Johnny Dyer

Johnny Dyer
Born (1938-12-07)December 7, 1938
Rolling Fork, Mississippi, United States
Died November 11, 2014(2014-11-11) (aged 75)
San Dimas, California, United States
Genres Electric blues[1]
Occupation(s) Harmonicist, singer, songwriter
Instruments Harmonica, vocals
Years active 1950s–2014

Johnny Dyer (December 7, 1938 – November 11, 2014)[2] was an American electric blues harmonicist and singer.[1] He received a nomination for a Blues Music Award, and was involved in a number of recordings, both as a solo performer and with other musicians.

Biography

Dyer grew up on the Stovall Plantation in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, United States, and learnt to play the harmonica from the age of seven. His initial inspiration came from hearing Little Walter on a Nashville, Tennessee, based radio station, and by his teenage years Dyer was playing acoustic harmonica and had formed his own band. He started playing amplified harmonica in the early 1950s, when he first performed alongside Smokey Wilson.[3][4]

Dyer relocated to Los Angeles, California in January 1958,[4] where he met George "Harmonica" Smith. Together they played concerts with a "father and son" billing. Dyer commented on that time stating, "Smith was the hottest thing around and the blues was really swinging! He taught me a lot. Everybody loved George." Following this Dyer set up his own combo, Johnny Dyer and the Blue Notes, and played with Jimmy Reed, J.B. Hutto, and Jimmy Rogers.[3]

Times took a downturn for Dyer in the 1960s, and he stepped away from the music industry for some while. Finally appearing again in the 1980s, Dyer found work with other harmonica players, such as Shakey Jake Harris, Harmonica Fats (pseudonym for Harvey Blackston; 1927–2000), and Rod Piazza.[3] Dyer released a couple of singles including "Overdose of Love"[5] and, in 1983, issued the Johnny Dyer and the LA Jukes album.[4] The Netherlands record label, Black Magic featured Dyer on their Hard Times: L.A. Blues Anthology compilation album.[3]

Dyer later collaborated with guitarist Rick Holmstrom, and together they issued two albums on Black Top Records: Listen Up (1994) and Shake It! (1995). Listen Up included Dyer's cover version of the blues standard, "Driftin' Blues".[6] The album, Jukin', also released in 1995, was a re-issue of Dyer's debut LP with additional tracks.[3] It contained Dyer's version of "Baby What You Want Me to Do".[7]

He appeared on the bill at the Long Beach Blues Festival in 2000, where he sang alongside James Cotton. Over the years he was a featured performer on Mark Hummel's annual Blues Harmonica Blowout tours.

Dyer received a Blues Music Award nomination in 2004, in the 'Blues Song Of The Year' category, for the track "Hard Times Won." He has also spent time playing with The Mannish Boys, and has appeared on a number of their album releases.[8]

His final album was Rolling Fork Revisited (2004), recorded with Mark Hummel. The album contained reworkings of songs by another Rolling Fork native, Muddy Waters.[9][10]

Dyer died at home in San Dimas, California on November 11, 2014, at the age of 75.[2][11]

Discography

Albums

Album title Record label Year of release
Johnny Dyer and the LA Dukes Murray Brothers 1983
Listen Up Black Top Records 1994
Shake It! Black Top Records 1995
Rolling Fork Revisited Mountain Top Productions 2004

[12]

Compilation albums

Album title Record label Year of release
Jukin' Blind Pig Records 1995

[13]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Johnny Dyer". Allmusic. Retrieved October 17, 2010.
  2. 1 2 "Johnny Dyer (postscript)". Blindpigrecords.com. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Johnny Dyer". Blindpigrecords.com. Retrieved October 17, 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 Larkin, Colin; Encyclopedia of Popular Music. "Johnny Dyer". Oldies.com. Retrieved October 17, 2010.
  5. ↑ "Photos | Bob Corritore - Official Website". Bob Corritore. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
  6. ↑ Char Ham. "Listen Up - Johnny Dyer | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
  7. ↑ "Jukin' - Johnny Dyer | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
  8. ↑ "Johnny Dyer". Deltagrooveproductions.com. Retrieved October 17, 2010.
  9. ↑ "Rolling Fork Revisited - Johnny Dyer | Credits". AllMusic. 2004-10-19. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
  10. ↑ "Dyer Johnny Mark Hummel- Rolling Fork Revisited [Mountaintop201] - $14.00". Bluebeat Music. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
  11. ↑ "Obituaries — Living Blues #234". Digital.livingblues.com. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  12. ↑ "Johnny Dyer | Discography". AllMusic. 1938-12-07. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
  13. ↑ "Johnny Dyer | Discography". AllMusic. 1938-12-07. Retrieved 2014-01-26.

External links

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