Rockin' Johnny Burgin

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Johnny Burgin
Johnnyburgin-2017byFrankyBruneel.jpg
Johnny Burgin at the 2017 Chicago Blues Festival
Background information
Birth nameJohnny Burgin
Also known asRockin' Johnny Burgin
Born (1969-07-17) July 17, 1969 (age 55)
Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States
Genres Chicago blues, electric blues
Occupation(s)Guitarist, singer, songwriter
Instrument(s)Guitar, harmonica, vocals
Years active1990s–present
Website http://www.johnnyburgin.com

Johnny Burgin (born July 17, 1969) is an American blues guitarist and harmonica player. Since 1997, he has released ten albums under his name [1] and has contributed as a sideman on various recordings.

Contents

Career

Johnny Burgin was a student and college radio DJ at the University of Chicago where he was given his famous nickname, "Rockin' Johnny". [2] [3] In 1988, he encountered fellow DJ and harpist David Waldman, who played and recorded with Tail Dragger Jones, Smokey Smothers, and others, which led him to a trip to Chicago's West Side to meet and sit in with Jones. [4]

Johnny Burgin played gigs in high school. He worked on his blues style and performed on Thursday nights at Lilly's in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood, with the Ice Cream Men. [5] They were a blues band that included Steve Cushing (drums), Scott Dirks (harp), and Dave Waldman (guitar).

Burgin was then hired by Tail Dragger Jones and began playing four nights a week on Chicago's West Side with seasoned blues performers such as Eddie Burks, Mary Lane, Johnny B. Moore, Lurrie Bell, Little Mack Simmons, Little Arthur Duncan, Jimmy Dawkins, and Johnny Littlejohn among others. He toured the Midwest with Pinetop Perkins, [1] who often had Dave Meyers, a member of the Aces, on bass. Burgin also toured nationally for two years with Sam Lay, [6] drummer for Howlin' Wolf and Paul Butterfield.

In 1994, Burgin began a residency at Smoke Daddy, a venue in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. [2] The band featured Jimmy Burns on vocals and guitar, Martin Lang on harp, Sho Komiya on bass, and either Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith (son of Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, drummer for Muddy Waters) or Kelly Littleton (drummer for Lil' Ed Williams). During the residency in 1996, Bob Koester, founder of Delmark Records, signed Jimmy Burns with Burgin's band after hearing one set.

Burgin recorded his debut CD "Straight Out Of Chicago" [7] as a bandleader in 1997. [2] Collaborations with blues musicians, and European tours, followed.

In 2002, Burgin left the music business to take care of his family, [8] then returned in January 2009. In the June 1, 2015, edition of the Chicago Tribune , reporter Rick Kogan wrote, "There are few more passionate practitioners of [blues] music than Johnny Burgin".

Burgin released seven CDs between 2010 and 2020 and increased his touring schedule to perform more than 250 performances a year. In 2016, he moved from Chicago to California and collaborated with West Coast players such as Aki Kumar, Kid Andersen, Alabama Mike, Nick Gravenites, Nancy Wright, and Andy Santana. [9]

Personal life

Johnny Burgin was born July 17, 1969, in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, but grew up mostly in Starkville, Mississippi, [2] his father's hometown. Burgin's father was an actor and folk musician who taught him how to play guitar. In 1988 he moved to Chicago, Illinois to attend the University of Chicago.

He relocated from Chicago to Petaluma, California in 2016 and then to New Orleans, Louisiana in 2021. He got rid of the "Rockin'" from his name in 2019 and is now named simply as Johnny Burgin.

Discography

AS BAND LEADER

Ramblin' From Coast to Coast2024Straight ShooterWith special guests John Blues Boyd, Rae Gordon, Dylan Bishop, Hanna PK, Ben Levin, Jad Tariq, and 14 other musicians during Burgin's travels to Rochester, N.Y., Cincinnati, Ohio, Memphis, Tenn., and Dallas, Texas. Mixed and mastered by Kid Andersen at Greaseland Studios in San Jose, Calif. [10]
No Border Blues Japan [11] 2020DelmarkThe first American compilation of the underground Japanese Blues Scene. With Lee Kanehira, Minoru Maruyama, Kotez, Nacomi Tanaka, Yoshimi Hirata, Kaz Ohnogi,

Takagiman, Iper Onishi, Ataka Suzuki, Hironori Yanaga, Fumiko Maejima, Stephen Dougherty and Chris Matheos. Recorded at Fukada Studio, Osaka by Yoshikazu Madokoro. Mixed and mastered by Steve Wagner at Riverside Studio, Chicago.

