Originally from the small town of Holly Springs in Mississippi where he was born in 1928, it was finally in Chicago that the bluesman Jimmy Johnson found a substantial playing space which revealed his talent. Alongside Freddie King, Albert King, Otis Rush or Magic Sam, he developed a real musical identity in the 1950s. Often underestimated, he did not hide his bitterness and sometimes expressed his regrets at not having obtained more consideration and of recognition. Jimmy Johnson left us on January 31, 2022. He was 93 years old.
On November 18, 2015 in Bonnières-sur-Seine, near Paris, this pillar of Chicago Blues gave an invigorating performance as part of the 17th “Blues on Stage” festival. He was happily approaching 87 and intended to celebrate this birthday in front of a particularly enthusiastic audience. But beyond this invigorating concert, it was the warm personality of this dashing octogenarian that had a strong impact on us. Jimmy Johnson was, of course, a unique artist in “The epic of black music”, but he was also an endearing character who was not content to seduce his audience with his ardor and his musical fervor. He also lent himself to workshops or symposiums organized during various events in which he took part with relish.
We were in the presence of a legend on November 18, 2015, but also of a witness to the history of the blues who did not hesitate to tell us about his destiny. “What pushed me to make music was the fascination I had for musicians when I saw them on stage. I was predestined in a way because my father played guitar and harmonica for his pleasure at home. Then, I took classes in Chicago at the “Boston Music College” for a year. I then had a private teacher. His name was Reginald Boyd. He taught at Bloom Music College in Chicago. Freddie King was the first to let me go on stage with him. Magic Sam also got me started. I played with everyone a bit because I wasn’t difficult to live with and I knew how to avoid problems. I made sure to listen to them. Otis Rush was one of my closest mentors but I always quote Freddie King because he let me play alongside him while others snubbed me. I was not a very good guitarist but he gave me my chance. He didn’t teach me anything. You know, learning an instrument is not done at home by rehearsing, but on stage. In front of an audience, you must offer the best of yourself. The first time is very difficult but gradually you learn. Freddie gave me that chance.”
Jimmy Johnson was born at a time when racial segregation was fierce in the American South. And although the memory of a painful childhood was always difficult for him to bear, he did not hesitate to look back on his past: “I was trying to escape two things: discrimination and misery. I worked hard but got nothing in return. We were a poor family but we could eat our fill and we had a roof. On the other hand, owning a car was science fiction. However, I worked from sunrise to sunset. I often missed classes at school because I had to pick cotton in the southern United States. I was only 8 years old when I started working in the fields. We were 10 children at home, I was the eldest. So I had to help my father to feed the family. When I started making music in the 50s and 60s, it was impossible for white and black artists to perform together. A friend of mine in Chicago had white musicians in his band. One winter he traveled to Florida. When he arrived there with his group of whites and blacks, he found the doors closed. At that time, in the South, black people had no rights. We hadn’t been slaves since 1865 but we still weren’t free 100 years later.”
Jimmy Johnson certainly felt the oppression and racism during his time on earth and even though he tried to stay positive, the wounds of the soul always rebounded: “I would like to transform this planet but it is impossible! If you listen to my songs and, for example, “Black & White Wall”, you will understand that I am talking about this invisible wall that separates whites and blacks in the United States and all over the world. It’s a reality but I can’t do anything about it. So I sing! Listen to this song. You may not like it, but at least make the effort to listen to it. I’m counting on you to put it on the radio! If your listeners don’t like it, too bad! But at least give them a chance to hear it!”.
Jimmy Johnson left with his vows of unity, and although he saw a black president ascend to the top office in the United States, he remained doubtful and worried about the future. In his view, there was still much to be done to achieve social equality among all American citizens. A week after his departure, his younger brother Syl Johnson joined, in turn, the ancestors. A page is turned, but the example of these two rebellious artists encourages us never to resign ourselves to injustice.
⇒ The website of jimmy johnson.