Excerpt from: "New York Agenda"
Newsday, Oct 8, 1990
The Benson & Hedges Blues Festival begins Friday with a free peformance by acoustic guitar whiz John Campbell. He'll play at noon at the Atrium at the Philip Morris Building (120 Part Ave. at 42nd Street.
Copyright 1990 Newsday
Excerpt from: "Fitzgerald's Fest Serves Up A Stew Of Musical Styles" by Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun - Times, June 28, 1991
Taking his act indoors, bluesman John Campbell will perform at 9:30 p.m. A guitar prodigy at 3 and a professional musician by 13, Campbell used to sell his own blood to pay for new guitar strings. . . .
Copyright 1991 Chicago Sun Times
Excerpt from: "Johnnie Johnson & John Campbell"
Feedback, December 1991 p 18
Legendary R&B pianist Johnnie Johnson and new blues sensation John Campbell co-headline this blues showcase - and they've invited a number of special guests.
38-year old John Campbell, who bears the scars of a teenage driving accident which resulted in 5,000 stitches, never sent out a demo tape. He was signed to Elektra on the strength of his live work - his own brand of dark, sinister blues - which attracted crowds everywhere he played in New York.
Copyright 1991 Feedback
Excerpt from: "Critics Choice" by Dave Ferman
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, January 10, 1992
Guy is on a major roll. Joining him at Deep Ellum Live on Sunday is John Campbell, a Louisiana-born acoustic bluesman who toured the country for years before being signed by Elektra in 1991.
Campbell subsequently released One Believer, a fine mix of acoustic stylings (think of prime Lightnin' Hopkins) and more contemporary, electric touches courtesy of various members of Robert Cray's crack backup band.
Copyright 1992 Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Feedback(UK), March 16 - April 12, 1992 p 6
JOHN CAMPBELL (Mean Fiddler Fri 20th March, The Grand Sat 21st March) excited British audiences with his powerfully original blues guitar when he played here at the end of last year. "Blues?," you might say, "I've heard it all before" - but John Campbell steers away from the old predictability in favour of a new and exhilarating sound, as he plays his selection of acoustic and steel guitars and tells stories from deep inside his heart.
Copyright 1992 Feedback (UK)
Excerpt from: "Buddy Guy...Encore"
Le Soleil, March 22 1992, p. A12
Après avoir fait les belles nuits du bar-spectacles Le D'Auteuil, l'ineffable guitariste de blues Buddy Guy est de retour à Québec. Il présentera un spectacle le 25 avril, à la salle Tardif du collège Garnier. Et encore une fois, c'est l'Américain John Campbell qui assurera la première partie du spectacle. Certains s'en souviennent, le maître de la guitare «slide» avait précédé l'ouragan Marjo, sur la scène de la place d'Youville, un dimanche orageux du dernier festival d'été... Les billets sont en vente sur le réseau Billetech.
This article has been translated to English by Jacques Dulac. English translation
Copyright 1992 Le Soleil
Excerpt from: "Il bourlingue à travers le monde...Pas de chômage pour Buddy Guy" by Michel Bilodeau
Le Soleil, April 19, 1992 p A12
Tout comme en octobre, nous pourrons voir en première partie de Buddy Guy le guitariste et chanteur John Campbell. Sauf que cette fois, Campbell ne sera pas accompagné de son groupe. C'est seul sur scène entouré de ses guitares qu'il va reprendre contact avec le public de Québec.
Rejoint à New York, Campbell précise qu'il va probablement présenter un concert mi-acoustique, mi-électrique. Cette formule ne lui fait pas peur puisque pendant presque 20 ans, il a joué seul un peu partout aux États-Unis. Tout comme Buddy Guy, John Campbell va lui aussi se produire le 26 avril dans le cadre du Festival de blues de Montréal. Par la suite il doit participer à celui de Chicago avant de rejoindre son groupe pour une tournée européenne. Puis il espère pouvoir se consacrer à la composition.
«J'ai composé quelques pièces en tournée. Mais il faut que je m'installe sérieusement et que je prenne un temps d'arrêt pour finaliser tout cela et en composer d'autres.» Pour ce faire Campbell s'associera de nouveau avec Dennis Walker. Celui-ci a réalisé le disque One Believer de Campbell et cosigné la majorité des pièces. Walker a aussi collaboré avec Robert Cray.
«Je ne sais pas encore comment va se présenter ce disque. J'ai toujours travaillé par instinct, d'une façon très spontanée. Il faut que ça vienne du coeur sinon je ne vois pas d'intérêt à faire ce que je fais», conclut Campbell.
This article has been translated to English by Jacques Dulac. English translation
Copyright 1992 Le Soleil
Excerpt from: "It's A Blues Who's Who" by Jonathan Takiff
Philadelphia Daily News, July 24, 1992
John Campbell may play an antique slide Dobro guitar, but his darkly comic and sometimes just plain disturbing visions are very modern and poetic, rather like a Southern working-class variation on Leonard Cohen.
Copyright 1992 Philadelphia Daily News
Excerpt from: "Festival expands its outlook" by Marty Racine
Houston Chronicle, October 4, 1992
John Campbell , Chris Whitley -- Deep blues , 8 p.m. Oct. 13 at Rockefeller's, $17.50.
This is the only strictly blues concert. Campbell is a scarifyin', mystifyin' vocalist/guitarist from Louisiana who started out as a street musician. His powerful debut album is "One Believer."
Copyright 1992 Houston Chronicle
Excerpt from: "Nightlife " by Jon BReam
Minneapolis Star Tribune, Feb 12, 1993
Here's a blues bonanza: John Campbell and the Red Devils Wednesday at the Cabooze bar. Campbell (pictured), who's originally from Louisiana, plays dark, grisly, soulful voodoo blues reminiscent of Tom Waits and the Doors. The Red Devils, one of L.A.'s finest, play gritty, harmonica-driven blues. The group cut more than a dozen tracks as Mick Jagger's backup band for his new solo album, but the Devils were left on the cutting-room floor. Don't you be left out. Catch the Devils' return engagement at the Cabooze. It's the opening night of their tour with Campbell. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Highly recommended. Call 338-6425.
Copyright 1993 Minneapolis Star Tribune
Excerpt from: "Fugazi's Date Forces the Issue" by Eve Zibart
Washington Post, February 26, 1993 p n12
STEEL DRIVIN' MAN -- What John Campbell does with a steel-body slide guitar has a sort of danger about it, like one of those gods so terrible that just speaking their names lights fires. Broody and sulfurous at times, muscular and predatory at others, it is almost violently expressive -- definitely not blues lite. Drink slow, at the Birchmere.
Copyright 1993 Washington Post
Excerpt from: "There's lots of music outside" by Jim Beal, Jr.
San Antonio Express-News, April 20, 1993
When I look at La Semana Alegre's lineup, I see far too many retread bands. But, for fans of the blues, one name stands out on the Thursday schedule John Campbell. Guitar ace Campbell, like the fabled bluesmen of days gone by, has lived and survived on the road, eking out a living by doing whatever he had to do to support his addiction to music. While talents such as Campbell's are usually ignored by major record labels so they can push the latest fad-makers, Elektra, to its everlasting credit, has released two Campbell albums, "One Believer" and "Howlin' Mercy."
Backed by the rhythm section from the Joe Ely Band drummer Davis McLarty and bass man Jimmy Pettit Campbell makes raw, spooky, powerful blues that conjure images of Howlin'Wolf and Robert Johnson meeting for a juke-joint showdown. How "Weird Al" Yankovic will follow Campbell with cartoon/parody music I don't even want to think about.
Copyright 1993 San Antonio Express-News
Excerpt from: "PERFORMER PROFILES"
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 23, 1992
John Campbell: Originally from Texas and now based in New York City, this powerful young singer-songwriter is one of today's leading exponents of the acoustic Texas-style guitar picking exemplified by the late Lightnin' Hopkins. Campbell's two previous, largely unheralded appearances in St. Louis have won him a number of enthusiastic fans here.
Copyright 1992 St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Excerpt from: "Heir To The Blues: Lowell Fulson Recalls Rise Of R&B" by Paul A. Harris
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 30, 1992
THE LINEUP originally announced for next Saturday's St. Louis Blues Heritage Festival has been reduced because financing was not available for a second stage, according to the St. Louis Blues Society, the sponsor of the event.
Previously scheduled acts that will not appear are John Campbell, Carey Bell, Oliver Sain, Johnnie Johnson and the Rockin' Luckys.
Copyright 1992 St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Excerpt from: "Foreigner Sizzles Like the Ribs at Cook-Off" by Jane Scott
Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 29, 1993
Special guest, blues guitarist John Campbell, canceled the show because of his wife's illness, Jules Belkin reported.
Copyright 1993 Cleveland Plain Dealer