Johnny Burgin Live2019DelmarkWith special guests Charlie Musselwhite, Rae Gordon, Nancy Wright, Aki Kumar, and Kid Andersen. Recorded and mixed by Kid Anderson, mastered by Steve Wagner.
Rockin' Johnny and Quique Gomez2019Vizztone Label GroupFeatures Greg Izor, Josh Fulero, Christian Dozzler. Recorded in Toledo, Spain at Casa Madera and Austin Texas at Alnico Studio.
Neoprene Fedora2017West ToneFeatures Kid Andersen, Nancy Wright, Aki Kumar, and Alabama Mike
Greetings from Greaseland2015West Coast RecordsFeatures Kid Andersen (guitar) and Aki Kumar (harp)
Grim Reaper2012DelmarkReached No. 7 on the Living Blues Radio charts
Now's the Time20105105 Music
More Real Folk Blues2000Midwest ArtistsOut of print
Man's Temptation1998Delmark
Straight Out of Chicago1997Delmark

AS SIDEMAN

Chicago: The Blues Legends: Today!Mary Lane, Little Jerry Jones, Milwaukee Slim, Mike Mettalia.2019West Tone
Tony Holiday's Porch Sessions2019Vizztone
Howlin' At GreaselandJohn Blues Boyd, Tail Dragger Jones, Terry Hanck, Lee Donald and Alabama Mike2018West ToneNominated for a BMA for Best Traditional Blues CD. An all-star cast of Chicago and California musicians pay tribute to the music of Howlin' Wolf
Chicago Blues Harp Sessions   Martin Lang2015Random Chance
'Straight Blues'Peter Struijk2015Blueshine Records (Netherlands)
Cell Phone ManWillie Buck2014Delmark
  • Reached No. 1 on the Living Blues radio charts
  • Johnny Burgin played guitar and acoustic guitar and served as producer
  • Barrelhouse Chuck made a guest appearance
  • Scott Dirks wrote the liner notes
Tail Dragger

Live at Rooster's Lounge

Tail Dragger JonesDelmark (DVD)
  • Features Jimmy Dawkins, Johnny Burgin, Kevin Shanahan, Martin Lang, Rob Lorenz and Todd Fackler
  • Johnny Burgin wrote the liner notes
Chicago JumpJimmy Lee Robinson2004Random Chance
Killer DillerShirley Johnson2002Delmark
Alive in the CityThe Mighty Blue Kings2001
deLay Does ChicagoPaul deLay1999Evidence
  • Features Johnny Burgin Band (courtesy of Delmark Records)
  • Special guests included Jimmy Dawkins (courtesy of Ichiban Records) and Zora Young
Singin' With the SunLittle Arthur Duncan1999Delmark
  • Johnny Burgin wrote the liner notes, was a producer, and played guitar on this recording
  • Also on this recording: Billy Flynn, Martin Lang, Eddie Taylor Jr. and Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith
American PeopleTail Dragger Jones1999Delmark
Chicago Blues:

Rockin' After Midnight

Various Artists1998St. George
  • Johnny Burgin backed up Andre Williams and Paul Jones (of Manfred Mann) 
Rib Tips LiveLittle Arthur Duncan1997Random Chance
Blues Before Sunrise:

Live Vol. 1

John Brim, Billy Boy Arnold,

Big Wheeler, Jimmy Burns

1997DelmarkA Benefit for Steve Cushing's Radio Show
Leaving Here WalkingJimmy Burns1996Delmark
Crawlin' KingsnakeTail Dragger Jones and his Chicago Blues Band1995St. George
Lonely TravelerJimmy Lee Robinson1993Delmark
Big Wheeler's Bone Orchard

with the Ice Cream Men

Golden "Big" Wheeler1992Delmark


References

  1. 1 2 "Johnny Burgin". Qobuz.com. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Rockin' Johnny Burgin is glad to be playing the blues again". Chicago Tribune. 2015-06-01. Retrieved 2025-01-09.
  3. "Local Events". Daily-Tribune. Retrieved 2025-02-10.
  4. "Johnny Burgin". Thegalaxieagency.com. Retrieved 2025-02-15.
  5. "Johnny Burgin". Thegalaxieagency.com. Retrieved 2025-02-15.
  6. "Johnny Burgin". Qobuz.com. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  7. "Straight Out Of Chicago". Johnnyburgin.com. 2024-04-07. Retrieved 2024-10-14.
  8. "Johnny Burgin Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & Mo..." AllMusic. Retrieved 2025-02-15.
  9. "Johnny Burgin Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & Mo..." AllMusic. Retrieved 2025-02-15.
  10. ST CLAIRE DONAGHY (2024-06-15). "Johnny Burgin's blues travel coast to coast on new album". Indexjournal.com. Retrieved 2025-02-03.
  11. "Local Events". Theunion.com. Retrieved 2025-02-03.

Further reading