voyage to India
- 2002: Kenny Chesney - No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems
- 2002: Jude Johnstone - Coming of Age
- 2002: Shania Twain - Up!
- 2003: Gary Allan - See If I Care
- 2003: Wynonna Judd - What the World Needs Now is Love
- 2003: Blake Shelton - The Dreamer
- 2003: Rey Thomas - What If I Am
- 2004: Montgomery Gentry - You Do Your Thing
- 2004: Carolyn Dawn Johnson - Dress Rehearsal
- 2004: The Kinleys - All in the Family
- 2004: Gretchen Wilson - Here for the Party''
2005 - 2009
- 2005: Chris Cagle - Anywhere but Here
- 2005: Kenny Chesney - Be as You Are
- 2005: Kenny Chesney - The Road and the Radio
- 2005: Billy Currington - Doin' Somethin' Right
- 2005: LeAnn Rimes - This Woman
- 2005: Van Zant - Get Right with the Man
- 2005: The Wilkinsons - Highway
- 2005: Gretchen Wilson - All Jacked Up
- 2005: Chely Wright - The Metropolitan Hotel
- 2006: Rodney Atkins - If You're Going Through Hell
- 2006: Jamey Johnson - The Dollar
- 2007: John Anderson - Easy Money
- 2007: Brooks & Dunn - Cowboy Town
- 2007: Kenny Chesney -
- 2007: Van Zant - My Kind of Country
- 2007: Gretchen Wilson - One of the Boys
- 2008: Melonie Cannon - And the Wheel Turns
- 2008: Jill Johnson - Baby Blue Paper
- 2008: Willie Nelson - Moment of Forever
- 2008: Taylor Swift - Beautiful Eyes
- 2008: Taylor Swift - Taylor Swift
- 2009: Luke Bryan - Doin' My Thing
2010 - 2014
- 2010: Gary Allan - Get Off on the Pain
- 2010: Johnny Mathis -
- 2010: Jimmy Webb - Just Across the River
- 2011: Trace Adkins - Proud to Be Here
- 2011: Luke Bryan - Tailgates & Tanlines
- 2011: Billy Ray Cyrus - I'm American
- 2012: Kenny Chesney - Welcome to the Fishbowl
- 2012: Lionel Richie - Tuskegee
- 2013: Trace Adkins - Love Will...
- 2013: Alabama - Alabama & Friends
- 2013: Kenny Chesney - Life on a Rock
- 2013: Tracy Lawrence - Headlights, Taillights and Radios
- 2013: Kenny Rogers - You Can't Make Old Friends
- 2013: Blake Shelton - Based on a True Story...
- 2013: Tate Stevens - Tate Stevens
- 2013: B. J. Thomas - The Living Room Sessions
- 2014: Kenny Chesney - The Big Revival
- 2014: Bill Engvall - Ultimate Laughs
- 2014: Ray Price - Beauty Is... The Final Sessions
2015 - present
- 2015: T. Graham Brown - Forever Changed
- 2015: Reuben James Richards - About Time
- 2015: Kenny Rogers - Once Again It's Christmas
- 2015: Corey Smith - While the Gettin' Is Good
- 2015: Steve Tyrell - That Lovin' Feeling
- 2015: Aaron Watson - The Underdog
- 2016: Jason Aldean - They Don't Know
- 2016: Barrett Baber - A Room Full of Fighters
- 2016: Cody Johnson - Gotta Be Me
- 2016: Willie Nelson -
- 2017: Big & Rich - Did It for the Party
- 2017: Lee Brice - Lee Brice
- 2017: Amanda McBroom - Voices
- 2017: Jerrod Niemann - This Ride
- 2017: Michael Tyler - 317
- 2017: Gretchen Wilson - Ready to Get Rowdy