Biography

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-2010-

Veteran blues bassist and master showman Johnny Ace teams up with Texas-born blues singer Cathy Lemons to lead a stellar cast through a soul-stirring set of original music that draws on their deep musical backgrounds and left-of-center sense of humor. Lemonace band members Pierre Le Corre (guitar) and Artie “Stix” Chavez (drums) are joined by special guests Tommy Castro, David Maxwell, co-producer Kid Andersen, Paul Oscher and Ron Thompson.

Now living in San Francisco, Cathy and Johnny have both paid their dues, in full. Cathy started out by honing her chops with Texas bluesmen such as Anson Funderburg, and performed with artists including Stevie Ray Vaughan. In the 1980’s she came to California and toured with John Lee Hooker as his send-off singer. She’s been headlining her own bands since then and has come full circle as a fully developed singing stylist, writer and lyricist. Johnny, originally from New York City, has played with a who’s who of blues giants including John Lee Hooker, Otis Rush, Charlie Musselwhite, Victoria Spivey and countless others.

“Johnny was always a great showman... Johnny would throw his vintage 1962 Fender P Bass into the air and let it fall onto the middle of the dance floor only to jump down on the floor and do the splits two times and then get up and grab the bass and start playing all over again. To this day I’ve never seen anyone top that...

The really amazing thing about this story is that Ace finally met his match: Texas-born blues singer Cathy Lemons. I think how tragic it would be if somehow they had never met. Cathy has the great voice and clever lyrical mind and Ace has the grooves and the feels, and you put those elements together and it makes great songs. Cathy and Johnny have a unique and rare chemistry like Louis Prima and Keely Smith, Delaney and Bonnie or Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball. I don’t think they realize just how much they complement each other.

This is a strong and soulful effort by two of my favorite humans. I am honored to have been asked to play on this record. And I have to add that I think Kid Andersen plays some killer guitar on it too!”
– Tommy Castro (from the liner notes)