Most times, the small red notebook goes with Big Johnny Blue into his home recording studio where he will put down his own demo tracks. The cozy studio contains several guitars, an electronic keyboard, harmonicas in a variety of keys, and a drum kit.
Now Big Johnny Blue is busier than ever. With 2013 now almost complete Johnny has had more exposure and interaction with local blues and roots music fans than any other year. Whether he is at home writing and recording, jamming with other local blues artists, or performing professionally, he is engaging people with his music, and drawing them in to enjoy the power of song.
It’s an envious position to be in, where one gets busier as he gets older, and years of experience pay off. Big Johnny Blue is poised to do his best work as a professional musician, singer-songwriter and blues advocate.
In the song-writing and music business, life experience enriches and strengthens raw talent. In the Air Force they call it the Right Stuff. In music they call it soul. As Charlie Parker said, “If you don’t live it, it won’t come out your horn.” Big Johnny Blue has the soul of a musician. He has the gift of being able to connect with people and make them feel good about themselves, whether he is on stage singing the blues or off stage writing a song or organizing a charitable event.
Big Johnny Blue composes and plays “movin’ music” for anyone who’s ready to listen. His small red book of original songs is tangible evidence of a creative, musical mind that has been molded by a community conscience and a heavy dose of real life.
Some have said he sounds like John Lennon. No objections here.
Recently Big Johnny Blue was playing at the Come By Chance in Hamilton’s ground-level East End. Melvin Street to be exact. A bright light of a place in a struggling neighbourhood, where friends meet and good music is served with good drink.
He was just getting into his second set and there it was: Stormy Monday, the T-Bone Walker classic. After a few seconds it was clear there was no better seat in town. No better place to be than sitting right there taking in that beautiful song, absorbing its medicine, and feeling all the pain and troubles of life fade away.
Big Johnny Blue is playing regularly. Equally capable as a sideman or frontman, and working in all contemporary styles including rock, folk, pop, country, and rhythm and blues, Big Johnny Blue knows over six hundred tunes. His audience skills are polished and he is an experienced businessman and entrepreneur.
In addition, Big Johnny Blue’s entrepreneurial and community spirit is driving more and more of his activities. From time to time he calls his large circle of friends and acquaintances into action and involvement to inspire the whole community. When the January 2010 earthquake devastated Haiti, he was moved to do something when he saw the distress of many Haitian-born Hamiltonians as they thought about the plight of their families. Hamilton 4 Haiti Blues Jam was born. The event was held at St. Peter’s Church in Hamilton and raised a large sum of money toward relief efforts.
Big Johnny Blue is a key mover and supporter of the development of the Hamilton Blues Society. He continues to press forward with plans to establish the organization in Hamilton and is always ready to help spearhead, promote and support events and awards that showcase our local blues talent.
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Big Johnny Blue’s music is available to preview and purchase here on this website. “My music has been unavailable for too long,” he says. “It’s time to get these songs out there so people can enjoy them and that the songs can work their magic.”Sign up here to receive email notices when Big Johnny Blue adds new information about his work and his music. And take a few minutes to check out the photo gallery.