Personnel: Eric Johnson (vocals, classical, electric & lap steel guitars, piano, synthesizers); Amit Chatterjee (vocals); Jimmie Vaughan (guitar); Richard Kilmer, Bruce Williams, Jennifer Bourianoff, Anthony Stogner (strings); Scott McIntosh (trumpet); Steve Barber (Hammond B-3 organ, synthesizer); Kyle Brock, Roscoe Beck, Chris Maresh (bass); Bill Maddox (drums); Tommy Taylor (drums, percussion); Chris Searles, James Fenner (percussion); Christopher Cross (background vocals).

Recorded at Saucer Studios, Austin, Texas.

"Pavilion" was nominated for a 1997 Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance. "S.R.V." was nominated for a 1998 Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.

VENUS ISLE heralds the return of Zippo-waving, head-bobbing AOR and the larger-than-life guitar god. Eric Johnson is fully capable of accepting that lofty mantle. He combines dizzying dexterity with a harmonically advanced compositional style that encompasses progressive rock, blues and jazz fusion.

Disdaining the shred-and-burn approach favored by many of his peers, Johnson opts instead for an atmospheric, delicately textured sound on VENUS ISLE. This sonic featherbed is realized with the help of synth player Steve Barber, whose keyboard washes and arpeggios shadow Johnson's guitar throughout the album. Johnson himself contributes a fair amount of synth (triggered by both guitar and keyboards), a testament to the fact that he is a texturalist first and a chopsmeister second--though his storied axemanship is featured prominently on tunes like "Camel's Night Out" and "All About You." Johnson has put as much care into his arrangements, lyrics and composition as his guitar playing on VENUS ISLE. For a guitarist on his level, that's quite a bit of care.

Entertainment Weekly (9/6/96, p.76) - "...Here lies layer upon layer of pure, high-caloric sonic nourishment: fat, gorgeous melodies and hair-raising feats of digital (as in fingers, not bytes) dexterity." - Rating: A-