Johnny Mars

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Johnny Mars (born December 7, 1942 in Laurens , South Carolina ) is an American harmonica player and singer-songwriter . His preferred style of music is electric blues .

Live and act

Johnny Mars's parents were land tenants. The family moved frequently during his childhood. Mars received his first harmonica at the age of nine. In 1958, when Mars was 15 years old, his mother died and he moved to New Paltz , New York with his younger siblings . After graduating from high school, he performed in various clubs in New York. In the 1960s he signed a recording deal with Mercury Records . During this time he was a member of a band called Burning Bush .

In the mid-1960s, Mars moved to San Francisco , where he formed the Johnny Mars Band. At first the band received no attention, but then they got the opportunity to tour with Magic Sam and perform at the same events as Earl Hooker , BB King and Jesse Fuller . On the recommendation of his friend Rick Estrin (of Little Charlie & the Nightcats ), Mars toured England in 1972. After two albums produced in England, he moved to West London in 1978. In 1984 Ray Fenwick , who worked with Ian Gillan and Spencer Davis , among others , produced the album Life on Mars . So Mars appeared in the television show Without Filter and played a jam session with Larry Carlton .

In 1988 Mars was a guest musician on the Do-Ré-Mi album The Happiest Place in Town . In 1991 he played the harmonica on the Bananarama tracks Preacher Man and Long Train Running . Mars taught in UK elementary schools for 15 years and worked with teenagers on various music projects. He has since toured the UK and Europe where he has a strong fan base. In 1992 Mars played at the San Francisco Blues Festival and in 2003 and 2004 he performed with The Barrelhouse Blues Orchestra . From 2008 he worked with the blues guitarist Michael Roach and performed with him at the Bath Music Festival (2008, England), at the Pocono Blues Festival (USA) and at the Kastav Blues Festival in Croatia. In January 2010, Mars and Roach toured the Middle East.

Discography

  • 1972: Blues from Mars
  • 1976: Oakland Boogie
  • 1980: Mighty Mars
  • 1984: Life on Mars
  • 1994: King of the Blues Harp
  • 1999: Stateside
  • 2003: On My Mind

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Mars, Johnny
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American blues musician, singer-songwriter, and harmonica player
DATE OF BIRTH December 7, 1942
PLACE OF BIRTH Laurens , South Carolina