Rawls, Johnny

Rawls, Johnny 10 September 1951; Columbia, MS Born in the small southern Mississippi community of Columbia, Johnny Rawls took an early interest in blues, especially the music of B. B. King, Bobby Bland, and R&B vocalist Jackie Wilson. By his teens, Rawls was playing guitar and impressed his high school band director enough to be asked to join his professional show band in which he backed many touring musicians such as soul artists Z. Z. Hill and Little Johnny Taylor. Rawls moved to Milwaukee…