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I started a quest to find terrific blues music and incredible musicianship when I was just a little kid. I also have a tremendous appreciation of fine musical instruments and equipment. One of my greatest joys all of my life was sharing my finds with my friends. I'm now publishing my journey. I hope that you come along!


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Share You With Someone Else - Ernie Johnson

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Ernie Johnson has come a great distance since his job as a cotton hauler. One day, one of Ernie's relatives, Ivory Joe Hunter came to Ernie with a suitcase full of money that he had made while playing the piano. "That right there was my clue to start pursuing a singing career and give up my job as a cotton hauler", Ernie recalls. He packed up and moved to Texas, in 1957, determined to make it as a singer. His first performance was at Club 84 in Mexia, Texas, in the late '50s, where he opened for Lavelle White and Guitar James Walley. By the end of the show, Johnson had upstaged his headliners. He became flattered about his newfound success so he set out to gather up a band to solidify his place in the blues and R & B circuit. He soon started his band by the name of the Soul Blenders. They quickly found themselves playing everywhere from beer joints to VFW halls, anyplace they could find that would hold a band. Johnson's fee for playing, fifty cents to a dollar...