UW Ethnomusicology Archives audio recordings: Johnny Shines recordings (Johnny Shines/guitar), Undated

Johnny Shines (1915-1992) was a blues singer and guitarist from Memphis, Tennessee. As a child, he learned to play guitar from his mother and performed slide guitar at juke joints and on the street. In 1935, Shines began touring around the US and Canada with musician Robert Johnson. Shines released his first album in 1952, but did not gain commercial success until Vanguard Records released his work in 1966. During his lifetime, Shines recorded a variety of albums and toured with other musicians including Lee Jackson, Fred McDowell, and Robert Lockwood, Jr.