Luther Johnson Obituary, Death – This West Side-styled veteran was probably the most well-known blues guitarist to go by the name of Luther Johnson, which was shared by three different blues guitarists. He was a veteran of the blues scene dating back to the 1930s. To add to the general confusion that surrounds the triumvirate, Luther “Guitar Junior” Johnson, along with his brother Luther “Snake Boy” Johnson, served for a considerable amount of time in Muddy Waters’ band, which at the time was ranked first.
This fact adds to the general confusion that surrounds the triumvirate (1972-1979). Gospel music and blues music collided early on in Luther Johnson’s life, when he was still residing in Mississippi and both genres were in their infancy. After moving to Chicago in the middle of the 1950s, his primary interest shifted from jazz to blues music. Nevertheless, he continued to play jazz.
Before becoming the leader of the combo of Tall Milton Shelton in 1962, he worked with Ray Scott and had previously collaborated with Shelton. In the middle of the 1960s, Robert Johnson looked to Magic Sam as a major source of stylistic inspiration (Johnson was a member of Magic Sam’s band for a few years). Magic Sam was a major influence on Johnson’s music. Even after Johnson moved to the greater Boston area in the early 1980s, the West Side approach continued to play a significant role in his musical style.
This was the case despite the fact that his musical style was influenced by the music of the West Side. The tracks for Luther Johnson’s debut album, Luther’s Blues, were recorded in 1976 while Johnson was on tour with Muddy Waters in Europe. The tour was Johnson’s first major musical endeavor. By 1980, he had already established himself as a solo artist, having recorded with the Nighthawks and contributing four tracks to the second series of Living Chicago Blues anthologies released by Alligator.
These anthologies were released by the Alligator record label. In 1984, Johnson issued a record titled ‘Doin’ the Sugar Too’ on Rooster Blues. Recording sessions for the album included not only his own band, the Magic Rockers, but also the horn section from Roomful of Blues. Johnson’s three albums for the company were fiery, soul-tinged blues that often sliced through with a strong West Side flavor. In the early 1990s, Johnson became a member of Ron Levy’s Bullseye Blues after signing a contract with him. (Bill Dahl)