By Chase Kamp
In an era of information overload, the classic mythology and heresay of blues music likely wouldn’t hold water for today’s skeptical crowds, but its many legends still persist.
Most prominent is the fabled blues singer Robert Johnson, born in Mississippi in 1911, who was said to have sold his soul to the devil in exchange for his evocative, rumbling guitar style.
And like a magisterial rock star from any era, his flame burned out quickly: Johnson only lived to 27.
Jonny Lang, now a 33-year-old blues maven from Minnesota, cites legends such as Johnson and Howlin’ Wolf as looming influences on Signs, his forthcoming album, which fans will hear him perform at Chandler Arts Center on July 21.
A Grammy winner who counts Eric Clapton as a fan and collaborator, Lang’s accomplished career in blues doesn’t have quite the same fantastic mythos, but the story of his rise to blues royalty is still a compelling one.
He, like Johnson, picked up a guitar as a teenager while growing up in a small town (Fargo, North Dakota in Lang’s case) and almost immediately drew attention for his astounding chops. Only a few years later, the minor-age Lang and his adult backing band drove to Minneapolis to play a label showcase. Lang and his crew were given a record contract, and his highly-praised debut Lie to Me landed him on the Billboard charts at the age of 16.
He’s since released six more records to wide acclaim, and has moved beyond the blues genre to even higher guitar god status. He has performed alongside Santana, ZZ Top and Eric Johnson, and toured with Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival.
He has also found unexpected success in the Christian rock realm. Like many before him, his life on the road led to chemical excess and some regrettable choices. He quickly found comfort in sobriety and the church, releasing a gospel record in 2006 called Turn Around that hit number 1 on the Billboard Christian album chart.
However, by no means has he eclipsed the style that made his career. Lang shows particular dexterity on Signs, hitting hard on a banquet of different songwriting styles tethered to a noticeably more raw take on his signatures blues.
The album’s lead single, “Make It Move”, is a literal foot-stomper with big steady kick drum propelling muted guitar string chucks. Lang wails in a pained drawl with very little accompaniment, a welcome bit of vulnerability.
“What You’re Made Of” has a soulful, funky rhythm, skewing closer to the B.B. king model of Rhythm & Blues. And “Last Man Standing” is a straight-ahead radio rock machine reminiscent of the Foo Fighters’ meaty approach. The album closes with “Singing Songs”, a ballad that begins ornate and delicate, but later blooms to a full orchestral finish.
Though it’s not full of smoke, mirrors, and devils, the story of Jonny Lang’s rise to the top still resonates in 2017. And though he has outlasted some of his peers, his talents is clearly primed for longevity.
