Born in Fort Worth, Texas, Ussery, began playing guitar in the mid-fifties. By the age of 14 and protected by Arizona's right-to-work law, he was jamming in the honkytonks and bars while growing up in the southwest. At age 19, and out of the Army, Ussery moved to Phoenix to play in a pop and R&B band with his older brother Ron, a singer/saxophone player.
The mid-sixties found him noodling with Riley "B.B." King and opening up for John Lee Hooker at the 310 supper club just out of old downtown Seattle, and hanging out with Delaney Bramlett and the Shindog's (who had a very popular TV show called Shindig).
In 1973, Delaney produced Ussery's first solo album, "Ussery," on Mercury Records. It was shortly after the release of this album that the Texas slinger decided to leave the music business, and did so for the better part of 17 years.
He and his guitars returned to the music scene in 1991, and last year's Fifth Annual "Real Blues Award" nominated CD, "Getting' Lucky" and his latest "Cryin' and Screamin" are filled with contemporary original blues and some fine horn playing.
by Matt Alcott
Tracks
1. Smile - 2:26
2. Low Rider - 4:01
3. Must Have Been The season - 2:50
4. Dance - 2:36
5. Gangster - 3:31
6. Blue Suede Shoes (Carl Perkins) - 3:03
7. Through The Fire - 4:11
8. Jail House Rock (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) - 4:53
9. Just Want To Be Your Friend - 3:19
10.Listen To The Melody - 2:58
11.Sweet Seventeen - 2:56
All selections by John Ussery except where stated
Personnel
*John Ussery - Vocals, Guitars
*Delaneu Bramlett - Slide Guitar, Percussion
*Joe Townend - Bass
*Tom Henderson - Drums
*Ron Grayson - Drums (Tracks 8-9)
Related Act
1969 Locomotive - Locomotive (2013 reissue)
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