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Jimmy Johnson

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James Thompson was born on November 25, 1928, Holly Springs, Mississippi, USA. Jimmy Johnson came from a musical family and was a singer and guitarist with several gospel groups until 1959, nine years after Jimmy Johnson moved to Chicago to work as a welder. At that time Jimmy Johnson sat in with Magic Sam and Freddie King, following the lead of his blues-playing brothers Syl Johnson and Mack Thompson (aka Mac Thompson), but in the 60s Jimmy Johnson was much more involved in the R&B scene. He worked with Otis Clay and Garland Green, and recorded the occasional single for local labels. Jimmy Johnson returned to the blues in the 70s and played second guitar with Jimmy Dawkins and Otis Rush. Jimmy Johnson recorded acclaimed sets for Delmark Records and Alligator Records, but following a road accident in December 1988 which killed his bass player and keyboardist Jimmy Johnson retreated from the public eye. He made a comeback in the 90s with two solid albums. Jimmy Johnson's beautiful, gospel-tinged songs and performances put him in the premier rank of modern blues artists. (quoted from Encyclopedia of Popular Music)

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