John Long

John Long began playing music in his hometown of St. Louis, Mo. at an early age. He, and his older brother Claude, performed at every opportunity from their pre-teens, forming their own band, The Mystics. At 18, John joined a popular St. Louis blues band, Doc Terry and the Pirates, an all-black band. Doc Terry was a big influence on the harmonica.

In 1972, John moved to Chicago, where his love of the blues really took hold. It was an opportune time there, being exposed to, and meeting, many blues greats. Imagine learning from the likes of Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee, Lightnin' Hopkins, Howlin' Wolf, Roosevelt Sykes, Muddy Waters, and Homesick James…just getting up close to some, watching and listening, actually getting the opportunity to play with or open shows for others, even becoming lifelong friends with Homesick. As a young man, John soaked up all this magic and culture, molding him into the bluesman he is.

John truly loved and respected this older generation of blues men and blues women, still lifting them up today at every opportunity. John's 'blues dad' Homesick James was like a second father to him. They played together often over 30 plus years, even sharing housing at times. John was at Homesick's bedside when this blues giant passed on December 13, 2006, at about 96 years, give or take a year. Homesick was John's biggest influence.

Relocating from Chicago to Denver in the mid-70s, John opened many shows through FEYLINE (Barry Fey & Chuck Morris), also through the Casino Cabaret in Five Points. Over the years, John has had the opportunity to open shows for many and varied names in the blues, and also folk music artists, many of whom he also got the chance to play with. A few of these included, along with Homesick, Muddy Waters, John Hammond, B.B. King, Snooky Pryor, John Lee Hooker, the Fabulous Thunderbirds (Stevie Ray & brother Jimmy), Odetta, Big Mama Thornton, George Thorogood, Phoebe Snow, Steve Goodman, John Prine, and Big Walter Horton. The list goes on. Johnny Long performed all around Colorado for 20 plus years, both solo and with the Johnny Long Blues Band.

David McIntyre, of the Colorado Blues Society, called John "Colorado's own Bluesman" in a review of John’s first Delta Groove CD, Lost and Found. Both of his Delta Groove releases were nominated for a BMA (Blues Music Award) by the Memphis Blues Foundation, formerly the W.C. Handy Awards, (2007 & 2017). His most recent CD is Stand Your Ground, released May 2016. John also has a self-produced CD, Long on Blues, released in 1998 under Johnny Long. He records with Delta Groove under John Long.

Harmonica player, Jerry Portnoy (late 70s/early 80s) took 'Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin to hear, and meet, the young Johnny Long. Bob, a band member with the Muddy Waters Blues Band, introduced John to Muddy, which lead to Johnny long opening shows for Muddy Waters. During this time Muddy is quoted as saying, "Johnny Long is the best young country blues artist playing today," or something in that vein. Bob Margolin confirmed that he had heard it said.

John has been live on many blues radio shows across the country, and in the UK, including Denver's Blues Vassal Kai Turner's Strictly Blues 103.5 The Fox & I-Heart, Southern Ca.'s 'Blues Doctor' Sheldon Abbott's Cure for the Blues (KUCI), KDHX in St. Louis, Mo., WRFG (Good Morning Blues) in Atlanta, Ga. John has appeared on NPR's long-running E-TOWN, hosted by Nick Forster (of Hot Rize fame) and Helen Forster, opening shows for Robert Cray, Dan Hicks & the Hotlicks, Kathy Mattea, and in 2019, the Capitol Sun Rays. He has also appeared on PBS stations across the country, including Lancaster Live in Lancaster, Pa., and Blue Roots Denver hosted by James Speiser.

John Long has played internationally, in Europe and in Canada, as well as coast to coast in the USA. After repeatedly being invited to come to Germany to play his blues, over 40 years time, in 2017 John finally accepted. His 16 performance tour ran from September 22 through October 28, 2017 throughout Germany and Austria. John's longtime friend, Bluesman Willie Salomon (from Bavaria), joined John for most of the performances. The Germany/Austria Tour was produced and organized by Ms. Elfie Whalley, who was John's tour manager. "John was extremely well received in Europe and has been invited back, to include other countries also," Ms. Whalley.

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