Jeremiah Johnson (blues musician)

Jeremiah Johnson
Born 1972 (age 44–45)
St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Genres St. Louis blues, southern rock, country[1]
Occupation(s) Singer, guitarist, songwriter
Instruments Vocals, guitar
Years active Mid 2000s–present
Associated acts The Jeremiah Johnson Band
Website Official website

Jeremiah Johnson (born 1972)[2] is an American blues singer, guitarist and songwriter. His music blends elements of St. Louis blues, southern rock, and country.[1] His latest album release, Blues Heart Attack, reached number 5 in the Billboard Blues Albums Chart.

Biography

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, United States,[1] Johnson had parents who were both fans of blues music.[3] His father named him for the 1972 western film of the same name.[2] Johnson had ukulele lessons at the age of four,[2] although his love of watching cartoons on the television meant that it was in his teenage years before he started taking guitar playing more seriously. Originally concentrating on jazz while at college and later rock music, Johnson met blues playing musicians in Soulard, St. Louis.[4] For most of his performing career, Johnson has also worked in his day job as a billboard labourer.[3] He spent a decade living and working on the Gulf Coast in Texas. Johnson was a first place finalist in the Houston, Texas, Regional Blues Challenge, sponsored by The Houston Blues Society in 2004, 2005 and 2006. In 2011, he was the winner of the St. Louis Blues Society International Blues Challenge, and went on to the semi-finals to represent St. Louis in Memphis, Tennessee.[5]

In early 2009, Johnson relocated back to St. Louis,[6] and formed the Jeremiah Johnson Band shortly thereafter.

In a review of the November 2010 release 9th & Russell, one music critic stated "everything here is 1st class: musicianship, singing, production, artwork, and especially the songs".[7] Johnson's music was backed both by his own band and the Sliders. The latter are a horn section consisting of Jim Rosse (trumpet) and Stuart Williams (saxophone). Long-term performers on the St. Louis blues and R&B circuit, they have played in Johnnie Johnson's own band and toured with Little Feat and Bob Weir.[7] In 2011, their joint follow-up effort, Brand Spank'n Blue, was released on CD Baby.[8]

In 2014, film maker Gary Glenn filmed a Johnson concert as the basis of his docu-concert film named Ride the Blues.[2] In 2015, Johnson played at the Bonita Blues Festival in Bonita Springs, Florida.[5]

Johnson's 2015 release, Grind, spent a number of weeks on the Billboard Blues Albums Chart, with a peak position of number 8.[9] The album was produced by Devon Allman,[3] and featured Yonrico Scott as guest drummer.[10]

Johnson's 2016 release, Blues Heart Attack, spent 5 weeks in the top 15 and peaked at #5 on the Billboard Blues Charts. The album was produced by Jason McIntire and Jeremiah Johnson at Sawhorse Studios in St Louis MO. Many of the songs and the albumn spent more than half the year in the top of the radio charts according to the Roots Music Report.

Band

The Jeremiah Johnson Band currently comprises:

Discography

Year Title Record label Billing
2010 9th & Russell[11] CD Baby The Jeremiah Johnson Band with the Sliders
2011 Brand Spank'n Blue[8] CD Baby The Jeremiah Johnson Band with the Sliders
2015 Grind[12] Music Distributors, Inc. Jeremiah Johnson
2016 Blues Heart Attack Connor Ray Music The Jeremiah Johnson Band

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Bio". Jeremiah Johnson Band. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Jeremiah Johnson Band — JJB Drummer Rounds Out Power Trio with Years of". Jeremiahjohnsonband.tumblr.com. 2015-09-15. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  3. 1 2 3 "The Jeremiah Johnson Band and The Sliders". Tickets.violetsvenue.com. 2015-06-20. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  4. ↑ Heidi Glaus (2013-04-23). "Jeremiah Johnson sings the blues". Ksdk.com. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  5. 1 2 "Jeremiah Johnson Band". Bonitablues.com. 2013-12-10. Archived from the original on 2015-08-10. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  6. ↑ "The Jeremiah Johnson Band | Sioux City Blues". Hardrockcasinosiouxcity.com. 2015-05-21. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  7. 1 2 "STLBlues CD Reviews :: The Jeremiah Johnson Band with the Sliders – 9th & Russell". Stlblues.net. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  8. 1 2 "Brand Spank'n Blue - Jeremiah Johnson,The Jeremiah Johnson Band,The Sliders | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  9. ↑ "Blues Music: Top Blues Albums Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  10. ↑ "Jeremiah Johnson of The Jeremiah Johnson Band | National Blues Review – Blues Music Ezine". Nationalbluesreview.com. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  11. ↑ "9th & Russell - The Jeremiah Johnson Band | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
  12. ↑ "Grind - Jeremiah Johnson | Releases". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-11-02.
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