I was born in St. Louis, MO. in 1956 and still call it home. I graduated from Tulane University in 1978 and got my feet wet in the very rich New Orleans musical scene beginning in 1974. I had taken piano and clarinet instruction growing up but when I saw Muddy Waters with Jerry Portnoy on harmonica at the 1977 Jazz Festival, I was smitten. I sat in with Professor Longhair at the 501 Club (now Tipitinas) and with James Booker at the Maple Leaf when I was starting out… they were kind enough to tolerate my very pedestrian first attempts playing harmonica.

When I returned home to St. Louis in 1979 I discovered Tom “Papa” Ray, who at that time was playing with Silvercloud at Caleco’s on Laclede and selling cutout records on Saturday at Soulard Market with Lew Prince. Tom was planting the seeds of his world renown record store, Vintage Vinyl. Tom was kind enough to employ me (and my VW bus) facilitating my blues education with personal instruction and albums from Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson, Paul Butterfield and the like. Tom introduced me to my greatest influence, Keith “Spider” Doder, who held the harmonica chair with Tommy Bankhead and his Blues Eldorados. Even though Keith and I were very close in age I he was a much more advanced harmonica stylist than I. He instilled in my playing the importance of tone, economy and relentless study of the masters. I was also influenced by Riley Morgan Sr., who was playing with Big George but who blew a pretty mean harmonica as well.

By 1980 I was sitting in regularly at Miss B’s with Doc Williams (who paid me five dollars, my first professional $), Andy Williams, Blues Randy, Doc Terry, Doc Perry and whoever was kind enough to tolerate me. I worked with Thurmon McCain and his Nationwide Band who had a steady gig at Georgia’s Diner on Skinker and Delmar on Thursdays for two years, where I met almost everyone in the St. Louis blues community. The Davis Brothers, Riley Morgan, Big Smitty, Piano Slim, QT Macon, Vernon Guy, Doc Terry, Little Otis, Robert Weaver, Piano Slim, Chisholm, Farlin, Fat Ricky, Cornell Richardson, Mike Howell, and so many more. Keith introduced me to such iconic joints as Tubby’s Red Room, Whit’s, The Caravan Club (which Big George owned), the Blue Swan and of course Sadie’s Personality Lounge on Union and Wabada.

Clayton Love, Jimmy Hinds, Erskine Ogelsby and Buzzy Martin hosted a lively regular blues and jazz workshop every Thursday at Hilary’s on Russell, and I was fortunate enough to be invited into the sit-in rotation of guest artists who included Jim Rosse, Sue Beshears and many other top notch local and national jazz artists. It was a real honor to be included on the set with such fine caliber musicians. I learned one hell of a lot and it was an honor getting to perform with these legends.

By 1982 I had enough proficiency to try to take the reins on my own, playing harp and singing. I formed a short lived Chicago Blues band, The Crawlin Kingsnakes with some very talented high school kids from Parkway South, Kevin Roche and Dallas Woodson, and we played at 20 North and Burkharts, which became the Oyster Bar. Around that time I began working with James Crutchfield, who was backed up by my very dear friend Larry Griffin at Molly’s and Burkhart’s, where John May and John Zoroya heard me. We formed an excellent band, The Rockin Luckys which garnered a lot of attention on the St. Louis music scene and ran from 1984 to 1995. We performed in many of the clubs around town, particularly the Off Broadway, which at that time was owned by the Cammarata family. We shared the stage with Albert Collins, Taj Mahal, Anson Funderburgh, Ronnie Earl, Asleep at the Wheel, Charlie Musslewhite, Lil Ed, Son Seals, Duke Robillard and one of my idols, William Clarke. Through the late 80’s and early ‘90’s we were in all of the Labor Day blues festivals produced by the St. Louis Blues Society. In 1991 we were honored to represent St. Louis in Memphis at the IBC, and although we didn’t win the big prize we got a lot of gigs out of it. One of the highlights of my career was playing the Grand Emporium in KC, a wonderful venue which was on par with Antone’s in Austin.

Ron Edwards, Bob Case and Keith Doder began appearing regularly at Mike & Mins doing classic bottleneck slide guitar and harmonica acoustic blues, and I began my lifelong friendship with Ron and Bob at these events. Bob gave me my first journeyman paycheck appearing with his band at the Airport Lounge in Berkley, and we still team up together with Ron on special occasions. I’ve appeared with Ron, who hosted “Nothin But the Blues” for over 35 years on our local community station KDHX numerous times during the last four decades. Ron and I still perform together whenever we get the chance. He is one of my very dearest friends and a master at recreating the historical Tampa Red and Robert Nighthawk sounds.

I appeared in the first “Harp Attack” revue in 1986 at Mississippi Nights, where I was backed up by Johnnie Johnson, Gus Thorton, Tom Maloney and Jimmy Miller. I appeared in many of the later shows, and I produced the ’88 and ’93 events. The 1991 show was particularly special, with performances and workshops by Snooky Prior, Howard Levy and Lee Oskar. What an honor to get to hang and share the stage with these heavyweights.

In 1995 I formed my own group, The Blues Knights (later the Have Mercy band) with Jimmy Lee Kennett, Cornell Richardson, Marty Spikener and a very young Brian Curran. We were the Thursday and later Tuesday night house band at Riddle’s in the Delmar Loop for 7 years. I started a classic bottleneck/harmonica blues duo with Brian, Dusty Blues, and we enjoyed a good run at Mike and Min’s and Riddles as well.

By 1996 I was honored to be included in the harmonica rotation with Jeremy Segel-Moss and Kari Liston in the long-lived Bottoms Up Blues Gang. I was with J and K at festivals and clubs in Colorado and New Orleans and as well as quite a few of the Big Muddy Festivals here in town. Here’s where my playing took another direction. J & K were arranging and putting their own eclectic spin on tunes by such varied artists as Memphis Minnie, Ani DeFranco, Django Reinhart, the Wood Brothers and Benny Smith and writing their own material while not limiting themselves to any genre. For the 15 years they had the band I had an absolute ball. I feel my playing really came into its own during my tenure with the BUBG. I recorded on several of their CDs and on the Blues Society compilations from 2015-2019. I’m also featured on Paul Bonn’s tune “Stop the Killin” which was included on the 2019 Blues Society compilation.

After the pandemic I worked for the very fine Ivas John Band until 2024 and am currently partnering with Matthew “The Rattlesnake” Lesch in different combinations, either as a jazz/blues duo or sometimes with Matt’s full band. I’m featured on his latest CD, “Blues Cut Like Glass” on his tribute to Big George Brock, “He’s A Bluesman.” I’ve known the Snake since he was 14 and I’ve enjoyed seeing him develop into a powerhouse talent, staying true to his passion for the blues.

Over the next few years I’m hoping to put together a few recording projects and I’m always looking for new opportunities, either in town or nationally. I’m looking toward the future and I hope to get there fast!

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Publisher note –
Look for Jon playing around town, like at the Venice Café on Tuesday nights.