Johnny Burgin (born July 17, 1969) is an American blues guitarist, musician, and harmonica player. Since 1997, he has released ten albums under his name and has contributed to various recordings.
Career Johnny Burgin began performing in high school. He honed his blues style and performed on Thursday nights at Lilly's in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood with the Ice Cream Men, a blues band that included Steve Cushing (drums), Scott Dirks (harp), and Dave Waldman (guitar).
As a student at the University of Chicago, he gained the nickname "Rockin' Johnny" for his work as a college radio DJ. In 1988, he met fellow DJ and harpist David Waldman, who had played and recorded with Tail Dragger Jones, Smokey Smothers, and others. This led to a trip to Chicago's West Side to meet and sit with Jones.
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, who often had Dave Meyers, a member of Aces, on bass. Burgin toured nationally for two years with Sam Lay, drummer for Howlin' Wolf and Paul Butterfield.
In 1994, Burgin began a residency at Smoke Daddy, a venue in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. 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" as a bandleader in 1997. Collaborations with other blues musicians and European tours followed.
In 2002, Burgin left the music business to focus on his family. He returned to music in January 2009. Chicago Tribune's Rick Kogan wrote on June 1 2015, that Burgin is a passionate blues musician.
Between 2010 and 2020, Burgin released seven CDs and increased his touring schedule to more than 250 performances yearly. 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.
Personal life Johnny Burgin was born on July 17, 1969, in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, but grew up in Starkville, Mississippi, 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 dropped the "Rockin'" from his name in 2019 and now goes simply by 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.No Border Blues Japan2020DelmarkThe 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 MikeGreetings from Greaseland2015West Coast RecordsFeatures Kid Andersen (guitar) and Aki Kumar (harp)Grim Reaper2012DelmarkReached No. 7 on the Living Blues Radio chartsNow's the Time20105105 MusicMore Real Folk Blues2000Midwest ArtistsOut of printMan's Temptation1998DelmarkStraight Out of Chicago1997Delmark AS SIDEMAN Chicago: The Blues Legends: Today!Mary Lane, Little Jerry Jones, Milwaukee Slim, Mike Mettalia. 2019West ToneTony Holiday's Porch Sessions2019VizztoneHowlin' 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' WolfChicago 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 notesTail Dragger Live at Rooster's LoungeTail Dragger JonesDelmark (DVD) Features Jimmy Dawkins, Johnny Burgin, Kevin Shanahan, Martin Lang, Rob Lorenz and Todd Fackler Johnny Burgin wrote the liner notesChicago JumpJimmy Lee Robinson2004Random ChanceKiller DillerShirley Johnson2002DelmarkAlive in the CityThe Mighty Blue Kings2001deLay Does ChicagoPaul deLay1999Evidence Features Johnny Burgin Band (courtesy of Delmark Records) Special guests included Jimmy Dawkins (courtesy of Ichiban Records) and Zora YoungSingin' 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" SmithAmerican PeopleTail Dragger Jones1999DelmarkChicago Blues: Rockin' After MidnightVarious Artists1998St. George Johnny Burgin backed up Andre Williams and Paul Jones (of Manfred Mann) Rib Tips LiveLittle Arthur Duncan1997Random ChanceBlues Before Sunrise: Live Vol. 1John Brim, Billy Boy Arnold, Big Wheeler, Jimmy Burns1997DelmarkA Benefit for Steve Cushing's Radio ShowLeaving Here WalkingJimmy Burns1996Delmark Named the Best Blues Record of the Year by the National Association of Independent Record Distributors Received two W.C. Handy Award nominations. Produced by Scott DirksCrawlin' KingsnakeTail Dragger Jones and his Chicago Blues Band1995St. GeorgeLonely TravelerJimmy Lee Robinson1993DelmarkBig Wheeler's Bone Orchard with the Ice Cream MenGolden "Big" Wheeler1992Delmark References
Further reading
External links Johnny Burgin website