At 7, Steve Johnson started playing guitar after his Uncle Mickey played an electric guitar for him. Steve grew up in California playing in rock/blues bands until moving to Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1982 where he met Albert Collins, Willie Dixon, Luther Allison, Duke Robillard, Johnny Winter, among others. After moving to New York City in 1983, Steve formed The Tanks, a blues power trio, that recorded and independently released 3 albums.

In 1994 Steve won the prestigious Guitar Player Magazine's "Ultimate Guitar" award for best blues guitarist. In 1995  he signed a 3-album deal with Virgin Records. Each album was followed by a US and/or European tour. In 2000 Steve signed a 5-album deal with Dixiefrog, the top European Blues label. In 2008 Steve signed with the New Jersey based, digital label ACM Records to write and place original music in  movies and television worldwide. All album recordings and tours were played with Clifford McComas (drums) and Mark Pavlica (bass).

A new band formed with bassist Alvin Harrison and vocalist/drummer Dave Hirschberg. The band called themselves High-5 which left two open spots for friends that showed up to jam. Eventually a horn section was added to High-5 with the addition of Julie Sax (alto sax), Rob Chaseman (tenor sax), and Luis "Loudmouth" Camacho (trumpet/vocal).

After moving to Los Angeles in 2015, Steve started playing with his old friend from the Ann Arbor blues days, Brophy Dale. Currently Steve is holding down the guitar chair for Paul Navidade's Orange County Big Band, and Bill Blackwell's Sons of Thunder Big Band. 

Over 40 years as a musician, Steve Johnson has played with Paul Butterfield, Johnny Copeland, Paul Schaeffer, Albert Collins, Little Jimmy King, Jaco Pastorious, Fernando Saunders, Tony Smith, Leslie West, Little Mike, Hubert Sumlin, Nikki Armstrong, Rob Paparozzi, Popa Chubby, Big Ed Sullivan, Jon Paris, Brophy Dale, Bill Perry, and Michael Hill.