Jimmy johnson blues musician chicago picasso

Today is the great bluesman Jimmy Johnson's 90th birthday. I last saw him just over a year ago in Chicago, where he was the musical highlight of the trip, and at 88, still equally compelling as a singer and guitarist. Johnson's repertoire includes classics by B. He toured Japan with Rush in To say that Johnson is one of the last of the best of the Mississippi-born Chicago bluesmen is to state the obvious.

Jimmy johnson blues musician chicago picasso: A special treat this year

Listen to him here intwo years before he made his first blues record, singing the B. He moved to Chicago in and worked as a welder before setting his sites on music at the end of the decade. In a interview following his induction into the Blues Hall of Fame, Jimmy said he bought his first guitar in from a neighborhood friend, the harmonica player Billy Boy Arnold.

Johnson was injured and took an extended break from the music industry. He returned to record for Verve Records in Johnson was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in Jimmy Johnson. He and his family moved to Chicago inwhere he worked as a welder and played guitar in his spare time. He began playing professionally with Slim Willis inchanging his last name to Johnson, as did his brother Syl.

As a guitarist he was influenced by Buddy Guy and Otis Rush. Whether hoping to make the cover of Living Blues magazine or complaining that women aren't loyal any more, he comes across as a bold-faced contemporary.

Jimmy johnson blues musician chicago picasso: Hi guys. Recently got

But his basic wail starts to sound thin after a while, his band is only solid, and his guitar can't carry the extra load. His career continued to pick up until December 2,when his touring van crashed in Indianakilling his band's keyboardist, St. James Bryantand bassist, Larry Exum. He returned to record for Verve Records in Johnson was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in Johnson died at his home in Harvey, Illinoison January 31,at the age of 93, six days before the death of his brother Syl.

Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. I hated to leave my mama behind, but I wanted a better life and knew this was an opportunity not to be missed.

Jimmy johnson blues musician chicago picasso: Johnson is ubiquitous on

I was twenty years old and on my way up. Only a few days after arriving to Chicago, I had a job. I worked for Harrison Sheet Steel learning how to weld, eventually becoming a Class A combination welder. I worked hard, saved as much money as I could and as soon as I had enough, sent for my mama and the younger children to join me in Chicago. I finally had money, real money, a nice car, good clothes and at the age of 28 had the great pleasure of buying my first guitar.

Fate had been kind to me, in more ways the one, and when I moved to Chicago, I found myself living right next door to burgeoning blues legend Magic Sam.