Deep down in the heart of the Mississippi delta near the banks of that mighty river, there’s this artist. His name is John Mohead and creates. He’s a multi-instrumentalist, writes songs and long form stories. He records, performs and produces critically acclaimed music. He produces festivals and shows. He can list Bob Dylan, Lucinda Williams and the late Greg Allman among his legion of fans. He makes furniture, paints, builds and designs. During a 10-year hiatus from the music scene, he renovated an 80-year-old restaurant and built it into a successful funky fine dining establishment as chef and general manager.
You see, Mohead was raised in a cotton field not central park. He comes from the dirt and water of his region. His first job was chopping cotton. He learned to play the blues from Robert Nighthawk’s famous son Sam Carr and harmonica legend Frank Frost, both members of the Jelly Roll Kings. John grew up listening to the delta blues on KFFA’s King Biscuit Time radio show broadcast live from Helena, Arkansas. He heard the country workin’ man’s music of Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings on WREC in Memphis. Blues and gospel from the “Soul Man” Early Wright on WROX in Clarksdale and the late night AM signals from Chicago and Texas border stations.
At age 8, with Sun Studio’s Sam Phillips in attendance, Mohead played “Midnight Rider” on a talent show in Memphis on a four-string ukulele.
Mohead got his first major label deal with Rounder Records for “Lula City Limits” produced by Living Blues publisher Jim O’Neal. John was a staff writer for Pat Higdon and Universal MusicPublishing Nashville, co-wrote a Billboard top 20 hit “Southern Women” with Kent Blazy. Mohead has recorded over seven full length cd’s of original music with some very special guest along the way. Country superstar Keith Urban played guitar on several tracks on Mohead’s “Mary’s Porch” CD along with the Allman Brothers Johnny Neel, who toured with Mohead, and was captured on the “Live From Telluride” album recorded at Blues and Brews Festival in Telluride, CO. In addition, John Mohead has numerous film, TV and production credits to his name.
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