Mr. Johnny Billington, Mississippi bluesman

Mr. Johnny, as he's known in the Delta, was born and still lives in Lambert, Mississippi, although he spent time in Chicago as a young man. For more than two decades he has been teaching the blues to young people in the Delta, both at the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale and at his Blues Academy in Lambert (http://johnnybillingtonbluesacademy.com/).

This footage was shot on April 25, 2009 during the Double Decker Festival in Oxford, Mississippi. Rhythm guitar by George Worthmore. Camera work by Adam Gussow.

http://www.modernbluesharmonica.com

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Johnny
• Billington
• Mississippi
• delta
• blues
• Clarksdale
• Lambert

[prestonamoore]

Adam, I know you are always urging aspiring blues players to "leave space". Mr. Johnny may be one of the best examples of that I've ever seen in his second solo.

Then in his third solo he left so much space a dancer came to fill it in!

Thanks for this vid!

[KudzuRunner]

Exactly! I must say I'm heartened by how many people got the point of this video. Every single note Johnny plays is right. Guitar players who want to learn the contemporary Delta blues style would be well advised to woodshed with this. It's all about the fingers doing the picking, but it's also about precise timing and precise pitch-making--and about making all of it look so effortless that the genius isn't obvious.

[AndrewLovesThanh]

Damn, are there a lot of hot girls in Mississippi? I gotta make that my next travel assignment!

[KudzuRunner]

Yes, there are. I believe that the Ole Miss campus (University of Mississippi) has supplied the country with something like four Miss Americas.

[beethovenbix]

"Hey this is Great Adam". HOW COME YOUR NOT PLAYING HARP ?

Great Post !

Thanks man.

[KudzuRunner]

Because I'm filming. Stay tuned for more videos; I'm playing in one of them.

[Auquis]

Very nice. Bunch of assholes around the camera, though.

[Akab6]

Great stuff! although those guys sure did swear a lot off camera

[kb4iuj]

One of the great things about Mr. Billington is for a number of years he taught kids at the Boys & Girls Club over in Batesville, MS as well as in the Clarksdale area. Interviewed him quite extensively.

[SexySatori]

hey i know him when i was stayin in lambert. lol

[smartdragon64]

I know this old man.....he lives in the same town i live in.....he show do plays alot at the old bargin barn.....

[bostonteabagger71739]

cool vid.  d-bag spectator though

[Bluzer86]

Smooookiiin` :)

[SGFVampwulf]

Shit! He's recording! Sorry dude!

[fssharp]

That's the real deal Adam! Thanks for posting. Good camera work too.

[daviemcf]

Great blues!  5*

[STACEYANDDEE]

Heavy Duty Adam. Talk about smooth, no pick just his thumb.

Lip Ripper

[ironbuttermilk]

I wish those assholes would shut the fuck up and Listen!!!

It's strange to see such a senior guy playing such timeless music on such a modern day guitar. Just seems. . .wrong. Sure doesn't Sound wrong though! I wish I could do All my gigs sitting on my amp. You really get the feelin' thatta ways.