Luther "Georgia Boy" Johnson
Luther "Snake Boy" Johnson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Lucious Brinson |
| Also known as | Luther "Snake" Johnson Luther "Georgia Boy" Johnson Luther King |
| Born | August 30, 1941 Davisboro, Georgia, United States |
| Died | March 18, 1976 (aged 34) Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| Genres | Chicago blues, electric blues |
| Occupation(s) | Guitarist, singer, songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1950s–1976 |
| Labels | Black & Blue, Muse and others |
Luther "Snake Boy" Johnson (August 30, 1941 – March 18, 1976) was an American Chicago blues and electric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was also known as Luther "Snake" Johnson, Luther "Georgia Boy" Johnson and Luther King.[1]
AllMusic journalist Ron Wynn stated, "Johnson's own inimitable vocals, raspy lines and tart guitar eventually create his own aura... a good, occasionally outstanding blues artist."[2]
He is not to be confused with Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson, nor Luther "Houserocker" Johnson, from Atlanta, Georgia.
Life and career
He was born Lucious Brinson in Davisboro, Georgia.[1] He was raised on a farm and taught himself to play guitar.[3]
After completing his service in the US Army in 1953,[3] Johnson played guitar with the Milwaukee Supreme Angels, a local gospel group in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. However, he gravitated towards blues and formed his own trio in Milwaukee. He relocated to Chicago, Illinois, in the early 1960s.[1][3] He backed Elmore James prior to his James's death in 1963, and joined Muddy Waters's backing band in 1966. Johnson worked with various musicians during this period, including Chicago Bob Nelson. He recorded his debut album, Come On Home, in 1969.[1][3]
In 1970, Johnson moved to Boston, Massachusetts, and found work on the blues festival and college circuits for the next few years.[1] His album Born in Georgia was released by Black & Blue Records. It was followed by Chicken Shack (1974), Lonesome in My Bedroom (1975), and the final album issued in his lifetime, Get Down to the Nitty Gritty (1976).[3][4]
Johnson died of brain cancer in Boston on March 18, 1976, aged 34.[1][5] He was interred at the Mount Hope Cemetery, in Mattapan, Massachusetts.[3]
Discography
| Year | Title | Record label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Come On Home | Douglas Music | |
| 1969 | The Muddy Waters Blues Band | Transatlantic Records | With the Muddy Waters Blues Band |
| 1972 | Born in Georgia | Black & Blue Records | |
| 1974 | Chicken Shack | Muse Records | With the Muddy Waters Blues Band |
| 1975 | Lonesome in My Bedroom | Evidence Records | |
| 1976 | Get Down to the Nitty Gritty | New Rose Records | |
| 1992 | They Call Me the Snake | New Rose Records | |
| 2002 | They Call Me the Popcorn Man | Black & Blue Records |
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f Cub Koda. "Luther "Snake Boy" Johnson | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-01-27.
- ^ "Lonesome in My Bedroom > Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved March 21, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f Anita Pravits (2012). "Luther Johnson". Keeponliving.at. Retrieved March 21, 2012.
- ^ a b "Luther "Snake Boy" Johnson | Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-01-27.
- ^ "Muddy Waters sideman Luther 'Snake Boy' Johnson had his career cut short by brain cancer". Chicagoreader.com. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
External links
- Biography and detailed discography
- Luther "Georgia Boy" Johnson at Find a Grave
- Oldies.com
- Mini biography at Last.fm
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
- 1941 births
- 1976 deaths
- American blues singers
- American male singers
- American blues guitarists
- American male guitarists
- Chicago blues musicians
- Electric blues musicians
- Singers from Georgia (U.S. state)
- Songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state)
- People from Washington County, Georgia
- Deaths from cancer in Massachusetts
- 20th-century American singers
- 20th-century American guitarists
- Songwriters from Illinois
- Guitarists from Georgia (U.S. state)
- Guitarists from Illinois