Richard Johnston shocked the blues world last saturday night, by winning The International Blues Talent Competion. It was the first win for the Local Beale St. Blues Society, the first time anyone has won the First place and the Albert King Award, the Double crown so to speak, and the first time anyone has won who played a "Diddly Bow " cigar box Instument; "The Lowe Bow".

The best players the world had to offer; equiped with pricey guitars, and clothes, had to take second Fiddle, as Richard in his thrift store clothes, and no Shoes; showed them how they do it in the Country.He slayed them with his Vocals, and a secret weapon , the Lowebow, which he played Bass and Guitar on while he played drums with his feet. Not to mention an Affordable Import Johnson Resonator that he customized himself ,with his own invention, the Electric Sratch Plate .
Richard talked to me in my workshop the place where he helped me design the Lowebows that he used to win.

John: How did you get involved with the blues?

Richard:Reading Heidegger and getting mad at my roomate for playing his Robert Johnson Tape, while I was trying to concentrate.but Later that night, as I aways did before I went to sleep, I was playing my guitar, and found myself trying to beat out "Malted Milk" in standard tuning; it was impossable.Tuning my guitar to open G literally changed my life forever.

John:What got you started playing hill country Blues?

Richard: My first show in the states was with Mose Vinson and Junior Kimbrough. Junior no-showed. I was curious about him so Bill Ellis and I went to Chulahouma to see his place and meet him properly. He was not there that night but the band played "All Night Long" and it stuck with me. Later that year, Mark Simpson gave me a full collection of Junior's music and a compilation of all the hill-county players, as well. Within a week of that, Mark and I went back to Junior's to see if Kinney Kimbrough aka Malone and Garry Burnside would like to start a band with us. Immediately, I was thrown into the middle of the whole North-Ms scene playing in Junior's chair. It was overwhelming. I was performing this music as I was learning..
The whole experience was transforming. Now I'm catching up with myself and I have been able to understand where this incredible music came from (F. Mc Dowell, Rainey Burnette, Eli Green, the Hemphill family, etc..).

John: How has the Lowebow changed your playing style?

Richard: It has forced me to really use my ears. It's like playing a trombone, I would think.
There is more neck to work with so I can play a wider range of notes on one string. It allows me to sing with my slide. And, when I return to my main instrument (ressonator), I play differently, now. My hands are more an extension of my mind than ever before.

John: Many people thought "Jesus On The Mainline" was the best song in your peformance at the the Blues Challenge. How did this song come to you?

Richard: A friend in Como named Sherman Cooper (hey Sherman!) gave me a tape with that song, it was the most incredible performance of the song that I have ever heard. We still don't know the man's name. Many of the songs I play have come from such tapes that friends have turned me onto.

John: Was" Shelby Co. Courthouse Blues"based on your experience?

Richard: Yeah, it happened just like that. It only took 18 hours in there to cement 201 Poplar in my mind, forever.

John: What are your plans for the future?

Richard: Now, I get to work. I want to work until I'm dead.

John: Hopefully that will be many years from now and we can keep on enjoying your soulfull Music.

Copyrite 2001 John M. Lowe