Ethan Johns: Producer talks making records with Paul McCartney and Kings of Leon during Shrewsbury visit

And as he walks the streets of Shrewsbury it’s unlikely many people will hound him for autographs and selfies.

But he is one of the most renowned record producers in the UK having worked with the likes of Paul McCartney, Kings of Leon, Joe Cocker, Tom Jones, Kaiser Chiefs and Laura Marling.

Sporting a crop of grey hair and a straggly beard, Ethan picks up an acoustic guitar during an in-store session at the Left For Dead record shop in the town centre, playing songs he has written both as a solo artist and with his band Black Eyed Dogs.

“I’m really proud of this music,” he says. “I love going out singing.”

Ethan is dedicated, if not obsessed, with music and has been from a young age. His dad Glyn Johns was recording engineer and record producer who worked with bands such as Led Zeppelin, The Faces, Eagles, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton and The Clash.

“There were always instruments kicking around the house and I started playing musical instruments about the time I was learning to talk,” he says.

His dad is credited in the industry for creating a unique way for recording drums, would always have musical friends visiting the house. They would interact with Ethan and teach him new tricks and skills.

“I can’t underestimate the influence living in that environment was,” he says.

“The opportunity to be around these people was incredible. They were really cool and didn’t mind me bugging them. Any chance I got to hang around with them I would.”

Ethan admits he was probably getting in the way of valuable recording time, but the stars of rock and roll were happy to oblige his curiosity.

In 1980 that Ethan, aged only 11, got his chance to see a record being made. That record, which his dad worked as a producer and engineer on, was The Legend of Jesse James, a musical concept album by English songwriter Paul Kennerley and featuring a variety of singers including Johnny Cash and Emmylou Harris.

“I was in the studio with my dad a lot, and this was my first memory,” says Ethan. “We had Ronnie Lane’s recording truck parked the the driveway with wires going in and out of the house and I was amazed to play the guitar or drums and then be able to run outside and hear it all back. It was the most incredible experience.”

As a young musician, Ethan played guitar and drums with the likes of Crosby, Stills & Nash, John Hiatt and ex-Marillion singer Fish, mainly connections made by his dad.

Then during the late 1980s he worked as an assistant engineer at A&M Studios in Los Angeles, helping out on U2’s album Rattle & Hum.

While he was in LA he began to make more and more musical connections and got his first crack at producing a record in the form of Ryan Adam’s Heartbreaker in 2000.

Since then Ethan has grown his own reputation as a musician and producer and before long was finding the demo tracks rolling in form acts wanting to work with him. One of those being Paul McCartney who asked Ethan personally to produce and play on 2013 record New.

“He called me, that’s how it happened, and I can’t think of anyone who doesn’t take that call,” he says. “Paul said ‘hey man, do you want to hang out in the studio?’. I was like yeah.

“It was really straight forward and unpretentious. It was a direct call and we got to the heart of it really quickly. When an artist wants you to help it’s amazing.”

Ethan worked on the first three albums by Kings Of Leon, as they grew to become the big-name band they are today. He produced their records Youth & Young Manhood, Aha Shake Heartbreak and Because Of The Times – including the singles Molly’s Chambers, The Bucket and On Call.

In 2012 Ethan won the Brit Award for Best British Producer, an award he has been nominated for four times. He was presented the award by British folk singer-songwriter Laura Marling, with whom he has produced two records.

His recent credits also include conducting the BBC Concert Orchestra on 2014’s BBC Music’s cover of God Only Knows, featuring Pharrell Williams, Elton John, Kylie Minogue and Stevie Wonder.

But despite working with huge stars, he approaches every artist in the same way.

Ethan regularly gets sent demos from artists, but on hearing the most raw version of their music before committing.

“I like to see an artist live,” he says.

“When people send demos, with recording technology as it is, it doesn’t really represent represent who they are. It’s not really about presentation it’s more about having a a connection, and often that starts just sat in a room. It can be the best way.”

As Ethan goes through his back catalogue in this independent record store on the Wyle Cop he looks completely in place as a performer.

“Things do change when it’s your own music,” says Ethan. “It’s a personal expression. But I love it all. I love collaborations and creative partnerships. As a producer you are constantly forging new relationships. It’s also about moving forward and learning. The opportunity to learn and progress and an artist is an incredible thing, and it’s that feeling that keeps you progressing.”

On April 13 Ethan completed an unofficial world record of playing at nine independent record shops on Record Store Day, and he stopped into Left For Dead, which is run by Andy Haddon, this week as part of a mini-tour of record shops.

“I like to support the independents, I value the the sale of records and the communities they help build,” said Ethan. “You walk into a record store and you get an interaction you can't get anywhere else. I like meeting people and doing shows like this are showing independents retailers my appreciation for what they do and the communities they create.”