Luther Johnson (guitarist, 1939)

Luther Johnson 1976

Luther Johnson (born April 11, 1939 in Itta Bena , Mississippi ) is an American blues singer and guitarist who appears under the stage name Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson to differentiate himself from two other guitarists of the same name.

Life

In his early years in Mississippi, blues and gospel were his defining musical influences. He was already listening to blues greats like Sonny Boy Williamson, Robert Nighthawk and Muddy Waters during this time. His mother bought him his first guitar and his cousin taught him to play.

Johnson came to Chicago in the mid-1950s , at a time when the West Side guitar style was being developed by Magic Sam and Otis Rush . Here he opted for the blues. In the 1960s he played in Magic Sam's band and performed with various blues greats such as Sunnyland Slim , Bobby Rush, Little Addison, Willie Kent and Jimmy Dawkins. From 1972 to 1980 he was a member of Muddy Waters' band, which also brought him his breakthrough. During one of the tours with Waters, he also made his first solo album, Luther's Blues.

In 1980 he left Waters Band and founded his own, "The Magic Rockers". He also left Chicago and settled near Boston, but remained true to the West Side style, even if he expanded his repertoire in the direction of jump blues. He has fronted the Magic Rockers since 1980, recorded for Telarc , Alligator Records and Bullseye Blues and has toured extensively.

Discography

Solo albums

1976 Luther's Blues 1984 Doin 'the Sugar Too 1990 I Want to Groove with You 1992 It's Good to Me 1994 Country Sugar Papa

1996 Slammin 'on the West Side 1998 Got to Find a Way 1999 Live at the Rynborn 2001 Talkin 'About Soul

Guest appearances

1967 Otis Spann Blues Is Where It's At 1968 Big Mama Thornton Ball n 'Chain 1970 Otis Spann Cryin 'Time 1972 Luther "Snake Boy" Johnson Born in Georgia 1975 Luther "Snake Boy" Johnson Lonesome in My Bedroom 1976 Pinetop Perkins Boogie Woogie King 1977 Jimmy Johnson Jimmy Johnson & Luther Johnson

1983 Big Leon Brooks Let's Go To Town 1986 The Nighthawks backtrack 1997 Muddy Waters Tribute Band You Gonna Miss Me (When I'm Dead & Gone) 1998 Willie Kent Ghetto 1999 Otis Spann Best Of The Vanguard Years 2001 Ronnie Earl Ronnie Earl And Friends 2002 Pinetop Perkins Pinetop Is Just Top

With Muddy Waters

1969 Sail On 1976 Live in Switzerland 1977 Unk In Funk 1979 Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live 1981 King Bee

1992 Blues Sky 1999 Live Recordings 1965–1973 2000 Mojo: Live Collection 1971-76 Muddy Waters Hoochie Coochie Man (2001) 2002 Hoochie Coochie Man In Montreal 2005 Collection: Had Again / I'm Ready / King Bee

Others

• 2003 Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues : Warming By The Devil's Fire Original Soundtrack

Individual evidence

1. ↑ https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mn0000806523
2. ↑ http://www.alligator.com/index.cfm?section=artists&artistID=134&currTrackNum=1&playPosition=2325&vol=70&pan=0&playState=play
3. ↑ http://www.centerstagechicago.com/chicago/music/whoswho/LutherJohnson.html  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
4. ↑ http://www.alligator.com/index.cfm?section=artists&artistID=134&currTrackNum=1&playPosition=2325&vol=70&pan=0&playState=play
5. ↑ http://www.cduniverse.com/sresult.asp?artistid=787750&HT_Search=artist&HT_Search_Info=Luther+%22Guitar+Junior%22+Johnson&seeall=1&mode=top&setshowimage=off
6. ↑ http://www.artistdirect.com/artist/credits/luther-guitar-junior-johnson/449897