Born in Darling, Mississippi on February 16, 1951, James "Super Chikan" Johnson didn't come into the world with much to call his own.
He grew up in his grandmother's house with 21 cousins, uncles and aunts. The family lived out on a Delta farm, picked cotton and scratched for everything they got.
Out of this tough environment, Chikan did have one good turn of fortune. "My mama had a two string guitar from the Army surplus store," explains Chikan. "I learnt my first notes from her. I learned to play like Jimmy Reed on those two strings. I also heard James Brown, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Little Richard. I was listening to blues AND country & western. I never knew there was a difference. That why I call my new album 'Chikan Supe.' Regardless of what I'm playing it all comes out together. Music is music as far as I'm concerned. If it works, it works."
Chikan's eclectic brand of blues also benefited from his early experiments with homemade instruments. "I was about 7 years old, and I made my first diddley bow [one-string guitar] upside my Grandma's barn. I was out there playing on that thing so much that one day a guy stopped to hear me play. He told me that he could take me and that thing to Washington, and we'd be rich in two week's time. I ran in and told my Grandmother, and she said, 'Boy you crazy. You can't carry that barn to Washington.'"
Luckily, other opportunities came Chikan's way. "My Uncle Big Jack [Johnson] had a club in Clarksdale called the Black Fox, and I went in there and played with him when I was in my early 20s," recalls Chikan. "I was shaking in my shoes, but it went pretty good. I ended up playing bass for Big Jack and the Jelly Roll Kings for a while around town."
Eventually, Chikan broke out on his own in the late 1970s, recording a handful of tracks with the Wesley Jefferson Band and three full albums for Rooster Blues and Fat Possum Records. As a result of these recordings, he toured the U.S. as well as Africa, Japan, the UK, Denmark, Canada, Mexico, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia and Switzerland. Chikan has even played in Washington, D.C. in front of The President!
Super Chikan's songs are ALL ORIGINAL ! This makes him one of the only non-traditionalist true delta blues writers and performers in the world today.
Still, if you ask him the name of his favorite place to play, and the answer is quick. "Ground Zero Blues Club, right here in my hometown," says Chikan. When Morgan Freeman and Bill Luckett show up, we have a lot of fun because they both love to dance. They say, 'Go Super Chikan, go!'"
According to Chikan, the club has motivated him in other ways, too. "One night after leaving the club, I had a dream about performing there in which I had a 'crossroads' experience, so I wrote a song about it called 'Ground Zero'," he says.
Super Chikan recorded "Sum Mo Chikan" at the legendary producer Willie Mitchell's "Royal Studios" in Memphis, Tn. May 5th , 2007. Lawrence Mitchell, Charley Burch and Super Chikan produced and engineered the record. Willie Mitchell oversaw the entire session. Lawrence Mitchell also mastered the album with Chikan at Royal Studios. Chikan has just finished recording a duo album with Watermelon Slim at Royal Studios and will release in 2009. Chikan's last album is self-released and is signed with Vizztone label group (www.vizztone.com ). BMI is his publisher of all 5 albums. Chikan recorded with Norwegian Blues Band Spoonful of Blues with Jostein Forsberg and Charley Burch producing in Nottoden, Norway in October of 2008 awaiting release in 2009.
Chikan has recently returned from a second European tour in 2008 alone and plans to return in 2009. A few of Chikan's hand made guitars will be on a multi-gallery tour this summer across America and the world. His artwork is currently owned by numerous artists and celebrities and has placement in numerous museums and public buildings worldwide. Steven Seagal, President Bill Clinton, Gov. Haley Barber, Paul Simon, James Burton and Watermelon Slim are just a few of the celebrities that own his masterpieces of functional art.
This former field hand and truck driver has released five acclaimed albums, nominated in 1998 for a W.C. Handy Award (Best New Blues Artist) , received five Living Blues Awards, Excelence in Performance Govenors award from Mexico City, Mx. and a Mississippi Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts. Beloved by fans of all musical genres, this self-taught songwriter, musician, painter, craftsman, and, yes, philosopher continues to create. With a twinkle in his eye, he says, "I don't just sing the blues; I am the blues."
Also visit: www.chikanshack.com (Official) , www.superchikan.com, www.superchikan.org and www.summochikan.com are all registered domains of Chikan.
Visit State of Mississippi's site for even more reviews and information at: http://www.arts.state.ms.us/folklife/artist.php?dirname=johnson_james
St. Blues Introduces Four One-Off Collectors' Edition Guitars
For iTunes visit:
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=258821298
Check out this great interview!
View super chikan's EPK
.. CDBABY LINK for SUPER CHIKAN: Chikan Supe -->
.. CDBABY LINK for SUPER CHIKAN: Sum' Mo' Chikan -->
Christmas is coming soon. Are you looking for a Christmas present and would like to help handicapped children? Than please request the list of donations in kind from HelpCharity, www.MySpace.com/HelpCharity , by sending me an e-mail at Ch.Lamitschka@t-online.de . Many donations in kind are autographed.
If you don't have the chance to request the list of donations in kind, please add HelpCharity to your Top Friends!
Thanks for helping me to support handicapped children!
Christian
Founder of HelpCharity Editor & Journalist for Country Music Christian Lamitschka An der Pfingstweide 28 61118 Bad Vilbel Germany Phone: ++49 (0) 6101 544613 Mobil: ++49 (0) 171 6903352 E-Mail: Ch.Lamitschka@t-online.de Internet: www.MySpace.com/HelpCharity Internet: www.MySpace.com/ChristianLamitschka
Today I like to inform you, that you can read and watch interviews with your favorit country stars in Enlgish, German and French at http://www.CountryHome.de/Interviews .
Warm regards
Christian
Editor & Journalist for Country Music Christian Lamitschka An der Pfingstweide 28 61118 Bad Vilbel Germany Phone: ++49 6101 544613 Mobil: ++49 171 6903352 Ch.Lamitschka@t-online.de Info@CountryMusic-Magazin.de www.MySpace.com/ChristianLamitschka
PEACE & MANY BLESSINS' ON YOUR PATH SUPER CHIKEN !! THANKS FOR KEEPING THE BLUES ALIVE!! MAY THERE BE FEW STONES IN YOUR PASSWAY MY FRIEND!! HOPE TO SEE YOU ON THE ROAD..TILL THEN.. KEEP MAKING IT DO WHAT IT DO... ~ RR
"DEVIL OFFERED A GOLD DOBRO~I SAID NO,I BE A HOBO!!" ~ RiYeN RoOtS
Ciao Super Chikan ,thank you for the add and the friendship. you are very good, I like your stupendous music a lot,and stupendous voice. you are fantastic ..really. you are one of my prefeitis talk to you soon, and all of my best wishes to always listen to your good music. all the best.. from italy neal
Hey there, thanks a lot! Hookin' Up is just great...yodeling like John Lee Hooker...what a show! Have a great time at the Sunflower Festival. Peace, LB
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