Johnnie Bassett
Encyclopedia
Johnnie Bassett is an American electric blues
guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Working for decades primarily as a session musician
, by the 1990s Bassett had his own backing band and has since released six albums. He has cited Billy Butler
, Tiny Grimes
, Albert King
, B.B. King and especially T-Bone Walker
as major influences.
, they won talent contest
s, and locally backed Big Joe Turner
, and Ruth Brown
. In 1958 Bassett enrolled into the United States Army
, but on his return to Detroit worked with the Bluenotes as session musician
s for Fortune Records
. During this time he provided accompaniment to Nolan Strong & The Diablos
and Andre Williams
. He later backed The Miracles
in a short tenure at Chess Records
, working on their debut single, "Got a Job" (1958). In concerts while in Detroit, Bassett played on stage alongside John Lee Hooker
, Alberta Adams
, Lowell Fulson
and Dinah Washington
.
Basset spent most of the next decade doing gigs in Seattle, also backing Tina Turner
and Little Willie John
.
The Detroit Blues Society recognized Bassett's contribution to the blues with a lifetime achievement award in 1994. He released the album I Gave My Life to the Blues on the Dutch label Black Magic in 1996, before recording and touring in North America and Europe with his own backing band, the Blues Insurgents. Their 1998 album Cadillac Blues was nominated for five W.C. Handy Awards. His then record label
, Cannonball Records ceased to trade, but Mack Avenue Records
signed him to a new recording contract
, after its owner saw Bassett and his band play in concert in Detroit's suburb of Grosse Pointe
.
At the 2003 Great Lakes Folk Festival, Bassett performed as part of the Detroit Blues Revue with Alberta Adams
and Joe Weaver
. At the 2006 Detroit Music Awards
, Bassett won the 'Outstanding Blues/R&B Instrumentalist' title. In both 2010 and 2011, he was awarded the 'Outstanding Blues Artist/Group' title.
Bassett's latest album, The Gentleman is Back was released in June 2009. In 2010, this CD won a Detroit Music Award for 'Outstanding National Small/Independent Label Recording'.
Bassett and his band (Chris Codish – keyboards, Keith Kaminski – saxophone, and Skeeto Valdez – drums) currently jam each week at The Third Street Bar in Detroit.
Electric blues
Electric blues is a type of blues music distinguished by the amplification of the guitar, bass guitar, drums, and often the harmonica. Pioneered in the 1930s, it emerged as a genre in Chicago in the 1940s. It was taken up in many areas of America leading to the development of regional subgenres...
guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Working for decades primarily as a session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
, by the 1990s Bassett had his own backing band and has since released six albums. He has cited Billy Butler
Billy Butler (guitarist)
Billy Butler was an American soul jazz guitarist born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.He played with The Harlemaires, Tommy Flanagan, tenor saxophonist Floyd "Candy" Johnson, Houston Person, organist Harry "Doc" Bagby, Benny Goodman, Dizzy Gillespie, Jimmy Smith, David "Fathead" Newman, Eddie ...
, Tiny Grimes
Tiny Grimes
Lloyd "Tiny" Grimes was an American jazz and R&B guitarist. He was a member of the Art Tatum Trio from 1943 to 1944, was a backing musician on recording sessions, and later led his own bands, including a recording session with Charlie Parker...
, Albert King
Albert King
Albert King was an American blues guitarist and singer, and a major influence in the world of blues guitar playing.-Career:...
, B.B. King and especially T-Bone Walker
T-Bone Walker
Aaron Thibeaux "T-Bone" Walker was a critically acclaimed American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, who was one of the most influential pioneers and innovators of the jump blues and electric blues sound. He is the first musician recorded playing blues with the...
as major influences.
Biography
Born in Florida, Bassett relocated with his family in 1944 to Detroit. As a guitarist in his local group, Joe Weaver and the BluenotesJoe Weaver
Joe Weaver was an American Detroit blues, electric blues and R&B pianist, singer and bandleader. His best known recording was "Baby I Love You So" , and he was a founding member of both The Blue Note Orchestra and The Motor City Rhythm & Blues Pioneers...
, they won talent contest
Talent show
A talent show is an event where participants perform their talent or talents of acting, singing, dancing, acrobatics, drumming, martial arts, playing an instrument, and other activities to showcase a unique form of talent, sometimes for a reward, trophy or prize...
s, and locally backed Big Joe Turner
Big Joe Turner
Big Joe Turner was an American blues shouter from Kansas City, Missouri. According to the songwriter Doc Pomus, "Rock and roll would have never happened without him." Although he came to his greatest fame in the 1950s with his pioneering rock and roll recordings, particularly "Shake, Rattle and...
, and Ruth Brown
Ruth Brown
Ruth Brown was an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, composer and actress, noted for bringing a pop music style to R&B music in a series of hit songs for Atlantic Records in the 1950s, such as "So Long", "Teardrops from My Eyes" and " He Treats Your Daughter Mean".For these...
. In 1958 Bassett enrolled into the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, but on his return to Detroit worked with the Bluenotes as session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
s for Fortune Records
Fortune Records
Fortune Records was a family operated, independent record label located in Detroit, Michigan from 1946 to 1995. The label owners were Jack and Devora Brown, their son Sheldon Brown recorded for the label...
