Heralded Austin
Musician Johnny Nicholas Brings a Breath of Fresh Air with New
Blues/Roots CD Coming September 2
AUSTIN, TX – Acclaimed roots musician Johnny Nicholas has
announced a September 2 release date for his new CD, Fresh Air,
which showcases his multiple talents on various guitars and soulful vocals for
an album surely to be one of the best musical revelations of the year.
Watch the Johnny Nicholas video that includes musical
excerpts from the Fresh Air album:
Fresh Air was produced by Bruce Hughes and recorded at Arlyn Studios in Austin.
Featuring an all-star cast that includes Scrappy Jud Newcomb (guitars,
mandolin, mandocello), John Chipman (drums, percussion, vocals) and Bruce
Hughes (bass, vocals, percussion), plus a guest list that includes Cindy
Cashdollar (lap steel and additional guitars), the new CD creates a satisfying
statement of true American roots music at its finest and most authentic.
“Fresh
Air is a collection of stories and melodies that have haunted me for
some time,” says Johnny Nicholas. “There are some different styles here but all
of this is the blues as I know it—as all American music and rock and roll has
sprung from the same source. I don’t understand a whole lot of what is going on
in the modern world, but I do know I could use a little ‘fresh air.’ I
hope you dig these tunes.”
Containing a baker’s-dozen 13 tracks, Fresh
Air covers a wide swath of Johnny’s roots – everything from the Delta
blues of the album’s opener, “Moonlight Train,” to the Chicago-style city blues
of the Howlin’ Wolf classic, “Back Door Man,” along with sojourns into swampy
Cajun styles, Americana and everything in between. The constant
throughout all these songs is Johnny’s high-lonesome blues vocal style, lithe
harmonica playing and soulful string work on an assortment of guitars. Other
than “Back Door Man” and the Sleepy John Estes chestnut, “”Kid Man Blues,”
Johnny Nicholas had a hand in writing all of the other songs on Fresh Air.
“Johnny Nicholas is one of the best bluesmen
ever, black or white.” – Stephen Bruton. When it comes to Americana roots music and especially the blues, the late,
great Stephen Bruton knew what he was talking about. His description of his
long-time friend and musical comrade in arms is succinct and quite a heady
compliment, but then, Johnny Nicholas is an amazing talent.
For four decades, Johnny’s consummate musicianship
and vocal skills have graced live music scenes across the country and abroad.
He has toured, performed and recorded with many true blues and Americana roots
music legends, including Mississippi Fred McDowell, Robert Lockwood Jr.,
Johnny Shines, Big Walter Horton, Roosevelt Sykes, Nathan Abshire, Robert Pete
Williams, Eddie Taylor, Hound Dog Taylor, Johnny Young, Houston Stackhouse, and
Boogie Woogie Red.
Johnny recorded and toured with Johnny
Shines and Snooky Pryor, producing and playing guitar on their W.C.
Handy Award-winning album, Back to the Country. He was one of the
lead vocalists with Asleep at the Wheel when they won their first of
many Grammy Awards. He gave blues guitar icon Ronnie Earl his first gig
in the now legendary band, Guitar Johnny and the Rhythm Rockers. He has
also performed with the likes of Howlin’ Wolf, B.B. King, Muddy Waters,
Bonnie Rait, Eric Clapton, Pops and Mavis Staples, Delbert McClinton, Willie
Nelson, Merle Haggard, Marcia Ball and Jimmie Vaughan, among many others.
He can wow a festival crowd of thousands or a small room of devotees.
Born in Rhode Island, Johnny discovered the
blues at an early age, grooving to the great R&B that was blasting from the
airwaves in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s—Jimmy Reed, Lightnin’ Slim, Lloyd
Price, Slim Harpo, Larry Williams, Little Walter, Ray Charles and Howlin’ Wolf
were all big blips on this impressionable young man’s radar screen. Like fellow
Greek-American Johnny Otis had a generation earlier, this Johnny easily made
the leap into the soulful world of the blues. He was high school friends with
Duke Robillard and the two of them shared licks and records after school, as
well as each leading their own band (Duke’s was called the Variations and
Johnny’s was called the Vikings).
In 1966, he hopped the train to New York City
to see his idol, Howlin’ Wolf. He ended up hanging with Wolf’s band at the
Albert Hotel by day (where Wolf, the Muddy Waters band and Otis Spann were all
staying), and at Ungano’s nightclub by night, where the Wolf was holding
musical court while on a two week prowl of the Big Apple. This experience
cemented his love of the blues while providing inspiration and a gateway to
friendships and musical adventures that would help mold a successful career,
and still smolder in this talented and restless soul
In 1980, Johnny decided to take time off
from touring in order to raise a family. He married Brenda Schlaudt, one of the
co-founders of Antone’s night club; and played music at (and helped manage)
what became a Texas culinary and music legend: Hill Top Café (housed in a
former 1920s-era gas station - “inconveniently located in the middle of
nowhere”) near Cherry Spring, not far from Austin. Hill Top’s eclectic menu
includes items that reflect his and Brenda’s Greek, Cajun and Texas
influences.
After fathering three sons, Nicholas
stepped up his music ventures, highlighted by Back to the Country
in 1991. Since then, he has released several more albums and returned to
a more rigorous touring, songwriting and performance schedule.
Johnny Nicholas will support the release of Fresh Air with
a series of dates in the Texas area, as well as showcase venues and festival
dates around the country.
