Big Jack Johnson

Date of birth : 07/30/1940

Date of death : 03/14/2011

City of birth : Lambert, Mississippi, USA

Mississippi Delta blues singer/guitarist Big Jack Johnson was born in 1940 in Lambert, MS. His father had his own musical group, and Jack taught himself to play guitar so he could play with them, which he did at age 13. In 1962 he formed a trio called called Frank Frost and The Nighthawks, and they soon recorded an album for International Records, a label owned by the legendary Sam Phillips. They recorded another album for Jewel Records, while continuing to play clubs and juke joints in the Mississippi Delta. The group eventually broke up, but in 1978 the president of Earwig Records persuaded them to re-form and they cut an album for Earwig, "Rockin' the Juke Joint Down". The album was a critical and financial success, and the group--now calling themselves The Jelly Roll Kings--began touring, notably in Europe. In 1987 Johnson recorded a solo album, "The Oil Man", followed two years later by "Daddy, When is Mommy Comin' Home?". The group performed at the Chicago Blues Festival in 1987 and 1991. Johnson died in Memphis, TN, in 2011.