April 26, 1915 – April 20, 1992

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In February 1975 Johnny Shines (guitar & vocals) was caught on film by Kurt Hriczucsah at his home and other locations in and around Vienna, Austria. The bluesman performs selections from his vast repertoire with scenes of him shot near the Danube River and the Salzburg train station cut in.

The songs include “Terraplane Blues”, “Sweet Home Chicago”, “What Can I Do To Change Your Mind”, “Good Morning Blues”, and “They’re Red Hot.”

Raised in Memphis and taught guitar by his mother, a young Johnny Shines began playing in local jukes.

After moving to Hughes, Arkansas in 1932 he worked as a farm laborer until a chance meeting with the legendary Robert Johnson in 1935 forever changes the course of his life, rekindling his musical interest.

He traveled up and down the Eastern seaboard and into Canada with Johnson for the next two years performing at many different venues.

The duo would go their separate ways in 1937 just one year before Johnson’s death, leaving Shines as one of the few who knew him best.

Johnny Shines moved to Chicago in 1941, becoming part of the cities growing blues community and made his first records in 1946.

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