Wilko Johnson 1947-2022

The unlikely guitar hero who had a style like no other - and wielded his Tele like a machine gun

- By Amit Sharma

On November 21, 2022, Wilko Johnson passed away at the age of 75. The Essex-born guitarist and singer was best known for his role in Dr. Feelgood, with his electrifying guitar work on celebrated tracks such as Back In The Night, Roxette and She Does It Right, and his unique on-stage persona. As Paul Weller once commented: “Wilko may not be as famous as some other guitarists, but he’s right up there. And there are a lot of people who’ll say the same. I can hear Wilko in lots of places. It’s some legacy.”

Wilko was born John Peter Wilkinson on July 12, 1947 in Canvey Island, Essex, and discovered guitar almost by accident. As he told TG: “One day, I saw an electric guitar at school, and I was fascinated. I didn’t know anything about music, I just liked the look of this thing. I’m left-handed, so my first electric – I don’t remember its name – was left-handed. But it was terrible. The action was about an inch above the fretboard, so every time you tried to play a note, you got this kind of Chine

Nevertheless, he played in several local bands before studying English Language And Literature at the University Of Newcastle upon Tyne. He then went travelling in India before returning to Essex to perform in the Pigboy Charlie Band, which became the foundation for Dr. Feelgood to form in 1971.