Johnnie Bassett facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Johnnie Bassett
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Bassett and his band performing at the Great Lakes Folk Festival, 2006
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Johnnie Alexander Bassett |
| Born | October 9, 1935 Marianna, Florida, United States |
| Died | August 4, 2012 (aged 76) Detroit, Michigan, United States |
| Genres | Electric blues |
| Occupation(s) | Guitarist, singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | Mid 1950s – 2012 |
| Labels | Various |
Johnnie Alexander Bassett (born October 9, 1935 – died August 4, 2012) was an American electric blues musician. He was a talented guitarist, singer, and songwriter from Detroit. For many years, Johnnie worked as a session musician, meaning he played music for other artists' recordings. Later, in the 1990s, he formed his own band. He released seven albums during his life. Some of his biggest inspirations were famous guitarists like B.B. King and T-Bone Walker.
Johnnie Bassett's Life Story
Johnnie Bassett was born in Marianna, Florida. In 1944, when he was nine years old, his family moved to Detroit.
He became a guitarist for a group called Joe Weaver and the Bluenotes. This band won many local talent contests. They also played music for famous singers like Big Joe Turner and Ruth Brown.
In 1958, Johnnie joined the United States Army. After he returned to Detroit, he continued to work with the Bluenotes. They were session musicians for Fortune Records. This meant they helped record songs for other artists. They played for groups like Nolan Strong & the Diablos. Johnnie also played with The Miracles on their first song, "Got a Job" (1958).
While performing in Detroit, Johnnie shared the stage with many blues legends. These included John Lee Hooker, Alberta Adams, and Dinah Washington.
For about ten years, Johnnie performed in Seattle. He also played music for famous singers like Tina Turner and Little Willie John.
Awards and Later Career
In 1994, the Detroit Blues Society honored Johnnie Bassett. They gave him a special award for his lifetime contributions to blues music.
In 1996, he released an album called I Gave My Life to the Blues. After this, he started recording and touring with his own band, the Blues Insurgents. They traveled across North America and Europe.
Their 1998 album, Cadillac Blues, was very popular. It was nominated for five W. C. Handy Awards.
Later, a new record company called Mack Avenue Records signed Johnnie. The owner saw Johnnie and his band play in Grosse Pointe.
In 2003, Johnnie performed at the Great Lakes Folk Festival. He was part of the Detroit Blues Revue. He played with Alberta Adams and Joe Weaver.
Johnnie won several awards at the Detroit Music Awards. In 2006, he won for Outstanding Blues/R&B Instrumentalist. In both 2010 and 2011, he was named Outstanding Blues Artist/Group.
His album The Gentleman Is Back came out in June 2009. In 2010, it won a Detroit Music Award. It was recognized as an Outstanding National Small/Independent Label Recording.
Johnnie Bassett and his band played music every week. They performed at the Northern Lights Lounge in Detroit. His band members were Chris Codish on keyboards, Keith Kaminski on saxophone, and Skeeto Valdez on drums.
Johnnie Bassett passed away on August 4, 2012, due to cancer.
In April 2022, the Killer Blues Headstone Project placed a headstone for Johnnie Bassett. It is at the Detroit Memorial Cemetery in Warren, Michigan.
Johnnie Bassett's Albums
Here are some of the albums Johnnie Bassett released:
- Live at the Montreux-Detroit Jazz Festival (1994)
- I Gave My Life to the Blues (1997), Black Magic
- Bassett Hound (1997), Fedora Records
- Cadillac Blues (1998), Cannonball Records
- Party My Blues Away (1999), Cannonball Records
- The Gentleman Is Back (2009), Mack Avenue Records
- I Can Make That Happen (2012), Sly Dog Records
