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Luther "Guitar Jr." Johnson
1-14-2017Luther “Guitar Junior” Johnson is one of the premier blues artists to emerge from Chicago’s music scene. Hailing from Itta Bena, Mississippi, Johnson arrived in Chicago in the mid-fifties a young man. At around the same time, the West Side guitar style, a way of playing alternating stinging single-note leads with powerful distorted chords, was being created mostly by Magic Sam and Otis Rush. Originally developed because their small bands could not afford both lead and rhythm guitar players, this style grew into an important contribution to modern blues and rock, influencing such notables as Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler. In the 1960's he played with Magic Sam, whose West side style remains integral to Johnson's sound today. He was a major player in Muddy Waters Band from 1972 1980. In 1976 he cut his own debut album, "Luther's Blues," during a European tour with Muddy. By 1980 he was on his own, recording with the Nighthawks as well as four tracks on Alligator's second series of "Living Chicago Blues" anthologies.
With his own band, the Magic Rockers, and the Roomful of Blues horn section, Johnson released "Doin' the Sugar Too" on Rooster Blues in 1984. Since 1990, Johnson has been signed to Ron Levy's Bullseye Blues logo; his three albums for the firm have been sizzling, soul-tinged blues with a strong West Side flavor often slicing through.
No stranger to critical acclaim, "Guitar Junior" has captured numerous awards throughout his career. His live rendition of "Walking the Dog,", was included on the Atlantic Records collection Blues Explosion, which captured a Grammy Award in 1984. In 1999 Luther's second Telarc release, "Got To Find A Way", was nominated for a Grammy as Best Traditional Blues Album. Johnson’s super-charged performances consistently thrilled audiences in the world’s leading concert halls, including Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center and Radio City Music Hall as well as at music festivals in Newport, Antibes, New Orleans and countless others. During his association with Muddy Waters, Johnson also shared the stage with The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, The Allman Brothers, Johnny Winter and he made a guest appearance in the movie The Blues Brothers.
* Luther "Guitar Jr." Johnson (at Bul...
Date and Time
Saturday Jan 14, 2017
