I first met John Campbell in Corpus Christi, Texas in the early 1970's. My best friend Joe Sutton told me about this guy that was dating his sister and that he was an incredible guitarist, and that I should come to his sister's house to meet him. Joe had grown up in Center, Texas and had met John there years earlier. Joe and I went to Jeri Sue Suttton's cruddy little two room shanty on Dalraiada Street and it was there that I got my first taste of early John Campbell. After listening to an hour's worth of tunes I could see then that John was destined to become a star. I threw all of my support his way for a year, becoming his personal roadie and at one point, even lending his drummer my brand new set of Gretch drums to enhance the Band's look. John repaid me for that jesture with a special gift, an old beat up Moserite Guitar.
In those days we were all very poor, living on the edge and playing music wherever they would have us. John, Tim, and Satch formed the band JUNCTION and played in Corpus and South Texas, quite often for empty rooms. Some nights I was the only audience they had. What great shows I saw these guys perform! They would literally shake the walls with their intense covers and originals. Back then John played Electric Guitar, a 1968 Gibson Deluxe through a 1968 Fender Twin or Super Reverb, so he was VERY loud.
Before the band was formed John would go out and play solo gigs at the Corpus Christi Naval Air Station and other cruddy beer joints just to make a few bucks. On solo gigs John would play Acoustic guitar and sing and the stuff he played was phenomenal. He went in to the studio and recorded an 8 track tape of his songs which I still have to this day. The 8 track sold locally, very poorly. John was always disturbed by the fact that his music wasn't selling and me, I couldn't understand WHY it wasn't selling. He was awesome in his early twenties. Many times we would sit and talk about Life, Music, and The Blues and play guitar together for hours on end. He showed me the first Blues licks I'd ever played and I showed him some moves on slide guitar that I had learned from Duane Allman. I'm proud of that fact, that I was the first to show him those moves. I was also very honored to study guitar with him on such a personal level. For a young teen this was the dream of a lifetime come true to be in his dark but caring presence. He was a great influence on my playing.
The last time I saw John was October 12, 1992 at Antones in Austin. After all these years gone by I could see John was on his way to where he had always wanted to be and man was I proud to know him. Upon seeing him for the first time in 15 years I said, "See John I TOLD you. I always KNEW you would make it!" He just laughed and replied "I ain't there yet JB". After the show, which was played to a packed house, I was just stunned that he played with such perfection and intensity. He invited me to come in to the "Mafia Tour Bus" and we sat and remmbered the old days. I gave him two cassettes of my original material and he told me he would cover a few of them on his next release. I gave him a big hug and told him I'd see him in New York. It was the last time I would ever see him.
For a very short time John Campbell was my closest friend and mentor and I will always cherish those Dog Days of living the Blues with a true master and teacher. It was the thrill of a lifetime that I will never forget.
Johnny Bartee - A Texas Musician And Actor
Copyright 2003 Excerpts from
MEMORIES OF A BLUES MASTER - JOHN ALEX CAMPBELL