COOMBS — Victoria’s Bill Johnson is a man born to play music and began playing the guitar when he was nine.
Records by Hank Williams, Elvis Presley, The Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton, were his early influences, but he remembers: “Chuck Berry was the one that did it for me. Chuck made me want to play guitar.”
The Bill Johnson Blues Band will play the Coombs Rodeo Grounds this Sat., April 9 at 8 p.m.
In 2006, Johnson was nominated for a Maple Blues Award for his CD Live, confirming his stature as one of the country’s top performers. He just completed an Island tour opening solo for one of the giants of blues, James Cotton.
As a live performer, he is a blast of majestic blues power. “We are very, very lucky to have him available to play in a dance hall setting here in Oceanside,” says Gilles Leduc of Ultimate Live Productions, promoters of the show. “And with Lazy Mike and the Rockin’ Recliners it’s a double dose of boogie blues for adults of all ages who love to dance.”
Advance tickets are available at Cranky Dog in Parksville, the Westwind Pub in Port Alberni, Nanaimo’s Fascinating Rhythm and the Coombs General Store. Tickets will also be at the gate.