Ernie Johnson, the soul blues singer

Ernie Johnson - has played blues festivals in San Francisco, Monterey,& Paris. Ernie Johnson continues in the soul-blues singing path forged by artists like Bobby "Blue" Bland, Z.Z. Hill, Little Milton and R.L. Griffin. Born in Winnsboro, Louisiana, Johnson didn't begin singing professionally until after moving to Dallas. His vocal influences included Nat King Cole, Dee Clark, Clyde McPhatter, Jackie Wilson, and especially Bobby "Blue" Bland; he recalled that hearing Bland sing "Further on Up the Road'' was a revelatory experience. Johnson had a chance to open for Miss Lavelle White and Guitar James in Mexia, Texas, where he stole the show. At that point, he quit his day job with the Dallas parks department and formed a band, the Soul Blenders. [http://www.cduniverse.com/sresult.asp?HT_Search=xartist&HT_Search_Info=Johnson%2C+Ernie]