John Wesley Funchess (April 16, 1931 – February 1, 1994)[1] known professionally as John (or Johnny) Littlejohn, was an Americanelectric bluesslide guitarist.[2] He was active on the Chicago blues circuit from the 1950s to the 1980s.[2]
Biography
Born in Lake, Mississippi, Littlejohn first learned to play the blues from Henry Martin, a friend of his father's. In 1946 he left home and traveled widely, spending time in Jackson, Mississippi; Arkansas; Rochester, New York; and Gary, Indiana.[3] He settled in Gary in 1951, playing whenever possible in the nearby Chicago area. Through his connections in Gary, he was acquainted with Joe Jackson, the patriarch of the musical Jackson family, and Littlejohn and his band reputedly served as an occasional rehearsal band for the Jackson 5 in the mid- to late 1960s.
He recorded a few singles for small local labels but did not record another album until 1985, when Rooster Blues issued So-Called Friends. Soon after, he fell into ill health. He died of renal failure in Chicago, on February 1, 1994, at the age of 62.[1][3]
