Few young blues guitarists emerging from Chicago match Johnny B. Moore in depth of traditional knowledge. His approach updates the longstanding West Side sound with crisp, rhythmic single-line leads and a raspy vocal delivery.
Moore encountered Jimmy Reed for the first time in Clarksdale at the age of eight. Within roughly five years he was appearing alongside Reed on Chicago bandstands. Letha Jones, widow of pianist Johnny Jones, encouraged his growth by playing him numerous blues recordings.
In 1975 Moore became a member of Koko Taylor’s Blues Machine, performing and recording with the singer on her 1978 Alligator release The Earthshaker. He launched his own career near the start of the 1980s and issued the 1987 album Hard Times on B.L.U.E.S. R&B, an effort that highlighted his range.
Following a period of setbacks, Moore now appears regularly on Chicago stages. Two recent projects document this renewed activity: an Austrian Wolf album and the Delmark set Live at Blue Chicago. Besides leading his own groups, he frequently serves as sideman for artists that include Mary Lane, Karen Carroll, and bassist Willie Kent. Should Johnny B. Moore fail to achieve major recognition, the blues world would lack any sense of fairness.
