Johnny Dyer

Biography

Johnny Dyer (December 7, 1938 – November 11, 2014) was an American electric blues harmonicist and singer. He made numerous recordings, both as a solo performer and with other musicians. He was nominated for a Blues Music Award,

Biography

Dyer grew up in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, and learned to play the harmonica from the age of seven. His initial inspiration came from hearing Little Walter on radio station from Nashville, Tennessee, and by his teenage years he was playing acoustic harmonica and had formed his own band. He started playing amplified harmonica in the early 1950s, when he first performed alongside Smokey Wilson.
Dyer relocated to Los Angeles, California, in January 1958, where he met George "Harmonica" Smith. Together they played concerts with a "father and son" billing. Dyer commented on that time stating, "Smith was the hottest thing around and the blues was really swinging! He taught me a lot. Everybody loved George." Following this Dyer set up his own combo, Johnny Dyer and the Blue Notes, and played with Jimmy Reed, J. B. Hutto, and Jimmy Rogers.
Dyer left the music industry in the 1960s. Resurfacing in the 1980s, he found work with other harmonica players, such as Shakey Jake Harris, Harmonica Fats, and Rod Piazza. Dyer released a couple of singles, including "Overdose of Love" and, in 1983, issued the album Johnny Dyer and the LA Jukes album. The Dutch record label Black Magic featured Dyer on the album Hard Times: L.A. Blues Anthology compilation album.
Dyer later collaborated with the guitarist Rick Holmstrom, and together they issued two albums for Black Top Records: Listen Up×Listen Up1994 · ReleaseSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Listen Up2:372Hands Off2:573Drifting Blues3:214Guitar Boogie Shuffle Twist3:335Mojo Boogie3:436Lend Me My Train Fare3:537Lookout Holmes2:26824 Hours2:519Stranded In St. Louis4:2810On Your Rocker2:4511Pretty Thing3:0612Little Girl Won't Quit3:3213Blue Midnight4:3714BBQ At J.D.'s3:10 (1994) and Shake It!×Shake It!1995 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Shake It!3:392Big Leg Woman3:063Holmes Hop2:544What's on Your Mind?4:295Can't You See?3:526If You Please2:577Crazy About That Thing2:498I'm Booked2:209Tacos de Pescado3:3310Little Dog2:3211Hey Little Girl3:0712Nothing but the Blues3:3813North of Montana3:5014Come Back Home7:0015Don't Have Much Time2:53 (1995). Listen Up included Dyer's cover version of the blues standard "Driftin' Blues". The album, Jukin'×Jukin'1996 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Feel Like Cryin' Again3:412Oh Baby3:113Aw Baby2:514Let's Have A Natural Ball2:505Johnny's Boogie2:196Overdose Of Love3:597I'm Your Hoochie Koochie Man2:458Walkin' Through the Park3:169Slippin' and Slidin'3:2810Baby What You Want Me To Do2:5211Everybody's Talking4:5012Okie Dokie Stomp2:4013Two Hound Dogs3:45, released in 1996, was a reissue of Dyer's debut LP with additional tracks. It contained Dyer's version of "Baby What You Want Me to Do".
He appeared on the bill at the Long Beach Blues Festival in 2000, where he sang alongside James Cotton. Over the years he was a featured performer on Mark Hummel's annual Blues Harmonica Blowout tours.
Dyer received a Blues Music Award nomination in 2004, in the 'Blues Song Of The Year' category, for the track "Hard Times Won×Hard Times Won3 June 2003 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Hard Times Won5:582Chasing the Money4:583Things You Do3:184Inhumanity Blues5:295She's So Fine3:206I Ain't Going Back4:527The Graveyard Shift4:2889 O'Clock Blues3:199Blues for Never Slim5:3710Drinking Stops Me Thinking5:3211Slip Me Some Green, Jack4:19." He has also spent time playing with The Mannish Boys, and has appeared on a number of their album releases.
His final album was Rolling Fork Revisited×Rolling Fork Revisited2004 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Oh Yeah3:222Young Fashioned Ways3:373Can't Get No Gringing (What's the Matter Mill)2:554Country Boy3:595Gone to Main Street2:306Don't Go No Further3:047Sugar Sweet2:368Don't Know Why3:049Forty Days and Forty Nights4:1910My Dog Can't Bark3:3411Layaway Plan3:3212Stuff You Got to Watch2:5713Got to Find My Baby2:4314Clouds in My Heart3:2515Trouble No More2:4416Evan's Shuffle1:05 (2004), recorded with Mark Hummel. The album contained reworkings of songs by another Rolling Fork native, Muddy Waters.
Dyer died at home in San Dimas, California, on November 11, 2014, at the age of 75.