LUTHER " SNAKE BOY " JOHNSON

La gran proliferación de artistas que actuan con el nombre de LUTHER JOHNSON, puede llegar a confundir incluso al más experto de los aficionados al Blues. Aqui nos vamos a ocupar de uno de ellos, LUTHER " SNAKE BOY " JOHNSON,  Johnson que, para hacer las cosas aún más confusas, también trabajó y grabó bajo los nombres de Little Luther y Luther King. (Su nombre real no era Luther sino Lucius .) Al recibir su alta militar, eligió la guitarra como miembro del grupo de gospel de los Ángeles Supremos de Milwaukee, trabajando en el circuito de la iglesia local. Pero el gusanillo  del blues le había hecho mella  y no paró hasta tener su propio trío de blues, estableciéndose en Chicago  a primeros de los años 60's  Donde estaría tocando por un tiempo con Elmore James y era un miembro alternativo en la banda Muddy Waters por los mediados de los '60. y por 1970 se trasladó  a Boston, Massachusetts, trabajando como artista en solitario . Durante aproximadamente unos cinco años estuvo trabajando constantemente en el circuito de la universidad y del festival de blues antes de que el cáncer lo alejara de los escenarios , aún estuvo actuando hasta poco antes del 18 de marzo de 1976, que murió a causa de la maldita enfermedad. 

Luther "Snake Boy" Johnson (August 30, 1941 – March 18, 1976) was an American Chicago blues and electric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was also known as Luther "Snake" Johnson or Luther "Georgia Boy" Johnson and was also billed as Luther King and as Little Luther (he recorded under the latter name for Chess Records in the 1960s).

Allmusic journalist Ron Wynn stated, "Johnson's own inimitable vocals, raspy lines and tart guitar eventually create his own aura... a good, occasionally outstanding blues artist."

He is not to be confused with Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson or Luther "Houserocker" Johnson, from Atlanta.

He was born Lucious Brinson in Davisboro, Georgia. He was raised on a farm and taught himself to play guitar.

After completing his service in the US Army in 1953, Johnson played guitar with the Milwaukee Supreme Angels, a local gospel group in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. However, he gravitated towards blues and formed his own trio in Milwaukee. He relocated to Chicago, Illinois, in the early 1960s. He backed Elmore James prior to his James's death in 1963. Johnson recorded a solo single, "The Twirl", released by Chess Records in 1964, on which he was billed as Little Luther. He joined Muddy Waters's backing band in 1966. Johnson worked with various musicians during this period, including Chicago Bob Nelson. He recorded his debut album, Come On Home, in 1969.

In 1970, Johnson moved to Boston, Massachusetts, and found work on the blues festival and college circuits for the next few years. His album Born in Georgia was released by Black & Blue Records. It was followed by Chicken Shack (1974), Lonesome in My Bedroom (1975), and the final album issued in his lifetime, Get Down to the Nitty Gritty (1976).

Johnson died of lung cancer in Boston on March 18, 1976, aged 34. He was interred at the Mount Hope Cemetery, in Mattapan, Massachusetts.