How does an American blues legend end up in Alberta?
“I’ve been here for 22 years, but my main reason for coming was a woman,” said Donald Ray Johnson in an interview with the Outlook. “I had come back from a tour in Europe and was staying with a friend down in Billings, Montana, and I came up here and I’ve been here ever since.”
Born in Bryan, Texas in the late 1940s, Johnson first became interested in playing drums, or “traps,” at age seven. In high school he pursued music and at age 14 began his professional career with blues piano legend Nat Dove.
Throughout his teens, Johnson performed with two local bluesmen, organist Joe Daniels and guitarist Lavernis Thurman, playing a live radio show every Saturday night.
In 1966, he headed off to Vietnam to serve two tours with the U.S. Navy and, upon returning, relocated to San Diego, where his music career took off.
Now living in Calgary, Johnson is a well-respected member of the Canadian blues community.
“I found there was a good blues scene in Calgary and I met a lot of people,” he said. “The city itself has changed. There wasn’t as many people here 22 years ago, but there aren’t as many blues venues that are opening.
“The Calgary International Blues Festival has come along since then, and there’s a place called the Blues Can, and the Shamrock is still there.”
Johnson plays the Drake tomorrow and Saturday (Jan. 11-12).
“I’m playing the Drake, and then I’ll be back in Canmore doing a Ray Charles tribute show.”
That show is March 9 at Cornerstone Theatre. Johnson remembers the days of playing the Canmore Hilton.
“One of the first places I played when I came to Canada was Canmore,” he recounted. “I think they called it the Canmore Hilton or something. It was one of my first experiences in Canada, and when I first got here I was really impressed with how receptive the Canadian audience was to blues.
“We used to play at Sherwood House a lot too.”
Coming back to the Drake is always a good time, he said.
“The Drake, it’s always fun,” said Johnson. “It’s always a really good audience and a fun place to play.”
Johnson will bring with him his full band, consisting of Mike Huston (guitar), Bill Eaglesham (bass), Kent McCray (drums) and Paul Wells (piano)
“With Mike and Bill, we’ve been playing together for 20 years,” he said. “Bill and I were in a power trio with Johnny V, and Mike and I have been together since about 1990. Kent did my last two record projects, so since ’03.”
His latest album, It’s Time, hit the streets in 2011.
“To me, it’s just me – I don’t think I sound like anybody else, you wouldn’t compare me to B.B. King or anything like that – I think my sound is rather unique,” he said. “The production has a lot to do with the sound, but I think my sound has been pretty well consistent, just because I produced all five of my CDs.
“I don’t try to keep up with trends, because man, the blues is the blues, and I don’t see it changing anytime soon.”
One song he’ll play has a fun twist, said Johnson.
“I have one song that says – and I have to do a disclaimer on this so my wife doesn’t think we’re talking about her – this song is kinda funny,” he explained. “It says ‘I came home early last night, and guess what I did find, my girlfriend was in the bedroom, she was having a real big time, there was squealing, and moaning, she was having herself a ball, but people I ain’t told y’all the best surprise of all – nowadays it’s getting hard to tell who’s who, I just found out my girlfriend has a girlfriend too.’
“I kinda like that song, I have a fun time with it. It was written by a friend down in Nashville and came out on Johnny Jones’ album.”
Johnson expects the two nights at the Drake to be a great party.
“It’s so much fun, it really is, the two days seem to go by so fast,” he said.
For more information or to hear his music, visit donaldray.com
