John Leventhal, a name synonymous with musical excellence, embodies the rich tapestry of influences that shaped a generation of Baby Boomers. Like many of his peers, Leventhal’s musical DNA is imprinted with the sounds of his upbringing: the groundbreaking melodies of The Beatles, the intricate fingerpicking of Doc Watson and Chet Atkins, the raw blues of Howlin’ Wolf, the soulful grooves of Curtis Mayfield, and the country-infused rock of Clarence White. This diverse sonic palette has profoundly influenced his guitar playing and his overall musical sensibility. Though a lifelong New Yorker, John Leventhal’s guitar work possesses a rootsy, timeless quality, evoking echoes of bygone eras and distant landscapes.
Leventhal’s career is a testament to his versatility and talent. He has graced countless studio recordings with his masterful guitar work, penned songs that resonate deeply, and produced critically acclaimed albums for a stellar roster of artists. His production credits include his wife, the iconic Rosanne Cash, as well as luminaries like Shawn Colvin, Joan Osborne, Rodney Crowell, and soul legend William Bell, among many others. His contributions to the music industry have been recognized with five prestigious Grammy Awards, solidifying his place as a leading figure in contemporary music.
His journey with the guitar began in his senior year of high school when he acquired his first instrument—a Gibson J-50. (Sadly, it was stolen a year later). Since then, John Leventhal has amassed a remarkable collection of vintage acoustic guitars from esteemed brands like Gibson, Martin, and Guild, alongside classic electric guitars, most notably his signature Fender Telecaster.
John Leventhal’s production style is characterized by its clarity and sophistication. He is known for creating transparent sonic textures and employing instrumental parts with economy and precision. Beyond his guitar prowess, Leventhal frequently contributes bass, drums, keyboards, and percussion tracks to his productions, showcasing his multifaceted musical abilities. Rosanne Cash’s 2014 album, The River & the Thread, a recipient of three Grammy Awards, stands as a prime example of John Leventhal’s exceptional playing and refined production aesthetic. This landmark album was inspired by a road trip Cash and Leventhal undertook along Highway 61, tracing the musical and cultural artery from Memphis to New Orleans. The songs on The River & the Thread beautifully capture the essence of America’s Southern musical and cultural heritage.
I had the opportunity to speak with John Leventhal at his studio in Manhattan, shortly after he completed work on Cash’s album, She Remembers Everything, and just before their European summer tour.
It’s been said you picked up the guitar later than some, is that right?
Yes, my path to guitar was a bit delayed. Music always resonated with me, and I knew a few basic chords, but I didn’t get my first electric guitar until I was 20, during my senior year of college. Becoming a professional musician didn’t seem like a viable path until later in life. It was in my early 20s that I started seriously pursuing it. Facing the alternative of law school and joining my father’s practice, I decided to at least give music a try. It was sheer luck and perseverance that allowed me to make it a career.
Over the years, my approach to songwriting and collaboration has evolved to encompass every imaginable perspective. – John Leventhal
Was record production always part of your vision?
Producing records wasn’t initially in my plan. My first production credit was with Shawn Colvin in 1988. At that time, my focus wasn’t on becoming a producer. I was a musician driven to write songs and fortunate enough to connect with Shawn, and our collaboration just clicked. When her record achieved success and won a Grammy, the thought of producing more records became a possibility. However, my core desire was always to be a songwriter and have the opportunity to create albums featuring my own songs.
When you begin songwriting, what’s your typical starting point? A guitar riff, chord progression, or a melody?
Throughout my career, I’ve explored songwriting and collaboration from every conceivable angle. I’ve composed using guitar, piano, drums, and even just in my head. I’ve set music to existing lyrics and crafted music for lyrics written by others. I’ve also experienced the magic of spontaneous creation, sitting in a room with a collaborator and, through that synergistic process, writing something from scratch right there and then. There truly isn’t an approach I haven’t tried, and that’s a deliberate choice. There’s no benefit in restricting yourself to a rigid songwriting method. You have to open your mind and heart and hope that inspiration strikes.
How do you decide which guitar to use when you’re in the recording studio?
There’s no fixed method for choosing a guitar. I have certain guitars that I know are perfect for songs requiring a warm, rich strumming sound. If a part calls for elegant fingerpicking with a focused midrange, I have guitars suited for that as well. I have a deep appreciation for vintage acoustic guitars; they are my one indulgence, but I consider them essential tools of the trade.
