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Home | Delmark News Blog | LEGENDARY JIMMY JOHNSON AWARDED “2021 BLUES ARTIST OF THE YEAR”

LEGENDARY JIMMY JOHNSON AWARDED “2021 BLUES ARTIST OF THE YEAR”

July 3, 2021 Leave a Comment

Jimmy Johnson performing at the 2019 Chicago Blues Festival. Mayor Lightfoot declared June 12th “Jimmy Johnson Day”.

92-year-old blues master Jimmy Johnson has won the critics poll of the most important blues awards, the LIVING BLUES AWARDS presented by Living Blues Magazine. Last year Jimmy Johnson was awarded as BEST GUITAR PLAYER in the same poll. These distinctions, among others, as well as his 2020 best-selling album “Every Day of Your Life” (Delmark), his intense musical life before the Covid and his super popular Saturdays 2pm (Chicago time) live streaming during the pandemia, have brought this MASTER to a new level of worldwide popularity. Last November, the live streaming from Delmark’s Riverside Studio celebrating Jimmy’s 92nd birthday was followed by over 80 thousand people in over 40 countries, the biggest blues live streaming EVER. Historical justice for one of the top blues artists of all time… Order his CDs, download or stream them from the links bellow!!!

Subscribe to this great magazine LIVING BLUES, click here!!!

A Brief History Of Jimmy Johnson…

On November 25th, 1928 in Holly Spring, Mississippi, Verlie and Sam Thompson proudly introduced me into this world, their first boy child, James Thompson.

I was the first boy of 10 children, with only one older sibling, my cherished sister Annie Mae, who would watch over me as I played and patiently help me with my lessons as I studied.

I loved school, but didn’t get to go much, too much work to be done at home.

Life was very hard in Mississippi. Most days we worked from sunup until sundown. Already at 8 years old, I worked the fields picking, chopping and plowing cotton while also helping to tend to the farm animals.

I knew at an early age I did not want to be a farmer forever. There had to be a better life someplace else that I could cultivate. Never any money to show for all the hard work I did was powerful motivation to forge a different path.

When I was 16 years old, I went to Memphis seeking work. I found odd jobs digging ditches and working construction, but those jobs weren’t much better than the work back home. I even spent time at Memphis’s famous Peabody Hotel working for 14 dollars a week. Occasionally daydreaming of returning home, yet determined to tread my own path as an independent man, I carried on.

One fateful day, I received a postcard from my Uncle in Chicago. He was coming to Mississippi to visit the family and wondered if maybe I’d like to go back north to Chicago with him when he returned home. I jumped for joy at the chance and hurried back home to meet him.

I hated to leave my mama behind, but I wanted a better life and knew this was an opportunity not to be missed. 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. How lucky could you get!?

I worked all day welding sheet metal and all night practicing my guitar and on July 4th 1958, I played my first gig. I was quickly fired and back home practicing once more. Thankfully I could always sing, so once I worked out the finer points of the guitar, the sky was the limit and the doors began to open everywhere I looked.

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.

I love and play music of all kinds, and relish in entertaining an audience big or small. My music has introduced me to some truly amazing people of every color and creed from all over our planet. I have gained many cherished friends throughout my life and travels and, thanks to your continuing support, live a very comfortable life.

Who could have imagined coming from such humble beginnings into eventually being inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame after having traveled the world sharing my music with the masses?

Me, that’s who! 🙂

92 years and still going strong with my guitar in hand. 

Life is Good.

Jimmy Johnson

ORDER CD, DOWNLOAD OR STREAM, CLICK! ON THE LINKS….

Jimmy Johnson – Every Day of Your Life
Jimmy Johnson – Johnson’s Whacks
Jimmy Johnson – North / South
Jimmy Johnson – Pepper’s Hangout

COLLECTOR’S ITEM…!!!!

Jimmy Johnson – I Need Some Easy Money / Ashes In My Ashtray – 7″ 45rpm Record

Blues

Aaron Moore Al “Stomp” Russell Trio Albert Ammons Alfred “Blues King” Harris Alfred Harris Arbee Stidham Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup Arthur “Big Boy” Spires Bette Roche Big Joe Williams Big Mojo Big Time Sarah Big Walter Horton Big Wheeler Billy Flynn Blu Lu Barker Bonnie Lee Breezy Rodio Carey Bell Cee Pee Johnson Cliff Butler Corey Dennison Corey Dennison Band Curtis Jones Dave Specter Dave Weld Demetria Taylor Dennis “Long Man” Binder Dinah Washington Duke Henderson Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson Eddie Burns Eddie Shaw Eddy Clearwater Edith Wilson Edward Gates White Grana Louise Guy King Hammie Nixon Harold Burrage J.B. Hutto J.D. Short J.T. Brown Jack Cooley Jimmy Burns Jimmy Dawkins Jimmy Johnson Johnny Burgin Junior Wells Karen Carroll Katherine Davis Ken Saydak Lenny Lynn Lil’ Ed Linsey Alexander Little Arthur Duncan Little Mack Simmons Little Sammy Davis Little Walter Lonnie Brooks Louis Myers Lucky Lopez Lurrie Bell Luther Allison Mad Dog Lester Davenport Magic Sam Mark Hummel Mary Johnson Memphis Slim Mighty Joe Young Mike Wheeler Mississippi Heat Morris Pejoe Omar Coleman Otis Rush Pete Johnson Piano Red Professor’s Blues Review Robert Anderson Robert Jr. Lockwood Robert Nighthawk Rockin’ Johnny Band Rockwell Avenue Blues Band Roosevelt Sykes Shakey Jake Shirley Jackson Shirley Johnson Sister Elizabeth Eustis Sleepy John Estes Sunnyland Slim T-Bone Walker Tail Dragger The Four Blazes The Four Blues The Pastels The Rockin’ Johnny Band Walto Pace Willie Buck Willie Kent Yank Rachell Zora Young

