Joe Johnson and the Bluebacks.
Friday, January 17th, 2025. Sawyers Brewing Company
Twelve months, twelve reviews written since I started this page (this page being White Lake Music Review). I’ve seen some amazing artists and experienced outstanding live music performances. There was Nina Sofia with her acapella version of Janis Joplin’s “Mercedes Benz” and Penny Rushing performing Radiohead’s “Creep” with ukelele accompaniment. The Oat Bran Boys attempted Motorhead’s “Ace of Spades” on bluegrass instruments, while Kyle Brown had beautiful originals like “The Ghost of Emily”. Distracted absolutely rocked Rush’s “Spirit of the Radio” as did Witchcraft Lemonade on Weezer’s “Hash Pipe”. Silverado crooned old school country favorites like George Strait’s “Amarillo by Morning” with pedal steel, while Project 90 covered bands like Seven Mary Three and Eve 6. Brian Fedewa and Legal Rehab covered my classic rock needs. Brenna brought the dance party to the Montague Bandshell, while Spike The Media delighted me with a fresh young eclectic music mix.
There remained a music genre I love that was conspicuously missing from the above list, that I hadn’t seen yet locally, until now – the blues! When I heard that members of the nationally known Holland-based band “Joe Johnson & The Bluebacks” were performing at Sawyers Brewing Company, I knew I had to catch their show.
The full band consists of the following members:
• Joe Johnson: Vocals, Guitar
• Dave Monetza: Bass
• Scott Bogus: Guitar, Harmonica
• Greg Sperlbaum: Drums
They were semi-finalists for the 2024 Blues Foundation’s “International Blues Challenge” in Memphis TN, that featured bands from all over the world, ranking them in the top 20 unsigned blues bands worldwide for that year. They’re also sponsored by “Musica Tequila” out of Ft. Meyers Florida and are currently writing original material for a new record. For smaller venues like Sawyers, they perform as a side project duo with Joe and Scott. https://www.joejohnsonband.com/https://www.facebook.com/Joejohnsonband
I settled in with friends in the cozy confines of Sawyers Brewing, with a “Stiff Upper Lip” ESB in hand (my new favorite beer) expecting a really good show. I wasn’t disappointed! The duo started the first set with Eric Clapton’s “Further Up the Road” with both musicians on acoustic guitars.
“Further on up the road
Someone’s going to hurt you like you hurt me…
Further on up the road
Baby, just you wait and see.”
The mixture of the two guitars, rhythm and lead parts intertwining, was beautiful and Joe’s vocals were equal parts plaintive and powerful, an extraordinary blues voice!
They continued with a song that had the lyric “If the river was whiskey and I was a diving duck”. I’m familiar with several songs with that phrase including ones by Rising Sons and Taj Mahal, among others. My notes are incomplete. I’ll have to see them again to find out…
They rolled right into “Make Me a Pallet on Your Floor” which sounded like Mississippi John Hurt’s version with added lyrics and extended guitar lead parts (video).
Next came a really cool song that I believe was based on Tab Benoit’s “Night Train”. I was only able to jot down the lyrics “Ain’t stopping until the morning light… Got that fuel on my fire, got my headlights burning bright.”
After that, Scott pulled a harmonica out of a case he converted from an old-fashioned portable record player for Sam Cook’s “You Send Me”. I’m hard pressed to describe his playing. He’s simply the best I’ve heard. Just check out the video below.
At this point we were happily joined by more friends, including Penny and Cheyney Rushing (both fixtures in the local music scene) and Jim Newhof, (who’s taken on the task of scheduling bands as Executive Director for this year’s Walk The Beat music festival), as Joe and Scott launched into Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright.” Joe’s lead playing on this was amazing with extensive soloing above the 12th fret on his Alvarez MD-90, hugging the guitar’s body.
The amazing blues music continued, songs that were totally new to me. I frantically scribbled snatches of lyrics I liked in my notebook to look up later: “Think of home while you’re sitting at a red light”, “My baby she don’t stand no foolin”, and “If you ever change your mind, leaving me behind, bring your sweet love home to me”. Then came one I did know, JJ Grey’s “The Sun Is Shining Down” I was glad to catch that one on video. Check it out! The vocals and harmonica work really moved me.
There was more, a lot more! I recorded a song with the lyrics “Lost in Her Loving” that I can’t find online (video). There was an amazing country chicken pickin’ two guitar hoedown instrumental that occasionally morphed into the blues and then back again. There was the requisite “Sweet Home Chicago”, and really cool versions of “Folsom Prison Blues” and “Tupelo Honey”. For that, Joe remarked “Van Morrison is good, but I like the way JJ sings it” (referring to JJ Grey).
I wasn’t going to take any more video, then I heard a familiar cord sequence to a song I’ve done before with bands, Marshall Tucker Band’s “Can’t You See.” I couldn’t resist. If, like me, this song holds a special place in your heart, check out the 8-minute video below for Joe and Scott’s version with extended guitar lead sections.
I could go on, and I know I’ve missed listing songs they performed. I know I could have taken more videos that showcased Scott’s incredible harmonica playing. This review won’t do them justice anyway, neither will my iPhone videos. Take my word for it. Check out their web site. Better yet, get out there and catch one of their live shows!
Sawyers Brewing Company
Sawyers, located in the center of historic downtown Montague, describes themselves as “A nice little hometown brewery.” Far from just hand-crafting beers, they have the largest selection of proprietary wines and ciders in the area and distill their own spirits (offering vodka and rum-based drinks) and feature Tina’s “Perk-a-tory Coffee” roast coffee from all over the world Perk-a-tory Coffee They’ve also recently started distributing to Louie’s Wood Fired Bar and Grill and the Sports Page in Muskegon.
They currently host live music Friday nights (with an expanded schedule during the summer months) and feature Local Business Appreciation Days and fun events like celebrating National Hat Day with happy hour prices and a prize for the person with the best hat. All this in a cozy brick open beam setting! Check their Facebook page at Sawyers Brewing Company for more details.
For videos from the show go to White Lake Music Review