. During this time he provided accompaniment to Nolan Strong & The Diablos
Nolan Strong & The Diablos
Nolan Strong & The Diablos were a Detroit-based R&B and doo-wop vocal group best known for its hit songs "The Wind" and "Mind Over Matter." The group was one of the most popular, pre-Motown, R&B acts in Detroit during the mid 1950s, through the early 1960s....
and Andre Williams
Andre Williams
Andre Williams is an American R&B and punk blues musician who started his career in the 1950s at Fortune Records in Detroit.-Biography:...
. He later backed The Miracles
The Miracles
The Miracles are an American rhythm and blues group from Detroit, Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordy's Motown Record Corporation . Their single "Shop Around" was Motown's first million-selling hit record, and the group went on to become one of Motown's signature...
in a short tenure at Chess Records
Chess Records
Chess Records was an American record label based in Chicago, Illinois. It specialized in blues, R&B, soul, gospel music, early rock and roll, and occasional jazz releases....
, working on their debut single, "Got a Job" (1958). In concerts while in Detroit, Bassett played on stage alongside John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.Hooker began his life as the son of a sharecropper, William Hooker, and rose to prominence performing his own unique style of what was originally closest to Delta blues. He developed a 'talking blues' style that was his trademark...
, Alberta Adams
Alberta Adams
Alberta Adams , is an American Detroit blues, jump blues, and Chicago blues singer. Adams was raised in Detroit, Michigan by a relative, and began performing as a tap dancer in the 1930s...
, Lowell Fulson
Lowell Fulson
Lowell Fulson was a big-voiced blues guitarist and songwriter, in the West Coast blues tradition. Fulson was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He also recorded for business reasons as Lowell Fullsom and Lowell Fulsom...
and Dinah Washington
Dinah Washington
Dinah Washington, born Ruth Lee Jones , was an American blues, R&B and jazz singer. She has been cited as "the most popular black female recording artist of the '50s", and called "The Queen of the Blues"...
.
Basset spent most of the next decade doing gigs in Seattle, also backing Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
and Little Willie John
Little Willie John
William Edward John was better known by his stage name Little Willie John. Many sources erroneously give his second name as Edgar...
.
The Detroit Blues Society recognized Bassett's contribution to the blues with a lifetime achievement award in 1994. He released the album I Gave My Life to the Blues on the Dutch label Black Magic in 1996, before recording and touring in North America and Europe with his own backing band, the Blues Insurgents. Their 1998 album Cadillac Blues was nominated for five W.C. Handy Awards. His then record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, Cannonball Records ceased to trade, but Mack Avenue Records
Mack Avenue Records
Mack Avenue Records is an independent record label headquartered in Harper Woods, Michigan. Founded in 1999, the label has several renowned jazz musicians on its roster, including Stanley Jordan, Kenny Garrett, Christian McBride, Danilo Perez, Kevin Eubanks, Yellowjackets, and Gary Burton, among...
signed him to a new recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
, after its owner saw Bassett and his band play in concert in Detroit's suburb of Grosse Pointe
Grosse Pointe
Grosse Pointe refers to a coastal area in Metro Detroit, Michigan, United States that comprises five adjacent individual communities. From southwest to northeast, they are:*Grosse Pointe Park, city*Grosse Pointe, city*Grosse Pointe Farms, city...
.
At the 2003 Great Lakes Folk Festival, Bassett performed as part of the Detroit Blues Revue with Alberta Adams
Alberta Adams
Alberta Adams , is an American Detroit blues, jump blues, and Chicago blues singer. Adams was raised in Detroit, Michigan by a relative, and began performing as a tap dancer in the 1930s...
and Joe Weaver
Joe Weaver
Joe Weaver was an American Detroit blues, electric blues and R&B pianist, singer and bandleader. His best known recording was "Baby I Love You So" , and he was a founding member of both The Blue Note Orchestra and The Motor City Rhythm & Blues Pioneers...
. At the 2006 Detroit Music Awards
Detroit Music Awards
The Detroit Music Awards was initially proposed in 1988. Presented by the Motor City Music Foundation, the multi-genre awards ceremony was established to bring recognition to Detroit area musicians. The first award show was held in 1992 at Detroit's Music Hall, and moved to the State Theatre in...
, Bassett won the 'Outstanding Blues/R&B Instrumentalist' title. In both 2010 and 2011, he was awarded the 'Outstanding Blues Artist/Group' title.
Bassett's latest album, The Gentleman is Back was released in June 2009. In 2010, this CD won a Detroit Music Award for 'Outstanding National Small/Independent Label Recording'.
Bassett and his band (Chris Codish – keyboards, Keith Kaminski – saxophone, and Skeeto Valdez – drums) currently jam each week at The Third Street Bar in Detroit.
Selected discography
- Live at the Montreux-Detroit Jazz Festival (1994)
- I Gave My Life to the Blues (1997) – Black Magic
- Bassett Hound (1997) – Fedora Records
- Cadillac Blues (1998) – Cannonball Records
- Party My Blues Away (1999) – Cannonball Records
- The Gentleman is Back (2009) – Mack AvenueMack Avenue RecordsMack Avenue Records is an independent record label headquartered in Harper Woods, Michigan. Founded in 1999, the label has several renowned jazz musicians on its roster, including Stanley Jordan, Kenny Garrett, Christian McBride, Danilo Perez, Kevin Eubanks, Yellowjackets, and Gary Burton, among...