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Johnny "V" Vernazza was born in San Francisco and raised in Daly City. As we all know, the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1960's was a hotbed of music. Clubs were everywhere and to go out and jam at four or five clubs a night was the norm, including the Fillmore, Avalon Ballroom and concerts in Golden Gate Park.
Johnny Vernazza began playing guitar in 1963. He also played bass guitar with the rock band Fox, that played the Fillmore and toured as the opening act for Quicksilver Messenger Service, War, and Big Brother & The Holding Company. The band Fox included guitarist Gary Pihl, who hit the big time with Sammy Hagar before joining his friend Tom Sholz's band Boston (in 1978). Before all of that, Vernazza and Pihl were band mates in the popular San Francisco psychedelic blues band Day Blindness. Johnny also grew up with members of Sly Stone's band and crew, and was a confederate of Janis Joplin and other prominent players on the San Francisco club scene of the mid-to-late 1960s.
About 1970, he joined a gospel band, which toured the United States, and appeared on the Sonny & Cher television show. As the blues scene gathered national and international momentum, Johnny "V" got to work (hired or special guest) and recorded with many blues greats like Luther Tucker, Sunnyland Slim, Chuck Berry, Steve Miller, Greg Allman, George Thorogood, Charlie Daniels, Commander Cody, Elvin Bishop, Roy Rogers and Norton Buffalo.
Johnny was recruited into Elvin Bishop's band that led to 6 albums, endless touring and The Number Three song in the nation by 1976 "Fooled Around and Fell in Love." Elvin and Johnny's dual lead and slide parts set a style that was part of the Southern Rock Sound and continues to live on today.
Also, Johnny came up through the ranks at the same time as another Bay Area favorite, his buddy Norton Buffalo, and for 20 years Johnny and Norton paired in Norton Buffalo and The Knockouts, recording "King of the Highway" on Blind Pig Records. Johnny continues to tour with Norton Buffalo and The Knockouts as well as his new band The Johnny "V" Vernazza Band.
Currently on tour, The Johnny "V" Vernazza Band is selling out shows on the West Coast. This band includes two of So-Cal's finest musicians, Mark Bentley ..board/vocal, Val L’Heureux on bass guitar, and the talented New York drummer, Gregg Gerson. Gregg toured with The Billy Idol Band and recorded White Wedding (live) and Rebel Yell in addition to performing with Gloria Estefan, Iggy Pop, Mick Jagger, Roy Orbison, Stanley Jordon and Roger Daltrey.
To book Johnny or The Johnny "V" Vernazza Band go to http://www.johnnyv.net.
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