Jimmy johnson blues musician chicago picture

A Brief History Of Jimmy Johnson

On Nov 25th, in Holly Spring, Mississippi, Verlie and Sam Thompson proudly introduced nickname into this world, their first youngster child, James Thompson.

I was the principal boy of 10 children, with lone one older sibling, my cherished nurse Annie Mae, who would watch kill me as I played and patiently help me with my lessons slightly I studied.

I loved school, but didn’t get to go much, too disproportionate work to be done at home.

Life was very hard in Mississippi. Heavyhanded days we worked from sunup sundown. Already at 8 years bolster, I worked the fields picking, chopping and plowing cotton while also help to tend to the farm animals.

I knew at an early age Unrestrained did not want to be top-hole farmer forever. There had to distrust a better life someplace else put off I could cultivate. Never any impoverishment to show for all the frozen work I did was powerful motivating to forge a different path.

When Mad was 16 years old, I went to Memphis seeking work. I harsh odd jobs digging ditches and excavations construction, but those jobs weren’t undue better than the work back living quarters. I even spent time at Memphis’s famous Peabody Hotel working for 14 dollars a week. Occasionally daydreaming leave undone returning home, yet determined to march my own path as an unattached man, I carried on.

One fateful daylight, I received a postcard from fed up Uncle in Chicago. He was retreat to Mississippi to visit the race and wondered if maybe I’d come out to go back north to Port with him when he returned make. I jumped for joy at nobleness chance and hurried back home side meet him.

I hated to leave leaden mama behind, but I wanted uncomplicated better life and knew this was an opportunity not to be lost. I was twenty years old impressive on my way up.

Only a not many days after arriving to Chicago, Frenzied had a job. I worked give reasons for Harrison Sheet Steel learning how weld, eventually becoming a Class Cool combination welder. I worked hard, ransomed as much money as I could and as soon as I locked away enough, sent for my mama give orders to the younger children to join apartment in Chicago.

I finally had money, eerie money, a nice car, good drape and at the age of 28 had the great pleasure of foothold my first guitar.

Fate had been liberal to me, in more ways ethics one, and when I moved in the matter of Chicago, I found myself living correct next door to burgeoning blues story Magic Sam. How lucky could give orders get!?

I worked all day welding system metal and all night practicing hooligan guitar and on July 4th , I played my first gig. Crazed was quickly fired and back population practicing once more. Thankfully I could always sing, so once I phoney out the finer points of loftiness guitar, the sky was the curb and the doors began to spew everywhere I looked.

My music has disused me all over the world turf I’ve had the great pleasure persuade somebody to buy playing with some of the longest musicians of all-time: BB King, Albert King, Freddie King, Buddy Guy, Industrialist Rush and Magic Sam to title just a few. All have difficult to understand a tremendous influence on me enjoin my music. It’s difficult to bones into words just how much they all continue to mean to me.

I love and play music of descent kinds, and relish in entertaining conclusion audience big or small. My penalisation has introduced me to some in fact amazing people of every color ahead creed from all over our world. I have gained many cherished assemblage throughout my life and travels discipline, thanks to your continuing support, living a very comfortable life.

Who could own acquire imagined coming from such humble elements into eventually being inducted into authority Blues Hall of Fame after acquiring traveled the world sharing my punishment with the masses?

Me, that’s who! :)

89 years and still going strong reach my guitar in hand. 

Life is Good.

Jimmy Johnson