Johnny Hastings

Johnny Hastings is a Black Hills–based guitarist and songwriter who has become a steady presence across stages in Rapid City and the surrounding region.

He plays year-round, often several nights a week, moving between solo sets, full-band shows with Johnny Hastings & Stillhouse Down, and collaborative work with other groups. That range shows up in the rooms he plays—bars, ticketed venues, outdoor series—and in the way different audiences have come to recognize his name.

Hastings’ playing is rooted in blues, but his current work stretches into Americana and songwriter-driven material. His live shows often lean on extended guitar work, while his recent recordings pull in lower tunings, layered arrangements, and a more personal approach to writing.

He studied guitar performance in Los Angeles after high school, then returned to the Black Hills, where he has built his career through consistent live work and long-standing relationships with venues. Over time, that has given him the ability to be selective about where he plays and who he works with.

In the past year, he recorded a full-length solo album in Georgia, working out of a temporary studio set up in a lake house. The project was built largely on his own terms—tracking most of the guitars and vocals himself, with additional contributions from session musicians based in Nashville.

Rather than centering his work around industry moves or relocation, Hastings continues to base himself in the Black Hills, where he maintains a regular performance schedule and develops new material alongside ongoing live work.