Bruce ‘Mississippi’ Johnson is The Real Deal, Baby

by | Mar 15, 2018

With a striking stage presence and undeniably soulful bass baritone voice, you should already be listening to contemporary blues vocalist, songwriter and bandleader Bruce ‘Mississippi’ Johnson.

Bruce 'Mississippi' Johnson (Edyta Krzesak)

Born Bruce Lester Johnson in Starksville, Mississippi and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, Bruce received a musical education most people can only dream about. As a child in his grandfather’s church choir and surrounded by his father’s soul and R&B influenced record collection that included Al Green, Jackie Wilson (his mum’s first cousin), Lou Rawls and Gil Scott-Heron, Bruce discovered he could sing.

His life story to date is fascinating, replete with vivid and memorable experiences. Bruce served as a US Marine for seven years, and while stationed in Kinshasa, Zaire he performed Gil Scott-Heron tracks. It was towards the end of his enlistment while stationed in Paris and being enveloped in a city full of music and nightlife, that he realised he wanted singing to be his full time profession. Showcasing his extraordinary talent in various Parisian venues he soon built a formidable reputation on the jazz scene, working with the city’s luminaries and musicians who had played with the likes of Stan Getz and Sammy Davis Jr.

With a growing influence, he branched out and formed his own band, becoming a leading light in the funk scene. Bruce and the band were invited to perform in the Jack Daniel’s Music Competition in Bordeaux judged by Nina Simone and blew the competition out of the water. The win gave Bruce the impetus to record his first single and cement his reputation as a star.

Soon, Bruce was keen to create a more earthier sound, affiliated to the Delta region he called home. He was given the opportunity to join legendary blues bassist Big Joe Turner’s band Blues Caravan as a vocalist, which gave him the chance to tour the world. He formed a solid bond with the keyboard player Johan Dalgaard and the two began to write and demo songs that would eventually become his solo album The Deal Baby.
Bruce 'Mississippi' Johnson (Edyta Krzesak)

His fame in France saw him compete on the French version of The Voice and land a gig with one of France’s leading “Rat Pack” ensembles, Forever Gentleman. The band’s album of jazz vocal standards went triple platinum.

Bruce’s debut solo album The Deal Baby was released in Spring 2017 to critical acclaim. It straddles soul, blues and jazz with glimpses of bluesy-rock guitars, augmented by his textured, classic voice. Featuring heartfelt compositions including I Can’t Shake the Blues and The Neighbour Next Door, it was recorded in Paris and mixed by Grammy Award winning sound engineer Veronica Ferraro.

The album has received rave reviews from listeners and critics, with The Wall Street Journal describing it as, ‘an impressive, long brewing introduction to a fine dramatic storyteller in the Bobby Bland soul blues tradition with 70’s Influences’. Its timeless material instantly brings to mind the music of Johnny “Guitar’ Watson, Gil Scott-Heron, Lou Rawls, Robert Cray, Bobby Bland and more.

London-based Bruce will tour Europe in 2018, including Paris in April and in the basement of London’s Pizza Express, Holborn on 19 October, an intimate space known for showcasing the biggest names in music.

In 2017, London-based Bruce was awarded the Living Blues Magazine’s Living Blues Award for “Artist Deserving More Attention”. With a unique and effortlessly soulful baritone voice, this gifted and charismatic performer is definitely worthy of your recognition; a force to be reckoned with and the embodiment of contemporary Mississippi Blues.

In other words, Bruce is the real Deal, Baby.

WEBSITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

YOUTUBE

Feature by Nicola Greenbrook & Portraits by Edyta K

Jeff Lynne Cancels Final ELO Show At BST Hyde Park 2025 Following Illness

In a heartbreaking development for fans, Jeff Lynne’s Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) have cancelled what was set to be their final ever UK performance at BST Hyde Park on Sunday 13 July 2025. The decision follows Lynne’s continued ill health and comes just days after the group’s second show at Manchester’s Co-op Live on 10th July was pulled moments before showtime, after the venue had already filled with fans. Lynne, 77, has been battling a systemic infection and is now under close medical supervision.

Olivia Dean @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Olivia Dean Warms A Damp Hyde Park With Soulful Resilience At BST Hyde Park 2025

Though clouds still loomed and the ground remained squelchy underfoot, Olivia Dean brought a welcome calm and undeniable warmth to BST Hyde Park’s Great Oak Stage on Sunday afternoon. Following a weather-disrupted opening set by Amber Mark — whose performance was cut short by a torrential downpour — Dean arrived as the skies cleared, bringing poise, polish, and powerful vocals to a crowd that refused to let a bit of British summer rain dampen their spirits.

Clairo @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Clairo Brings Soft Focus And Dreamy Intimacy To The Great Oak Stage At BST Hyde Park 2025

In the golden lull between a dramatic afternoon downpour and Sabrina Carpenter’s headline pop spectacle, Clairo turned London’s Great Oak Stage into a sanctuary of softness and reflection. Her early evening performance at BST Hyde Park on Sunday 6th July offered a tender contrast to the festival’s typically high-energy crescendo, inviting the crowd into a quieter, more introspective space.

Jessie Murph (Press)

Jessie Murph Announces Bold New Album ‘Sex Hysteria’, Shares Vulnerable New Single ‘Bad As The Rest’

Boundary-breaking rising star Jessie Murph has unveiled her latest single Bad As The Rest, offering a raw and emotionally charged glimpse into her upcoming sophomore album Sex Hysteria, due out on 18th July via Columbia Records.

The Jacques (Nick Sayers)

The Jacques Announce Riotous New Single ‘All The Other Sinners’ Ahead of Second Album ‘Make Repetition!’

London/Bristol alt-rock trio The Jacques are ramping up momentum ahead of their second album Make Repetition! with the release of their blistering new single All The Other Sinners — a searing, melody-drenched slice of chaos and catharsis out now.

Cam @ The Tabernacle (Henry Finnegan / @finneganfoto)

Cam Captivates London With A Night Of Raw Vocals And Real Stories At The Tabernacle

In a sweltering Tabernacle, a somehow both vast and intimate venue, a sweat-soaked audience filled every seat for...
J.Fla (Press)

J.Fla Redefines Herself With Empowering New Single ‘Stellar Paradox’

South Korean singer-songwriter and YouTube sensation J.Fla has taken a giant leap into the cosmos with her newest release, Stellar Paradox, marking the start of a bold new chapter in her musical journey. Known to millions for her viral YouTube covers, J.Fla now turns the spotlight firmly onto her own voice with a genre-blending, emotionally charged original that paves the way for her highly anticipated upcoming EP, due in late summer 2025.

Chloe Qisha @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Kalpesh Patel)

Chloe Qisha Closes The Rainbow Stage In Style At BST Hyde Park 2025

After a tempestuous afternoon that saw Hyde Park lashed by torrential rain and set times thrown into flux, it was Chloe Qisha who restored the calm — and then brought the fire — as she closed the Rainbow Stage on Sunday evening with a confident, emotionally astute set that proved worth the wait.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing