Music: Lee “Colorblind” Johnson

Come on down to the Dovetail Cafe for a free show!

Lee “Colorblind” Johnson…

• Is a one-man jug band
• Makes instruments from junk
• Has been called “the Mac Gyver of musical instruments”
• Has been called other names too
• Plays jazz, swing, folk, blues, ragtime, originals, rockabilly and other stuff
• On suitcase, spoons, harmonica, guitars, kazoos, jug, jaw harp, saw and various “things”
• Gets most of his “instruments” at thrift and hardware stores
• Is the guy tapping, plucking or blowing into stuff in thrift and hardware stores
• Has played with Charlie Parr, Bill Isles, Bingham and Thorne and others
• Was a member of the Bo Conrad Spit Band
• Assembled winning bands for the Duluth Battle of the Jug Bands
• Won Best Solo Performance at the Minneapolis Battle of the Jug Bands
• Is an award-winning cartoonist
• Considers his instruments musical cartoon sculpture
• Also plays very nice straight guitar when no one is looking
• Lives on a hill in Duluth Minnesota

I was born a good Scandinavian boy from Cambridge, Minnesota  I learned to play Ukulele from my mother. Three chords and “my dog has fleas” tuning. Guitar came later with a “Play Guitar  In 5 Minutes” book but I was a slow learner and it took almost an hour. Armed only with delusions of competence I played with and stole from much better musicians eventually faking my way into the Bo Conrad Spit Band. When the band dissolved I got married studied musical instrument repair,drew magazine cartoons, became a father and eventually drifted into youth work with churches and Young Life In Germany,California and finally back to Minnesota. I have been a DTA bus driver since the turn of the century. I play ukulele,guitar, lap steel, and a bit of fiddle. I also specialize in musical curiosities like spoons, saw, nose flute. Recently I have developed an interest in one man banditry which combines my interests in cartoons, music and instrument building.

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