Johnie Lewis born 8 October 1908

Johnie Lewis (October 8, 1908 - October 6, 1992) was a Country blues singer and guitarist in the Southern rural style, particularly accomplished at playing slide.

Johnie Lewis was born on a farm near Eufaula Alabama. Leaving home when he was 13 years old he headed for Midway where he worked at various menial jobs. In the 1920’s he left for Morrison, Illinois where he met Charlie Grant, a bucket maker who also played his guitar on request. Johnnie liked the way it attracted a paying crowd. This prompted him to by his own guitar and within a few weeks began to play and sing the blues. Around that time he was asked to paint a kitchen, so although he never painted before he eventually completed the job and thus started his painting career.

In 1933 he went to Georgia where he married his wife Odessa. Although playing occasionally for house parties and for himself, he made his living mainly by painting and doing yard work. He moved to Chicago in 1943 at the invitation of his relatives and was soon playing in various small clubs where he met Tampa Red at the H&T Lounge and many other singers. He also met some blues stars as Memphis Minnie, Tommy McLennan, Muddy Waters and Howling Wolf.

But music was always a side-line with Johnie and within a year after his arrival in Chicago, he sent for his wife. He continued working as a painter and over the years he became known as an expert painter and work became plentiful. It was through painting Lewis became known to filmmaker Harley Cocliss who featured him in the film “The Chicago Blues” in 1970. His appearances in that film lead to recording sessions for Arhoolie in the early '70s.

The record company sent Johnie small annual royalty cheques as the LP never sold well but they always received grateful letters in return. The last letter they received from him was on March 23, 1991 which unfortunately was a request to stop sending him a cheque “As the Social Security people are taking every penny of it”. After which they lost contact with him until hearing that he died on October 6, 1992 in Chicago, Illinois a few days short of his 84th birthday.  

(Edited from CD liner notes by Chris Strachwitz. 1997)