We're proud to welcome back the heir to the late Magic Sam's west-side guitar-style throne, Grammy and W.C. Handy award-winning bluesman Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson. His playing-style, developed largely because small bands couldn't afford both lead and rhythm guitars, features a blistering blend of sharp single note leads with powerful chordal self-accompaniment, and has influenced such further influential guitarists as Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler.
      A native of Itta Bena, Mississippi, Johnson traveled north to Memphis at the age of fifteen, where he had the opportunity to see Muddy Waters performing on the legendary Beale Street scene. Soon afterwards, his family moved to Chicago in search of opportunity, and it was there that Luther honed his skills as a performer.
      After serving an apprenticeship alongside the late Magic Sam, Luther gained an international reputation as a guitarist and as a vocalist in Muddy Waters' band. His guitar soloing was hailed in the U.S., Europe, Japan and Australia. By the late '70s, Luther had developed his own signature style characterized by a strong rhythmic component and deeply moving vocal phrasings.
      No stranger to critical acclaim, "Guitar Junior" has captured numerous awards throughout his career. His rendition of Walking the Dog, a live performance from the 1982 Montreux Festival's Blues Night, was included on the Atlantic Records collection Blues Explosion, an album that captured a Grammy Award. Luther's own album, Got To Find A Way, was nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Traditional Blues Album. You may remember seeing Luther featured in the legendary Blues Brothers movie. Here's your chance to see him up-close & personal!
More about Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson
$25   |   Door $30