Johnny Temple (musician) facts for kids

Johnny Temple (born October 18, 1906 – died November 22, 1968) was an American Chicago blues musician. He was a talented guitarist and singer. Johnny Temple was active in the 1930s and 1940s. People knew him by different names, including Johnnie Temple and Johnnie "Geechie" Temple.

Johnny Temple's Life and Music

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Johnny Temple was born in Canton, Mississippi. He grew up near Jackson. As a child, he learned to play both the guitar and the mandolin. When he was a teenager, he started playing music at house parties. In Jackson, he became friends with another blues musician named Skip James.

Moving to Chicago and Recording Hits

In the early 1930s, Johnny Temple moved to Chicago. There, he began playing in clubs with Joe McCoy. Temple started recording his own songs in 1935. Some of his early songs were "The Evil Devil Blues" and "Lead Pencil Blues."

His most famous song was "Louise Louise Blues." This song was released by Decca Records in 1936 and became a big hit. A jazz band from Chicago called the Harlem Hamfats often played backup music for Temple. By 1940, Decca Records had released about 24 of his songs.

Later Career and Return Home

Johnny Temple continued to record music for different record labels through the 1940s. He worked with a record producer named J. Mayo Williams, which helped him get more recording chances. This continued until 1949.

After World War II, Temple helped welcome other blues musicians who came to Chicago from the Southern states. Even though he stopped recording new music, he kept performing live shows. He often played with musicians like Big Walter Horton and Billy Boy Arnold.

In the mid-1950s, Temple moved back to Mississippi. He kept playing music in clubs and juke joints around Jackson. Later in his life, Johnny Temple stopped playing blues music. He became a minister instead. He passed away from cancer on November 22, 1968, at the age of 62.

Johnny Temple's Recorded Music

Johnny Temple released many songs during his career. Here is a look at one of his collections: