John Hammond
Grammy-nominated blues musician, John Hammond, arrives at The Lyric Theatre this February for an evening of soulful renditions of timeless blues classics. Heralded by the New York Times as a “blues legend with a voice like Robert Johnson’s,” Hammond reinterprets some of the blues’ most venerated compositions with originality and intensity. His raw, live performances showcase the musician’s genius combination of gritty vocals, slide guitar, and accompanying harmonica.
Born in New York City, John Hammond felt an immediate attraction to music, and specifically the guitar, as the son of the successful record producer John H. Hammond. With dreams of becoming a traveling blues singer, Hammond envisioned himself as a “one man, one guitar” kind of musician. Hammond, inspired by the music of Chuck Berry and Robert Johnson, quickly taught himself the guitar and continued his lessons through high school and college. By the 1960s, John Hammond was touring nationally and recording with a number of famous electric blues musicians in the New York area, including Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. In fact, John Hammond has been credited with giving major recording groups such as The Band and Jimi Hendrix wider recognition.
Now, over 50 years since his first album debut, John Hammond has released over 34 albums and continues to tour tirelessly across North America. Hammond’s work has received both popular and critical acclaim across the world. The blues veteran has been nominated for four Grammy awards and received the 1985 Grammy award for his performance of “Blues Explosion,” which featured Steve Ray Vaughan, Koko Taylor, and many others. In 2011, Hammond was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. His newest album, entitled Timeless, celebrates his artistic milestone of reaching 50 years in the music industry. The album was recorded live at one of John Hammond’s favorite venues in the world, Chan’s in Woonsocket, Rhode Island.
Born in New York City, John Hammond felt an immediate attraction to music, and specifically the guitar, as the son of the successful record producer John H. Hammond. With dreams of becoming a traveling blues singer, Hammond envisioned himself as a “one man, one guitar” kind of musician. Hammond, inspired by the music of Chuck Berry and Robert Johnson, quickly taught himself the guitar and continued his lessons through high school and college. By the 1960s, John Hammond was touring nationally and recording with a number of famous electric blues musicians in the New York area, including Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. In fact, John Hammond has been credited with giving major recording groups such as The Band and Jimi Hendrix wider recognition.
Now, over 50 years since his first album debut, John Hammond has released over 34 albums and continues to tour tirelessly across North America. Hammond’s work has received both popular and critical acclaim across the world. The blues veteran has been nominated for four Grammy awards and received the 1985 Grammy award for his performance of “Blues Explosion,” which featured Steve Ray Vaughan, Koko Taylor, and many others. In 2011, Hammond was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. His newest album, entitled Timeless, celebrates his artistic milestone of reaching 50 years in the music industry. The album was recorded live at one of John Hammond’s favorite venues in the world, Chan’s in Woonsocket, Rhode Island.