JOHNNY-O & THE JUMPOUT BOYS
About the Band
Johnny-O and the Jump-Out Boys is a group of musicians dedicated to bringing back the sounds of the 1950s and 1960s blues greats.
George “Harmonica” Smith. Big Walter Horton. Sonny Boy Williamson. Junior Wells. Big Walter Horton. Oh, and of course… Little Walter.
You’ll hear covers of familiar tunes and even a few that you probably never knew existed. Their show is a combination of storytelling and song, so don’t be surprised if you learn a few interesting things about the original artists who made this music so great.
What They’re Saying:
“Thanks for taking me to Old School Chicago Blues!”
– Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin
“They serve up old school blues ‘comfort food’.”
– Dale Laslie, Owner – DJL Vintage Audio
JOHN OLSEN
“Johnny-O”, band leader, has been playing harmonica for nearly two decades. He was drawn to playing blues harmonica after seeing live performances of BB King, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Charlie Musselwhite, and James Cotton. John immersed himself in studying the legendary blues harmonica “greats”: Big Walter Horton, Little Walter, James Cotton, Sonny Boy Williamson I and II, George “Harmonica” Smith, and others. His dream has been to pay tribute to this style of music by delivering an authentic sound similar to the ensembles that existed in the mid 50’s in Chicago and other cities.
BOB POWELL
Bob Powell, bassman and band “Union Boss”, has been a rabid fan of the blues since the late 1960s, playing in various bands along the way. His biggest influences are the Chicago and Kansas City blues styles. When not playing the bass, you can often find him with another love of his life, behind the lens of his camera, capturing musicians at work and play.
EARL SNIPES
Earl, the most recent addition to the band, has been playing guitar (off and on) since middle school – garage bands, rock bands, blues/rock bands and bluegrass bands. A big fan of the blues “Kings” — B.B., Albert, and Freddie, he’s a regular at the Bluesfest in Chicago and has sailed on a couple of blues cruises. Earl has also been a loyal member of the Piedmont Blues Preservation Society for over 25 years and recently served on the judging panel for the 2019 PBPS Blues Challenge. Interesting factoid – a few years ago, he studied guitar with Bob Margolin at Jorma Kaukonen’s Fur Peace Ranch. Welcome, Earl!
TOM WOODS
Tom Woods has been playing drums for over three decades. His minimalist drum style can be traced back to his back to his beginning, learning to play on a borrowed snare. He received his primary musical education by attending numerous club shows and studying the various bands in the North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad music scene. He cut his teeth in a number of garage bands in and around Greensboro. Tom has been a fan of the blues from a young age and sites Taj Mahal, King Curtis and Champion Jack Dupree as his main blues music influences.
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