Super Chikan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James "Super Chikan" Johnson
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Super Chikan at St. Louis Bluesweek 2010
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | James Johnson |
| Also known as | Super Chikan |
| Born | February 16, 1951 Darling, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Genres | Blues |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Labels | Rooster Blues, Ruf Records |
James "Super Chikan" Johnson is an American blues musician. He lives in Clarksdale, Mississippi. He is the nephew of another blues musician, Big Jack Johnson. Some people say that Super Chikan and other musicians like Big Jack Johnson play a more exciting, electric kind of Delta blues.
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Super Chikan's Early Life
Super Chikan was born James Johnson on February 16, 1951, in Darling, Mississippi. He grew up moving around the Mississippi Delta and working on his family's farms. He really liked the chickens on the farm. Before he was old enough to work in the fields, he would walk around and talk to them. This is how his friends gave him the nickname "Chikan Boy."
When he was young, Johnson got his first simple musical instrument, called a diddley bow. As he got older, he found new ways to make different sounds with it. In 1964, when he was thirteen, he bought his first guitar. It was an acoustic guitar with only two strings, and he bought it from a Salvation Army store in Clarksdale.
Super Chikan's Music Career
As an adult, Super Chikan started driving a truck for work. During his long trips on the road, he began writing his own songs. When he showed some of his songs to friends, they told him to record them in a studio.
He then started playing with some famous local musicians. But he decided he would rather play by himself. He did not want to change his style to fit a band. So, in 1997, he released his first album, Blues Come Home to Roost. Musicians like Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, and Chuck Berry influenced his music.
He later released more albums:
- What You See (2000)
- Shoot That Thang (2001)
- Chikan Supe (2005)
- Sum Mo Chikan (2007)
In the Clarksdale area, Super Chikan is well-known for playing often at Morgan Freeman's Ground Zero blues club. He is also Morgan Freeman's favorite blues performer. He also played music with Steven Seagal's band, Thunderbox.
Super Chikan's album Chikadelic was recorded at Stax studios in Memphis. It was released at the 2009 Notodden Blues Festival in Notodden, Norway. Super Chikan played with a Norwegian band called Spoonful of Blues. In 2011, he received a special plaque on the Clarksdale Walk of Fame.
Super Chikan is also known for making cool, handmade instruments. He uses recycled parts to build them. Famous people like Bill Clinton and Paul Simon have bought his guitars.
Super Chikan's Albums
- 1997 – Blues Come Home to Roost
- 2000 – What You See
- 2001 – Shoot That Thang
- 2005 – Chikan Supe
- 2007 – Sum Mo Chikan
- 2009 – Chikadelic (This album won the 2010 BMA Traditional Blues Album of The Year award.)
- 2010 – Welcome to Sunny Bluesville
- 2011 – Okiesippi Blues – with Watermelon Slim
- 2015 – Organic Chikan, Free Range Rooster
Awards and Honors
- Living Blues Critics Award (5 times)
- 1998 – Nominated for the W. C. Handy Award
- 2004 – Mississippi Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts
- 2010 – Blues Music Award Winner, Traditional Blues Album of the Year
