Johnny Rawls was born in Columbia, Mississippi in 1951 and raised in Purvis and Gulfport, Mississippi.  He acquired an early interest in music when hearing his grandfather play the blues guitar one Christmas morning.  He began playing professionally while still in high school with such stars as ZZ Hill, Little Johnny Taylor, Joe Tex and the Sweet Inspirations.  In the mid-70's, Johnny went to work for OV Wright as Wright's band director.  After Wright's death in 1980, Johnny led Little Johnny Taylor's band until 1985, when he began touring as a solo artist and made his first solo recording under the Rainbow label.

Recording under Touch Records, Rooster Blues, Rock House, Reach and JSP Records, Johnny has done it all from producing, songwriting, horn arranging, Rhythm, Lead and Bass guitar, keyboard, vocals and background vocals.  Johnny started his own record company, Deep South Soul, in 2002 and has released his CD's Lucky Man, Live in Montana, and The Best of Johnny Rawls.  His newest CD entitled Heart and Soul was released in October 2006 and has been nominated for "Best Soul Blues Album of the Year (2007)" by the Blues Foundation .  No Boundaries was released under the TopCat, Catfood and Deep South Soul labels in 2005.

Johnny has appeared on the cover of the April 2002 Living Blues Magazine and has been nominated four times for the W.C. Handy Award.  His most recent award came from the West Coast Blues Hall of Fame for RB Male Vocalist of the Year 2006.

Johnny has performed at the Chicago Blues Festival twice, The Russian River Blues Festival, The King Biscuit Blues Festival, The Portland Waterfront Blues Festival, Poconos, as well as festivals in Sweden and Poland.  He tours constantly, playing well over 200 dates a year.  He can also be heard on XM radio's Bluesville.  Whether he is playing in a small club or a large blues festival, Johnny gives it his all and the crowds love him!

Additional biographies can be read at:  All Music Guide, Catfood Records, Russian River Blues Festival, and the Liner Notes to My Turn to Win