"Whitey Johnson" at Norton Buffalo Hall West

Performing with his band at the Chico Guild Hall (aka Norton Buffalo Hall West) on Saturday, March 23rd, at 7 pm will be Whitey Johnson, a singer/songwriter/guitarist from Texas and the alter ego of Gary Nicholson, who tells various stories about Whitey's past. Gary Nicholson’s songs have been recorded by such blues greats as BB King, Etta James, Bonnie Raitt, Keb Mo, Delbert McClinton, Gatemouth Brown, James Cotton, Junior Wells, Shemeka Copeland, John Mayall and many others. He also won a Grammy as producer of the Best Contemporary Blues Record 2001, Delbert McClinton"s "Nothing Personal." Nashville Scene has called him “...a prodigious talent..” Whitey describes his style as "Feel Better Blues" with songs such as "Use the Blues (to Make You Feel Better)," "Worry Be Gone," "Leap of Faith," and "Better off With the Blues." He learned to play guitar watching Texas legends Freddy King, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Mance Lipscomb, then fell in love with Robert Johnson, Muddy and Wolf and the songs of Willie Dixon. He brings a deep respect for all his heroes to his own style. His band includes Colin Linden, Tom Hambridge, and Dave Roe, who all have many credits having worked with artists such as Chuck Berry, Johnny Winter, Lynryd Skynrd, Johnnny Cash, and many others. The moniker “Whitey Johnson” was born when Gary Nicholson wrote a short story about an amazing guitar player he saw perform at a fair in his hometown Garland, Texas. This guitarist, who covered everyone from BB King to Jimi Hendrix, was a black albino and his family called him Whitey. At the end of the story Whitey dies when a church is burned by the Klan. Now when Nicholson performs as Whitey he invokes the spirit of the blues music he has loved all his life. With deepest respect for all the great founding fathers of the blues, and songs that reflect his own unique point of view, Whitey Johnson lives on. Visit garynicholson.com for more information. Tickets are $20, available in advance at Eventbrite.com. Doors open at 6:30PM. Seating is limited. Delicious refreshments and a no-host bar will be available throughout the night. Call David Zink of the Paradise Community Guilds at 762-1490 or email paradiseguilds@gmail.com or nortonbuffalohall@gmail.com for more information