Live Review
Joel Johnson Tribute
Famous Dave's, Minneaplis
October 24, 2003
by Rich Benson
Photography © 2003 by Tom Asp, all rights reserved.
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When Joel Johnson passed away suddenly on October 2nd of this year, a great voice for the blues was silenced. Joel was a full time musician, and for 13 years he had the Lazy Bill Lucas Blues show on Thursday afternoons on KFAI. His fellow musicians gathered at Famous Dave's to pay tribute in a way that surely would have elicited a huge grin from Joel: play the blues and raise a drink in toast to a man who supported the blues as much as anyone has in the Twin Cities. So many of Joel's friends, fans, fellow musicians, and blues fans turned out that Famous Dave's was standing room only and for a time had to turn people away at the door.
Emcee Jackson Buck with assistance from Music Director Paul Metsa organized the show, which also served as a benefit for the education fund of Joel's 17 year old son, Lucas. Paul made a point of mentioning that they were placing Joel's guitar on stage to represent him all night. Lonesome Dan Case and Crunch Collision kicked things off with some solid acoustic blues. Then Joe T. Cook and John Franken, along with a few other musicians, paid their tribute to Joel with some great sounding, powerful blues. Franken's expressive guitar and Joe's fluid, powerful harp and solid vocals made for a great blues sound. Paul Metsa and Sonny Earl took the stage next for some stripped down blues. Paul's solid acoustic picking and Sonny's expressive harp made for an excellent sound. Sonny sang and played a mean harp on "Blues in Heaven" which he wrote in tribute to Joel.
Cool Disposition then stepped up for some hip, heartfelt blues. Harold Tremblay on his expressive harp and Mickey Bauer with hip, cool vocals made for some more great music. The Front Porch Swinging Liquor Pigs added a country feel, the band mentioning that country and blues were two forms of music that were interchangeable in the early 1900's, but then went down separate paths. They even brought out Harold for an assist on one number. One of the evening's highlights was fellow West Bank musician Willie Murphy's soulful playing on keyboards and gruff singing on his solo tribute to Joel. Willie had known Joel for many years, and the soul and emotion he put into his tribute was very moving.
The duo of Charles and Ed Play Blues brought their two guitar act up for some more traditional, tasteful blues. Then it was time for Joel's band to take the stage. John Beach on keyboards and vocals, Jimmi "Prime Time" Smith and Curt Obeda on guitars joined the band for a great blues sound. After a few numbers by this group, it was time for just Joel's band to play and close out the night, with John Franken, who spent several years with Joel, handling the lead guitar duties. They had the great, traditional blues sound that Joel would have loved.
Somewhere up in heaven you have to believe that Joel was sipping a cold one, tuning up his guitar, and looking down with a big grin at the celebration of his life that all his friends put together. Thanks Joel for all the great blues you played in person, as well as all you played over the radio for your fans. You'll be missed.
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