| Street
named after Johnny Shines |
Thanks
to the many efforts of Johnny Shines's daughter, Carroline, the city
of Tuscaloosa has honored Johnny Shines' legacy, renaming the former
4017 11 St NE after the blues man. A dedication ceremony is being
planned for after the new year. "I was so excited - what a great
Christmas and birthday present rolled into one," said Carroline.
"I can even see it from my house!" "Mama, I feel like
Grandaddy is the Van Gogh of blues," said Carroline's daughter
Anastasia.
Johnny Shines was
born John Ned Shines on April 26, 1915 just north of Memphis, Tennessee
in the suburb of Frayser. He grew up playing the guitar on the streets
of Memphis for tips except for the occasional opportunity to play
in a local juke joint for some cash. Johnny originally learned how
to play guitar from his mother, and honed his skills playing for anybody
that would listen or give him their spare change. His early musical
influences include Blind Lemon Jefferson and Howlin' Wolf. Even his
stature resembled a young Howlin' Wolf. He recorded for Columbia and
Chess in the 1940s and was part of the blues revival of the 1960s.He
died in Tuscaloosa in 1992.
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