Jimmy Johnson (1928–2022), legendary Chicago blues guitarist
01.02.2022 - 22:29
/ legacy.com
Jimmy Johnson was a legendary Chicago blues and soul guitarist who played with B.B. King, Magic Sam, and Otis Clay. Jimmy Johnson was an acclaimed Chicago blues guitarist and vocalist. He was born in Mississippi and moved to Chicago after an invitation from an uncle who lived there.
He worked as a welder at a steel company and was able to buy his first guitar at the age of 28. Luckily, he happened to live next door to blues legend Magic Sam and he practiced guitar at night after work. He began performing live in 1958 and would play with blues greats Magic Sam, B.B.
King, Buddy Guy and Albert King. He also worked with soul musicians including the legendary Otis Clay. He released his first solo album in 1978 titled “Tobacco Road,” and went on to record for the labels Delmark, Alligator, and Verve.
He was a regular performer at the annual Chicago Blues Festival and the city proclaimed June 12, 2019, as Jimmy Johnson Day. “My music has taken me all over the world and I’ve had the great pleasure of playing with some of the greatest musicians of all-time: BB King, Albert King, Freddie King, Buddy Guy, Otis Rush and Magic Sam to name just a few. All have had a tremendous influence on me and my music.
It’s difficult to put into words just how much they all continue to mean to me.” – Biography on jimmyjohnsonblues.com Blue Monday with tears. The great Jimmy Johnson has left us. He was 93 and was one of the greatest, modern bluesmen with a totally unique style and sound.
A friend for almost 40 years we played hundreds of gigs together around the world. RIP and thanks my friend. Miss you already pic.twitter.com/cpUuQ8N0TaToday, we mourn the passing of two Blues giants.Sam Lay, 1935 – 2022https://t.co/swbJpfYaCvJimmy Johnson, 1928
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