Happy birthday to the late great blues man Luther Snake Boy Johnson (August 30, 1934 – March 18, 1976) an American Chicago blues and electric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was also known as Luther Snake Johnson or Luther Georgia Boy Johnson, and was otherwise billed as both Luther King and Little Luther (under the latter he recorded for Chess Records in the 1960s). Allmusic journalist, Ron Wynn, stated Johnsons own inimitable vocals, raspy lines and tart guitar eventually create his own aura... a good, occasionally outstanding blues artist. He is not to be confused with Luther Guitar Junior Johnson. He was born Lucious Brinson in Davisboro, Georgia, United States. He was raised on a farm and taught himself to play guitar. After service in the US Army up to 1953, Johnson played guitar with a local gospel group called the Milwaukee Supreme Angels. However, he graduated towards blues and set up his own trio in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, before relocating to Chicago, Illinois in the early 1960s. He backed Elmore James prior to his death, and in 1964, released a solo single on the Chess Records label entitled The Twirl, billed as Little Luther. He then joined Muddy Waters backing band in 1966. Johnson worked with various musicians over this period, including Chicago Bob Nelson, before recording his debut album, Come on Home in 1969. In 1970, Johnson moved to Boston, Massachusetts, and found work on the blues festival and college circuits for the next few years. Black & Blue Records released Johnsons Born in Georgia in 1972, and this 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). Johnson died of cancer in Boston in March 1976, aged 41. He was interred at the Mount Hope Cemetery in Mattapan, Massachusetts.
Posted on: Sat, 30 Aug 2014 10:41:36 +0000