Luther ‘Georgia Boy’ Johnson (“Snake Boy”)

Lucious Brinson Johnson (August 30, 1934 – March 18, 1976), known as Luther "Georgia Boy" Johnson, was an American Chicago blues and electric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. AllMusic journalist Ron Wynn stated, "Johnson's own inimitable vocals, raspy lines and tart guitar eventually create his own aura ... a good, occasionally outstanding blues artist." Johnson was born Lucious Brinson Johnson in Davisboro, Georgia. He was raised on a farm and taught himself to play guitar. After completing his service in the US Army, Johnson played guitar with the Milwaukee Supreme Angels, a local gospel group in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. However, he gravitated towards blues and formed his own trio in Milwaukee. He relocated to Chicago, Illinois, in the early 1960s. He backed Elmore James prior to James's death in 1963, and joined Muddy Waters' backing band in 1966. Johnson worked with various musicians during this period, including Chicago Bob Nelson. He recorded his debut album, Come On Home, in 1968, with Muddy Waters' band. In 1970, Johnson moved to Boston, Massachusetts, and found work on the blues festival and college circuits for the next few years. His album Born in Georgia was released by Black & Blue Records. It was followed by Chicken Shack (1974), Lonesome in My Bedroom (1975), and the final album issued in his lifetime, Get Down to the Nitty Gritty (1976). On records issued in his lifetime, he was credited as either Luther Johnson or Luther "Georgia Boy" Johnson, though he was also known to contemporaries as Luther "Snake" Johnson. Johnson died of cancer in Boston on March 18, 1976. He was interred at the Mount Hope Cemetery, in Mattapan, Massachusetts, where in 2014 the Killer Blues Project organised placing a headstone for him. List of Chicago blues musicians List of electric blues musicians Cub Koda. "Luther "Snake Boy" Johnson | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved January 27, 2014. Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues - A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. p. 105. ISBN 978-0313344237. Komara, Edward; Lee, Peter (July 1, 2004). "The Blues Encyclopedia". Routledge. Retrieved June 18, 2023 – via Google Books. "Lonesome in My Bedroom > Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved March 21, 2012. Anita Pravits (2012). "Luther Johnson". Keeponliving.at. Retrieved March 21, 2012. Stefan Wirz, Illustrated Luther Johnson Discography. Retrieved 21 April 2020 "Luther "Snake Boy" Johnson | Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved January 27, 2014. "Muddy Waters sideman Luther 'Snake Boy' Johnson had his career cut short by brain cancer". Chicagoreader.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017. "Headstones Placed". Killerblues.net. Retrieved November 21, 2025. Luther "Georgia Boy" Johnson at Find a Grave