Robert A. Johnson (born in the 1950s) is a rock, pop, and blues guitarist based in Memphis, Tennessee who is best known for his work in the late 1970s. [1] He is usually known professionally simply as "Robert Johnson." He is no relation to the renowned Delta blues guitarist Robert Johnson.
Early in his career Johnson played in bands with Jack Holder and Greg Reding, who later became members of Black Oak Arkansas. Johnson's technical playing skill became well respected by other musicians, and at the age of 23 he was auditioned by The Rolling Stones as a possible replacement for Mick Taylor. [2] Between 1974 and 1977 he toured as lead guitarist for John Entwistle's solo project band, "John Entwistle's Ox."
In 1978, with his own backing band the Bell Heirs, featuring Dave Cochran on bass and Blair Cunningham on drums, Johnson cut an album entitled Close Personal Friend for Infinity Records. The album became a minor cult success, reaching number 174 on the Billboard 200. He released a set of demos the following year. In 2008, Close Personal Friend, was re-released on CD with additional bonus tracks.
John Alec Entwistle was an English musician who was the bassist for the rock band The Who. Entwistle's music career spanned over four decades. Nicknamed "The Ox" and "Thunderfingers", he was the band's only member with formal musical training and also provided backing and occasional lead vocals. Entwistle was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Who in 1990.
Peter Case is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. His career is wide-ranging, from rock n' roll and blues, to folk rock and solo acoustic performance.
Chester Arthur Burnett, known professionally as Howlin' Wolf, was a Chicago blues singer, guitarist, and harmonica player. Originally from Mississippi, he moved to Chicago in adulthood and became successful, forming a professional rivalry with fellow bluesman Muddy Waters. With a booming voice and imposing physical presence, he is one of the best-known Chicago blues artists.
John Len Chatman, known professionally as Memphis Slim, was an American blues pianist, singer, and composer. He led a series of bands that, reflecting the popular appeal of jump blues, included saxophones, bass, drums, and piano. A song he first cut in 1947, "Every Day I Have the Blues", has become a blues standard, recorded by many other artists. He made over 500 recordings.
Robert Lockwood Jr. was an American Delta blues guitarist, who recorded for Chess Records and other Chicago labels in the 1950s and 1960s. He was the only guitarist to have learned to play directly from Robert Johnson. Robert Lockwood was one of the first professional black entertainers to appear on radio in the South, on the King Biscuit Time radio show. Lockwood is known for his longtime collaboration with Sonny Boy Williamson II and for his work in the mid-1950s with Little Walter.
John Ned Shines was an American blues singer and guitarist.
Steven Lee Cropper, sometimes known as "The Colonel", is an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He is the guitarist of the Stax Records house band, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, which backed artists such as Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas and Johnnie Taylor. He also acted as the producer of many of these records. He was later a member of the Blues Brothers band. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him 36th on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time, while he has won two Grammy Awards from his seven nominations.
Booker T. Washington "Bukka" White was an American Delta blues guitarist and singer.
Albert Nelson, known by his stage name Albert King, was an American blues guitarist and singer whose playing influenced many other blues guitarists. He is perhaps best known for the popular and influential album Born Under a Bad Sign (1967) and its title track. He, B.B. King, and Freddie King, all unrelated, were known as the "Kings of the Blues". The left-handed King was known for his "deep, dramatic sound that was widely imitated by both blues and rock guitarists."
Wilbur "Kansas Joe" McCoy was an American Delta blues singer, musician and songwriter.
Hudson Whittaker, known as Tampa Red, was an American Chicago blues musician.
Arlen Roth is an American guitarist, teacher, and author. From 1982 to 1992, he was a columnist for Guitar Player magazine. Those ten years of columns became a book, Hot Guitar. His father Al Ross was a cartoonist for The New Yorker Magazine and many other publications over a 75-year career. He lived to the age of 100, and was one of the 4 Roth Brothers: Al Ross, Irving Roir, Ben Roth and Salo, all of whom became cartoonists. Al Ross was also a great painter and fine artist, and he was the one who encouraged Arlen to become a guitarist when he saw Arlen playing along with the Flamenco records he would play in the Bronx apartment.
Bernard John Marsden is an English rock and blues guitarist. He is primarily known for his work with Whitesnake, having written or co-written with David Coverdale many of the group's hit songs, such as "Fool for Your Loving", "Walking in the Shadow of the Blues", "She's A Woman", "Lovehunter", "Trouble", "Child of Babylon", "Rough and Ready", and the multi-million selling chart-topper "Here I Go Again".
Infinity Records was a short-lived subsidiary of MCA Records established in New York City in 1978. The label was conceived by MCA president Sidney Sheinberg as a way for the Los Angeles-based entertainment conglomerate to improve its presence on the East Coast. Ron Alexenberg, who had previously been the head of the Epic Records division of CBS Records was hired as CEO.
Joe Hill Louis, born Lester Hill, was an American singer, guitarist, harmonica player and one-man band. He was one of a small number of one-man blues bands to have recorded commercially in the 1950s. He was also a session musician for Sun Records.
James Earl Thompson, known professionally as Jimmy Johnson, was an American blues guitarist and singer.
The Ratbites From Hell were a West Country rock band active between 1972 and 1975, many of whose members subsequently played in key bands of the later 70's, as punk and new wave revived the London and New York music scenes.
Rocky Athas in Texas, is a blues songwriter and guitarist, best known for his work with Black Oak Arkansas, Glenn Hughes, Buddy Miles, Double Trouble and John Mayall.