Powers confesses that his first love is performing the music in front of live audiences. Each visit he says results in a growing legion of international fans. One of his favorite memories is playing a country music festival in France, which was hosted by a TV star, Patrick Duffy. The enthusiastic audience response resulted in Powers receiving an invitation to the event’s VIP tent, where high-ranking French politicians and celebrities entertained him.
Powers’ reputation as one of Michigan’s preeminent progenitors of rock ‘n’ roll was secured by a May 1999 article in the Detroit News, in which he was included with Bob Seger, Berry Gordy, Jr., and the MC5 in a “Michigan at the Millennium” list of the state’s musical heroes. Powers is perhaps best known as the music legend who recorded a rock ‘n’ roll classic seminal hit,
“Long Blond Hair,” a song that continues to thrill rockabilly aficionados witnessing Powers’ live performances, listening to reissues of the original recording, or tapping their feet while enjoying the song’s appearance on the soundtrack to the ShowTime Cable Network’s film, Reform School Girls.
The song’s infectious popularity is evidenced by the anecdote Powers relates in which he was approached after a Detroit gig. “I just finished a show with Aaron Tipin, and a fan told me he finally got a chance to hear me do ”Long Blond Hair.” It was one of his all-time favorite songs.” The fan turned out to be Ed Salamon, Westwood One’s radio network president of programming at that time.
Johnny Powers performance of a song “Say It” is in the film production of Mosquito also on DVD which airs on SiFi and Cable Networks and it continues to air on U.S. and International Television Networks today.
The Dyes are a raw rock’n’roll trio hailing from Chicago, IL. Often coined as ‘garageabilly’, they’ve dipped into a phonic realm fueled by infectious ’50s and ’60s oldies, approached with an irreverence and vigor that is anything but retro. Frontwomen Lisa and Jill formed the group as teens, then maintained the same line-up since the addition of Charlie back in ’06. The Dyes’ve had the pleasure to travel around the great US of A a time or two, sharing bills with roots rock luminaries including Johnny Powers, Reverend Horton Heat, JD McPherson, Los Straitjackets, and too many other friends to name!
Their last single “Liza Jane” was featured on Bloodshot Records’ (RIP) 25th Anniversary Comp Too Late to Pray: Defiant Chicago Roots, alongside 21 other Chi-town artists running the spectrum of classic country, bluegrass, rockabilly, folk, and rock. Described as “Cramps-and-Flat Duo Jets-fearing garage power trio spins a sleazy, lo-fi psychobilly take on a pop standard that became David Bowie’s first recorded single.”
“He’s a throwback to the guitar-toting country troubadours of yesteryear and at the same time a product of the rock and roll era, certainly the only performer of his kind in the greater Chicagoland area.”