What’s your approach to achieving exceptional acoustic guitar sounds, both in live performances and recordings?
For me, live performance and recording are completely different realms. The equipment and techniques are vastly different. In the studio, the goal is to capture your musical ideas and translate them faithfully to a recording through the microphone. This is different from playing live in a venue and projecting your sound and musical ideas to a large audience. I don’t take my vintage guitars on tour. For live gigs, I rely on a Collings OM and a Bourgeois OM. I use a Fishman Rare Earth soundhole pickup, which I run through a pedalboard including tremolo and delay, and then into a Fender amplifier. Additionally, I use an undersaddle pickup that goes directly to the sound system, and these two signals are blended equally. It’s not stereo, but the combination creates a very musical and satisfying live acoustic voice for me.
In the studio, I often reach for my 1944 Martin 000-21; it’s an exceptional recording guitar. For over a decade, my go-to microphone for recording acoustic guitars has been the Microtech Gefell UMT 70 S, a large-diaphragm condenser mic. I use it with a Geoff Daking preamp and an Empirical Labs Distressor for subtle compression to control the dynamics. Typically, I position the mic halfway between the soundhole and the point where the neck joins the body. Most of the time, I record acoustic guitars in mono, although I experimented with stereo recording on Rosanne’s latest album. Stereo recording of acoustic guitar can be complex, as it’s not how we naturally perceive guitars in real-world listening.
There’s no point in getting bogged down in a preconceived way of writing. – John Leventhal
Among my other prized guitars are a 1946 Gibson Southern Jumbo and a 1956 J-45. I also own a late 1930s J-35 and a 1962 J-50. Essentially, I have a Gibson dreadnought or jumbo from each decade between the 1930s and 1960s. They are all superb recording instruments, each possessing its own unique sonic character.
Can you share some insights into the evolution of your distinctive guitar style?
I had a crucial realization that my greatest strength was my individuality as a guitarist. I recognized that I had a somewhat unconventional approach to the guitar, and I felt it would be more beneficial to embrace and maximize that eccentricity, rather than trying to conform to someone else’s idea of what constitutes a good guitar player. This realization was transformative and empowering, guiding me on my path. I’m thankful I followed that instinct because it has led to a fulfilling and rewarding career.
[When asked to elaborate on the “eccentric” aspects of his style, John Leventhal demonstrated how he tucks the pick into his right hand, allowing him to mute strings with his thumb while fingerpicking with his other fingers, and then seamlessly switch back to the pick for greater articulation on bass notes or for strumming chords. He prefers a large triangular pick, a 1.5mm Dunlop Primetone Sculpted Plectra. With this pick, he explains, “It feels like I’m drawing the tone out of the string. I aim for a bit of a thump in the low end. I want to accentuate the low mids.”]
Do you and Rosanne typically tour as a duo?
We perform around 50 dates annually, sometimes as a duo, and sometimes with a band where I play both Telecaster and acoustic guitar. When we tour as a duo, I just bring an acoustic guitar. The duo format has evolved into something truly special. Audiences seem to enjoy it, the production costs are manageable, and it provides us with a good livelihood.
Could you tell us about Rosanne’s upcoming album at the time of this interview?
I produced half of it, and she co-produced the other half with Tucker Martine, a fantastic engineer from Portland, Oregon. Rosanne and I had collaborated closely on the previous couple of records, and she felt she needed a break from her headstrong and opinionated husband! We co-wrote some songs that I produced, and she wrote others independently and recorded them with Tucker. The album was scheduled for release in October.
What other projects are you currently involved in?
Rosanne and I have been collaborating on writing songs for a Broadway musical adaptation of the 1970s film Norma Rae. It’s a story about the unionization of textile factory workers in a Southern town. We were approached for this project after The River & the Thread gained significant attention and press. I believe our connection to the Southern setting of the story, through that album, was a factor in their interest.
Furthermore, Rosanne, Ry Cooder, and I launched a live project in May. It’s a wonderful band setup featuring guitars, bass, drums, and keyboards, with Ry and Rosanne sharing vocal duties. Working with Ry has been a career highlight for me, as he has been a profound influence on my musical journey. I’m also writing songs with Shawn Colvin, exploring the possibility of creating enough material for a new album. Additionally, I’m hoping to complete my own solo record by the end of this year.
This article was originally published in the November 2018 issue of Acoustic Guitar magazine.
