Johnny Burgin

Johnny Burgin performs over 200 shows a year in Europe, Japan and coast to coast in the US. Johnny grew up in Mississippi and went to University of Chicago at 18, but ended up attending "blues university". Johnny met a DJ on the college radio station who took him to see the Howlin' Wolf style singer Tail Dragger on the West Side of Chicago. Tail Dragger took Johnny under his wing and gave him his first professional gigs, and from there Johnny learned quickly and went on to tour or gig with blues legends such as Pinetop Perkins, Sam Lay and Billy Boy Arnold. He's been praised by the Cascade Blues Association for his "stunning guitar playing-- the pure Chicago styled sound".
Johnny’s played on dozens of records as a sideman and as a leader, he’s released ten CDs on Delmark and Vizztone records. Living Blues magazine called his recent live LP (featuring Charlie Musselwhite, Kid Andersen and Rae Gordon) "a joyous listen". Vintage Guitar praised Johnny's “Stellar fretwork, gloriously loose, earthy and immediate Chicago blues”. In 2023 Johnny was nominated the Best Traditional Blues Artist BMA, and he's a '24 Blues Blast Award Nominee for Best Traditional Artist and Best Blues Video. Johnny's recent CD "Ramblin From Coast to Coast" reached #2 on the Big Blues Airplay chart for the month of May and is still in the Top 10.