Jimmy Johnson (blues guitarist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jimmy Johnson (blues guitarist) |
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| Birth name | James Earl Thompson |
| Born | November 25, 1928 Holly Springs, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | January 31, 2022 (aged 93) Harvey, Illinois, U.S. |
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James Earl Thompson (born November 25, 1928 – died January 31, 2022) was a famous American blues guitarist and singer. Most people knew him by his stage name, Jimmy Johnson. He played the guitar and sang blues music.
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Early Life of Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson was born in Holly Springs, Mississippi, on November 25, 1928. He came from a musical family. His brothers also became musicians. One brother was soul singer Syl Johnson. Another brother, Mack Thompson, played bass guitar with Magic Sam.
When Jimmy was young, he played the piano. He also sang in gospel music groups. In 1950, his family moved to Chicago. There, he worked as a welder. But he still played guitar in his free time.
He started playing music professionally in 1959. He joined a band with Slim Willis. At this time, he changed his last name to Johnson, just like his brother Syl. Jimmy Johnson was inspired by other great guitarists. These included Buddy Guy and Otis Rush. He also played with many famous blues artists. Some of them were Freddie King, Albert King, and Eddy Clearwater.
Jimmy Johnson's Music Career
In the 1960s, Jimmy Johnson started playing soul music. He worked with artists like Otis Clay and Denise LaSalle. He formed his own music group in the early 1960s. By the middle of the 1960s, he released his first song.
By 1974, Jimmy went back to playing blues music. He played with Jimmy Dawkins. In 1975, he toured Japan with Otis Rush.
Jimmy Johnson released his first solo albums when he was 50 years old. These albums came out in 1978 and 1979. One album was called Johnson's Whacks. Music critics noticed his talent.
In November 1980, Jimmy Johnson won an award. It was at the first annual Blues Music Awards in Memphis. His music career was doing very well.
However, on December 2, 1988, a sad event happened. His band's touring van crashed in Indiana. Two of his band members died. These were his keyboardist, St. James Bryant, and his bassist, Larry Exum. Jimmy Johnson was hurt in the crash. He took a long break from music after this.
He returned to music in 1994. In 2002, he recorded an album with his brother Syl. It was called Two Johnsons Are Better Than One. Jimmy stayed active in music. He toured Europe in 2009. He played in the United Kingdom and at a festival in Denmark. Jimmy Johnson continued to perform even when he was 90 years old. He played guitar and sang at a festival in Illinois in 2019.
Later Years and Legacy
In 2016, Jimmy Johnson was honored. He was added to the Blues Hall of Fame. This is a special place for blues legends.
On June 7, 2019, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot made a special announcement. She declared that day to be "Jimmy Johnson Day." This happened while he was performing at the Chicago Blues Fest.
In 2020, he was named "Best Blues Guitar Player." The next year, he was called "Blues Artist of the Year." These awards showed how much people loved his music.
Jimmy Johnson passed away at his home in Harvey, Illinois, on January 31, 2022. He was 93 years old. His brother Syl died just six days later.
Discography
- Jimmy Johnson & Luther Johnson (MCM Records, 1977)
- Tobacco Road (MCM, 1978)
- Johnson's Whacks (Delmark Records, 1979)
- North/South (Delmark, 1982)
- Bar Room Preacher (Alligator Records, 1983)
- I'm a Jockey (Verve Records, 1994)
- Every Road Ends Somewhere (Ruf Records, 1999)
- Pepper's Hangout (Delmark, 2000)
- Ma Bea's Rock (Storyville Records, 2001)
- Heap See (Black & Blue, 2002)
- Two Johnsons Are Better Than One, with Syl Johnson (2002)
- Brothers Live (Brambus Records, 2004)
- Every Day of Your Life (Delmark, 2019)