Jazz

Albert Nicholas Andrew Lamb Andy Bartha Andy Brown Andy Brown Quartet Andy Goodrich Anthony Braxton Archie Shepp Ari Brown Armin Von Der Heydt’s Classic Jazz Ensemble Arnett Cobb Art Ensemble Of Chicago Art Hodes Barney Bigard Barrett Deems Bay City Jazz Band Betty O’Hara Billy Butterfield Bob Graf Bob Greene Brad Goode Bright Moments Bud Powell Bud Powell Trio Bunk Johnson Carl Leukaufe Cecil Payne Chicago Underground Chicago Underground Orchestra Chicago Underground Trio Chris Woods Chuck Hedges Clancy Hayes Classic Jazz Ensemble Clem Raymond Coleman Hawkins Corey Wilkes Cy Touff Dave McDonnell Group Dee Alexander Dick Oxtot Don Ewell Donald Byrd Duane Thamm Earl Hines Eddie Miller Edward Petersen Eric Alexander Ernest Dawkins Ethnic Heritage Ensemble Exploding Star Electroacoustic Ensemble Fareed Haque Fast Citizens Francine Griffin Frank Catalano Frank Melrose Frank Rosaly Frank Walton Franz Jackson Garvin Bushell Gene Mayl’s Dixieland Rhythm Kings Geof Bradfield George Freeman George Lewis Hal Smith’s Roadrunners Honkers & Bar Walkers Howard Alden + Andy Brown Quartet Ira Sullivan Jason Adasiewicz Jason Adasiewicz’s Sun Rooms Jason Ajemían Jason Roebke Octet Jason Stein Quartet Javier Red Javier Red’s Imagery Converter Jay McShann Jazz Ltd Jazz O’Maniacs Jeff Parker Jeff Parker Trio Jim Beebe Jim Beebe’s Chicago Jazz Jim Cooper Jim Galloway Jim Holman Jim Robinson Jimmy Coe Jimmy Forrest Jodie Christian Joe McPhee John Skillman’s Barb City Stompers John Young Joseph Jarman Josh Berman Josh Berman Trio Kahil El’Zabar Kahil El’Zabar’s Infinity Orchestra Kahil El’Zabar’s Ritual Trio KAIA String Quartet Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre Keefe Jackson Keefe Jackson’s Likely So Keefe Jackson’s Project Project Ken Vandermark Kevin O’Donnell Larry Novak Leo Smith Leon Sash Lin Halliday Malachi Thompson Malachi Thompson & Africa Brass Marty Grosz Memphis Nighthawks Metropolitan Jazz Octet Mike Smith Mike Smith Quintet Mike Walbridge’s Chicago Footwarmers Mikrokolektyw Muhal Richard Abrams New Orleans Ragtime Orchestra Nicole Mitchell’s Black Earth Ensemble Nicole Mitchell’s Ice Crystals Norrie Cox Norrie Cox New Orleans Stompers NRG Ensemble Paquito D’Rivera Paul Bascomb Paul Giallorenzo Trio Paul Giallorenzo’s GitGo Paul Lingle Percy Humphrey Phoenix Jazzers Ranier Jazz Band Rich Corpolongo Quartet Ritual Trio Rob Mazurek Rob Mazurek Pulsar Quartet Robert Mazurek Roscoe Mitchell Roy Rubinstein’s Chicago Hot Six Sabertooth Sandy Mosse Sax Gordon Sonny Stitt Soul Message Band Sun Ra Sun Ra & The Arkestra Sun Rooms Tab Smith Tad Robinson Terry Waldo’s Gutbucket Syncopators The Dixie Stompers The Fat Babies The Ira Sullivan Quintet The Jim Holman Trio The Jimmy Coe Big Band The Kahil El’Zabar Quartet The Leon Sash Trio The Sackville All Stars The Salty Dogs Volcano Radar Von Freeman Wally Rose Willie “The Lion” Smith Windy City Six Wynton Kelly Zane Massey

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