Johnny A.

Soft-speaking, Harley-riding guitarist Johnny A. grew up listening to Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix before cutting his teeth leading a short string of blues-rock bands. But the Bostonian bluesman really came of age in the early '90s as a member of J. Geils Band front man Peter Wolf's Houseparty 5...

By Sander Wolf

December 2, 2004

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "18855504",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17105533",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18349797",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17105532",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18349797",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17105535",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Soft-speaking, Harley-riding guitarist Johnny A. grew up listening to Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix before cutting his teeth leading a short string of blues-rock bands. But the Bostonian bluesman really came of age in the early '90s as a member of J. Geils Band front man Peter Wolf's Houseparty 5. Everything he learned about supporting a song by knowing when to show off (and, more important, when not to) has been incorporated into his now elegant style. Get Inside, A.'s most recent solo album, is a blend of smooth rock, jazz and blues tied together by a sweet, low tone and a constant emphasis on melody. The combination makes for a respectful version of Hendrix's "The Wind Cries Mary," but, hell, with tone like that, A. even makes "Wichita Lineman" sound cool.

KEEP THE OBSERVER FREE... Since we started the Dallas Observer, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Dallas, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.