Johnny Heartsman

Who was Johnny Heartsman?

Johnny Heartsman was an American electric blues and soul blues musician and songwriter. Heartsman showed musical diversity, playing a number of musical instruments, including the electric organ and flute. His distinctive guitar playing appeared on a number of 1950s and 1960s San Francisco Bay Area recordings, and he was still playing up to the time of his death.

His best known recording, "Johnny's House Party", was a R&B hit in 1957. His other better known tracks were "Paint My Mailbox Blue" and "Heartburn". He variously worked with Jimmy McCracklin, Sugar Pie DeSanto, Big Mama Thornton, Ray Agee, Jimmy Wilson, Johnny Fuller, Al King, Tiny Powell and Joe Simon.

He is not to be confused with the American jazz singer, Johnny Hartman.