JOHNNIE BASSETT
(October 9, 1935 – August 4, 2012)
Johnnie Bassett was an American blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. Citing his major influences as Billy Butler, Tiny Grimes, Albert King, B. B. King and, in particular, T-Bone Walker, Bassett’s unique sound combines up-tempo jump blues with the distinctive sound of rhythm and "bottleneck" slide found in Delta blues.
Born in Marianna, Florida on October 9, 1935, he relocated with his family to Detroit in 1944. A self-taught guitarist, Bassett made his debut with a local, teenage R&B band, Joe Weaver and the Bluesnotes. Winning various local talent contests, they were hired to provide back up for singers like Big Joe Turner and Ruth Brown on their tour stops in Detroit.
A stint in the U.S. Army didn’t hamper Bassett’s ability to make music. While stationed in Washington state, he played guitar with a country/western group. Returning to Detroit, he became a session musician at Fortune Records. He provided accompaniment to Nolan Strong & The Diablos and Andre Williams. During a short association with Chess Records, he backed the Miracles on their 1958 debut single “Got A Job.” His prominence as a guitarist put him on stage alongside such greats as John Lee Hooker, Alberta Adams, Lowell Fulson and Dinah Washington.
Bassett moved to Seattle in the 1960s, where he backed up, among others, Tina Turner and Little Willie John. He also performed at various Seattle nightspots where a frequent guest would be Jimi Hendrix. By the end of the decade, he had moved back to Detroit.
In 1994, the Detroit Blues Society honored Johnnie Bassett with a lifetime achievement award for his contributions to the blues. He released an album I Gave My Life To The Blues in 1996, then began touring and recording with his own back-up band, the Blues Insurgents. Their album Cadillac Blues was nominated for five W.C. Handy Awards. When his record label went out of business, he was immediately signed to a contract with a new label after its owner saw Basset and his band in concert.
In 2006, Bassett was awarded the Detroit Music Award for Outstanding Blues/R&B Instrumentalist and, in both 2010 and 2011, he won the Award for Outstanding Blues Artist/Group. The Detroit Music Awards also honored his 2009 release, The Gentleman is Back as Outstanding National Small/Independent Label Recording.
Bassett and his (Chris Codish: keyboards; Keith Kaminski: saxophone; and Skeeto Valdez: drums) played weekly at the Northern Lights Lounge in Detroit.
His last album, I Can Make That Happen, was in June 2012. Johnnie Bassett died of cancer on August 4, 2012 at the age of 76.
Born in Marianna, Florida on October 9, 1935, he relocated with his family to Detroit in 1944. A self-taught guitarist, Bassett made his debut with a local, teenage R&B band, Joe Weaver and the Bluesnotes. Winning various local talent contests, they were hired to provide back up for singers like Big Joe Turner and Ruth Brown on their tour stops in Detroit.
A stint in the U.S. Army didn’t hamper Bassett’s ability to make music. While stationed in Washington state, he played guitar with a country/western group. Returning to Detroit, he became a session musician at Fortune Records. He provided accompaniment to Nolan Strong & The Diablos and Andre Williams. During a short association with Chess Records, he backed the Miracles on their 1958 debut single “Got A Job.” His prominence as a guitarist put him on stage alongside such greats as John Lee Hooker, Alberta Adams, Lowell Fulson and Dinah Washington.
Bassett moved to Seattle in the 1960s, where he backed up, among others, Tina Turner and Little Willie John. He also performed at various Seattle nightspots where a frequent guest would be Jimi Hendrix. By the end of the decade, he had moved back to Detroit.
In 1994, the Detroit Blues Society honored Johnnie Bassett with a lifetime achievement award for his contributions to the blues. He released an album I Gave My Life To The Blues in 1996, then began touring and recording with his own back-up band, the Blues Insurgents. Their album Cadillac Blues was nominated for five W.C. Handy Awards. When his record label went out of business, he was immediately signed to a contract with a new label after its owner saw Basset and his band in concert.
In 2006, Bassett was awarded the Detroit Music Award for Outstanding Blues/R&B Instrumentalist and, in both 2010 and 2011, he won the Award for Outstanding Blues Artist/Group. The Detroit Music Awards also honored his 2009 release, The Gentleman is Back as Outstanding National Small/Independent Label Recording.
Bassett and his (Chris Codish: keyboards; Keith Kaminski: saxophone; and Skeeto Valdez: drums) played weekly at the Northern Lights Lounge in Detroit.
His last album, I Can Make That Happen, was in June 2012. Johnnie Bassett died of cancer on August 4, 2012 at the age of 76.
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