Roy Lee Johnson When A Guitar Plays The Blues

This is a fabulous new release from the Bear Family on Roy Lee Johnson which compiles his early recordings with unissued tracks from the can.

From left: Dr. Felgood (Willie Perryman), Curtis Smith, Bobby Lee Tuggle, Roy Lee Johnson, Beverly Watkins, Howard Hobbs

The first, long overdue, collection of rare but sought-after singles by Roy Lee Johnson, the underground hero of guitar freaks and deep soul fans. Includes 'Mister Moonlight', known to millions by the Beatles but originally by Dr Feelgood and the Interns (vocal: Roy Lee Johnson) and the first version of 'When A Guitar Plays The Blues', since revived by Albert Collins and Roy Buchanan. Eleven previously unissued tracks including four by underrated soul man, Curtis Smith, Johnson's fellow singer-guitarist in the Interns. The most soulful of Sixties soul packaged with all Bear Family's meticulous attention to detail including a lavishly illustrated essay by über-fan and soul authority, Martin Goggin. -- Roy Lee Johnson first came to attention as the occasional vocalist with the Interns, a R&B band led by blues shouter Dr Feelgood, aka Piano Red. But there's a whole lot more to this songwriter, guitarist and singer of soul with a capital 'S'. Johnson's little heard treasures of Southern soul are finally served up on one CD. Everything he recorded for Okeh, Columbia, Josie and Philips is here; records you'd never own without spending months on e- bay and trunkloads of cash. -- There are gritty dance workouts, lilting soul ballads, ferocious instrumentals and devastating deep wrist-slashers from Muscle Shoals. Sixties soul reissues may be coin of the realm these days but few are quite as essential as this scorching collection of Roy Lee Johnson's best performances.

CD content:

1. Mister Moonlight - Johnson, Roy Lee
2. Love Is Amazing - Johnson, Roy Lee
3. Sea Breeze - Johnson, Roy Lee
4. Black Pepper Will Make You Sneeze - Johnson, Roy Lee
5. Too Many Tears - Johnson, Roy Lee
6. Nobody Does Something For Nothing - Johnson, Roy Lee
7. Busybody - Johnson, Roy Lee
8. I'm So Happy - Johnson, Roy Lee
9. My Best Just Ain't Good Enough - Johnson, Roy Lee
10. Love Birds - Johnson, Roy Lee
11. When A Guitar Plays The Blues - Johnson, Roy Lee
12. Plowing Playboy - Johnson, Roy Lee
13. That's All I Need - Johnson, Roy Lee
14. Slowly I'm Falling In Love With You - Johnson, Roy Lee
15. Two Doors Down - Johnson, Roy Lee
16. Stanback Headache Powder - Johnson, Roy Lee
17. It's All Over - Johnson, Roy Lee
18. Busybody - Johnson, Roy Lee
19. So Anna Just Love Me - Johnson, Roy Lee
20. Boogaloo No. 3 - Johnson, Roy Lee
21. Cheer Up Daddy's Comin' Home - Johnson, Roy Lee
22. Guitar Man - Johnson, Roy Lee
23. Can You Handle It - Johnson, Roy Lee
24. Chunk Some Love - Johnson, Roy Lee
25. Take Me Back And Try Me - Johnson, Roy Lee
26. She Put The Whammy To Me - Johnson, Roy Lee
27. Don't Do This To Me - Smith, Curtis
28. Two Wrongs (Won't Make It Right) - Smith, Curtis
29. Come Here Baby - Smith, Curtis
30. I've Got A Feeling - Smith, Curtis

Martin Goggin has recently informed the Southern Soul list that Roy Lee Johnson is working on new material so watch this space!