http://www.musiceur.com - Maybe one of the most entertaining shows from MMMF 2010 was James “Super Chikan” Johnson. He created his first instrument, a one-string guitar or “diddley bow,” out of a board, sardine and Prince Albert tobacco cans, and baling wire, and played it with an Ex-Lax bottle that he used as a slide. He was equally inventive in finding an audience, which landed him his first nickname, “Chikan Boy.” “I used to play my diddley bow for the chickens, and I cackled while I played it,” he says. “And the chickens would gather around and cackle along with me.” His nickname was later amended with “super” in tribute to his speedy habits as a taxi driver. His speedy driving earned him the new nickname “Super Chikan.” Clarksdale-based James “Super Chikan” Johnson has achieved acclaim for both his blues and his artwork, which he’s blended in his one-of-a-kind “Chikantars.” He constructs the elaborately adorned—and playable—stringed instruments from items such as military gas cans, hubcaps and cigar boxes, and is happy to personalize them for prospective buyers. Distributed by Tubemogul.
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