THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Stronger Than Strong, the latest 12-track album produced by John Németh and recorded at Electraphonic Recording in Memphis, features 10 original compositions. According to Németh, “The band and I had a ball cutting this record. I love the thrill of cutting live to a tape machine like all my favorite classic records. This young band is truly inspiring and have the experience to back me up. I felt the need to cut loose after rising from a crippling injury and struggling to stay positive through these trying times. My fans have been so good to me, it’s really unbelievable. I’m so grateful to share this record with the world right now.”
As a teenager in the early ‘90s growing up in the muddy potato fields of Idaho, John Németh was drawn to the hard-edged hip hop sounds and rock bands of the day, until a friend, Tom Moore, introduced him to the Junior Wells and Buddy Guy classic Hoodoo Man Blues. Together they formed Fat John & the 3 Slims, which is still regarded as a legendary band in the Boise region. John played harp and sang in local bands, often opening the show for nationally touring blues acts and quickly caught the ear of established blues musicians. It didn’t take long before he was releasing his own recordings, The Jack Of Harps (2002) and Come And Get It (2004), featuring Junior Watson, and performing in Watson’s band.
John relocated to San Francisco in 2004, where he had the bittersweet good fortune to undertake a two-year stint with Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets, filling in for the ailing Sam Myers. Németh immersed himself in the deep musical waters of the Bay area, absorbing more of the soul and funk grooves of what he calls “the early East Bay Grease sound” of San Francisco and Oakland bands. John’s talents did not go unnoticed and he soon signed a recording contract. His national debut Magic Touch (2007), produced by Funderburgh and featuring Watson on guitar, received an ecstatic response, and he was hailed as the new voice of the blues. In 2008 Németh was recruited by Elvin Bishop to do some performances and contribute four vocal tracks to his Grammy-nominated album The Blues Rolls On.
Németh released Love Me Tonight in 2009 and Name The Day in 2010, beginning his long string of Blues Music Award nominations, numbering 20 at last count. John has also won two Blues Blast Music Awards – Best New Artist Debut Recording and Sean Costello Rising Star Award. John followed up with two independently released live albums in 2012, Blues Live and Soul Live. In 2013 John relocated to Memphis, where he teamed up with producer Scott Bomar and his classic Memphis Soul band The Bo-Keys to create an album of revisited soul classics, Memphis Grease (2014). John won the 2104 BMA for Best Soul Blues Male Artist, followed by Memphis Grease winning Best Soul Blues Album in 2015.
In 2017 Németh released Feelin’ Freaky (produced by Luther Dickinson) on his own label, crushing all barriers of style and genre with an album of original songs that defied all the usual pigeonholes, drawing from his strong influences in blues and R&B, as well as contemporary sounds in hip hop and rock ‘n’ roll. Later that same year, Németh was part of a side project The Love Light Orchestra Featuring John Németh, recorded live at one of Memphis’ favorite watering holes. The 10-piece band was initially envisioned by guitarist Joe Restivo, vocalist John Németh and arranger/trumpeter Marc Franklin.
Németh returned in of 2019 with his seasoned road band of young gun players, The Blue Dreamers, featuring 19-year-old guitar phenom from Philadelphia Jon Hay, drummer Danny Banks and Matt Wilson. The rowdy southern swamp roots session of his 10th album Stronger Than Strong demonstrate yet again his uncanny ability to skillfully blend retro and modern blues and soul into compelling music that is simultaneously old and new.”
