John Primer
By any yardstick, Chicago guitarist John Primer has paid his dues. Prior to making The Real Deal for Mike Vernon's Atlantic-distributed Code Blue label, Primer spent 13 years as the ever-reliable rhythm guitarist with Magic Slim & the Teardrops. Before that, he filled the same role behind Chicago immortals Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon.
All that grounding has paid off handsomely for Primer. His sound is rooted in the classic Windy City blues sound of decades past: rough-edged and uncompromising and satisfying in the extreme. He's one of the last real traditionalists in town.
By the time he came to Chicago in 1963, Primer was thoroughly familiar with the lowdown sounds of Waters, Wolf, Jimmy Reed, B.B. and Albert King, and Elmore James. He fronted a West Side outfit for a while called the Maintainers, dishing out a mix of soul and blues before joining the house band at the Southside blues mecca Theresa's Lounge for what ended up being a nine-year run. Elegant guitarist Sammy Lawhorn proved quite influential on Primer's maturing guitar approach during this period.
Always on the lookout for aspiring talent, Willie Dixon spirited him away for a 1979 gig in Mexico City. After a year or so as one of Dixon's All-Stars, Primer was recruited to join the last band of Muddy Waters, playing with the Chicago blues king until his 1983 death. Right after that, Primer joined forces with Magic Slim; their styles interlocked so seamlessly that their partnership seemed like an eternal bond.
But Primer deserved his own share of the spotlight. In 1993, Michael Frank's Chicago-based Earwig logo issued Primer's debut domestic disc, Stuff You Got to Watch. It was a glorious return to the classic '50s Chicago sound, powered by Primer's uncommonly concise guitar work and gruff, no-nonsense vocals. With the 1995 emergence of The Real Deal -- produced by Vernon and featuring all-star backing by harpist Billy Branch, pianist David Maxwell, and bassist Johnny B. Gayden, Primer's star appeared ready to ascend. He soon transferred back to the Wolf label for sets such as 1997's Cold Blooded Blues Man, 1998's Blues Behind Closed Doors, and 2000's It's a Blues Life.
© Bill Dahl /TiVo
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Discography
20 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Teardrops for Magic Slim
Blues - Released by Blues House Productions LLC on 24/02/2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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The Gypsy Woman Told Me
Blues - Released by VizzTone on 1/05/2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Blues Behind Closed Doors
Blues - Released by Wolf Records on 18/06/1998
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Crawlin' Kingsnake
Blues - Released by SWMAF - VizzTone on 29/03/2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
All Original
Blues - Released by Blues House Productions on 1/01/2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Muddy Waters 100
Blues - Released by Continental Record Services on 24/07/2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
You Can Make It If You Try
Blues - Released by Wolf Records International GmbH on 24/04/2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Soul of a Blues Man
John Primer, The Real Deal Blues Band
Blues - Released by Blues House Productions LLC on 1/02/2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Blue Steel: A Tribute To Elmore James
Blues - Released by Wolf Records on 4/02/2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Slow Blues
Blues - Released by Wolf Records International GmbH on 9/02/2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Cold Blooded Blues Man
Blues - Released by Wolf Records on 23/04/1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
It's A Blues Life
Blues - Released by Wolf Records on 11/04/2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Blues On Solid Ground
Blues - Released by Blues House Productions on 15/06/2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Keep on Lovin' the Blues
Blues/Country/Folk - Released by Warner Music UK Ltd on 18/11/1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Gypsy Woman Told Me
Blues - Released by VizzTone on 25/03/2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Crawlin' Kingsnake
Blues - Released by VizzTone - SWMAF on 16/02/2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Call Me John Primer (John Primer)
Miscellaneous - Released by Wolf Records on 7/10/2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo