Hear the Shirley Johnson interview this week as well as songs from her
Delmark record Blues Attack.
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Shirley Johnson grew up in Norfolk Virginia where she was singing
gospel music in the church when she was only six years old. Shirley
loves gospel music and has been singing it all her life. Her family
was very religious and did not approve of secular music. This caused
a problem for Shirley when she found she also loved secular music.
Some of the artists she loved were Etta James, B.B.King, Z.Z.Hill,
Koko Taylor, Bobby “Blue” Bland and Little Milton. In the late
seventies she started singing secular music in her hometown of
Norfolk, as well as being an opening act for artist coming through
town. In 1983 Shirley moved to Chicago to pursue her love for the
blues in the city of blues. As she will explain in this show it was a
lot of work being in different bands, but when you love what you’re
doing it really makes a difference.

In 2002 Bob Koester, President of Delmark Records, released Killer
Diller. It was a wonderful blues record with good helpings of soul,
rhythm & blues, and gospel. The high light of which was her version
of a Nat Foster composition “Not For The Love Of You”. A song you
can’t just play one time, if your blues station hasn’t been
playing it you have been robbed of one of the best songs of 2002.

Shirley Johnson’s new record Blues Attack also on Delmark Records is
much in the same vain as Killer Diller was. It’s blues, soul, rhythm
& blues, and gospel, with a high emphasis on a soulful band that puts
real feelings in their playing as Shirley does in her singing.
Shirley co-wrote three of the songs on this record. Two of them were
with Maurice John Vaughn, who wrote three other songs for Shirley.
The record opens with his song “You’re Reckless” a real nice shuffle
that gets you in the mood. You’ll probably remember the Wilson
Pickett song “634-5789” from the mid-sixties. Shirley does a great
job on this up beat pop/soul song. Shirley said she has been playing
“Unchain my Heart” live now for quite awhile and has changed things
around till the song was just how she liked it. At times when she’s
using a pickup band Shirley said she always tells them “were going to
church from the beginning” another words it has a real gospel
sound to it but without the religious lyrics. Other highlights are
“Just Like That”, “Selfish Kind of Gal” and “I’m Going to Find Me a
Lover” but hey why read this when you can be listening to the show.
Let Shirley tell you all about the songs and you’ll get to hear some
of them too. Like Shirley would say if you like a lot of soul and
feeling in your blues you’ve come to the right place. Please pick up
Shirley Johnson’s Blues Attack you will be very glad you did.

If you’re lucky enough to live in, or are going to be visiting Chicago
you need to check out Shirley Johnson live at Blue Chicago.
You may also want to go by her record labels record store. Jazz
Record Mart at 27 East Illinois. It’s still the world’s largest jazz
and blues record store.

You may also like to hear my show on the history of Delmark Rercords and Jazz
Record Mart as told to me by Bob Koester the founder. You will also
hear a clip in the show of Shirley Johnson doing “Not for the Love of
You,” but remember you won’t be able to listen to it just once.
Click here to hear the show on Delmark Records.

Songs heard in today’s show:
Selfish Kind of Gal
Just Like That
You’re Reckless
Blues Attack
I’m Going to Find Me a Lover

You can always buy the CD from Jazz Record Mart

Find other great blues artist at Delmark Records

Buy Shirley Johnson Cd’s from Amazon.Com

You have to see Shirley Johnson live at Blue Chicago
She is the “Queen of Blue Chicago!”
Blue Chicago Website
She plays at the 536 N. CLARK Club there every Thursday and Sunday.
She plays at the 736 N. CLARK location once a month on Friday and Saturday

Shirley Johnson’s MySpace
Thanks to Shirley Johnson for letting me interview her.
Thanks to Kevin over at Delmark Records for all his help in setting everything up.
Thanks to Bernadette for taking the photo of Shirley last week while she was performing at Blue Chicago.
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Blues Music and Interviews
A1Blues.Com
formerly A1 Artist Spotlight.Com
by A1 Mark