Luther Johnson (guitarist, 1939)
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
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Guest appearances
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With Muddy Waters
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Others
- 2003 Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues : Warming By The Devil's Fire Original Soundtrack
Individual evidence
- ↑ https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mn0000806523
- ↑ http://www.alligator.com/index.cfm?section=artists&artistID=134&currTrackNum=1&playPosition=2325&vol=70&pan=0&playState=play
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ http://www.alligator.com/index.cfm?section=artists&artistID=134&currTrackNum=1&playPosition=2325&vol=70&pan=0&playState=play
- ↑ 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
- ↑ http://www.artistdirect.com/artist/credits/luther-guitar-junior-johnson/449897
personal data | |
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SURNAME | Johnson, Luther |
ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Johnson, Luther Guitar Junior |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American blues singer and guitarist |
DATE OF BIRTH | April 11, 1939 |
PLACE OF BIRTH | Itta Bena , Mississippi |