JOHNSON AT PEACE WITH HIS MUSIC

Large egos are common in the music world, but Jimmy Johnson is one performer who doesn’t believe in loudly trumpeting the virtues of his music. The Chicago-based blues singer/guitarist has received rave notices since his four songs kicked off Alligator Records’ acclaimed “Living Chicago Blues” series eight years ago, but the soft-spoken Johnson is unaffected by the accolades.

“I never did consider myself a dynamite writer,” said Johnson, who’ll be making his local debut this weekend at the Long Beach Blues Festival. (The festival kicks off Saturday with a lineup that includes Rockin’ Dopsie with Katie Webster, Sunnyland Slim with Robert Jr. Lockwood, Koko Taylor, Little Milton and a “Guitar Showdown” spotlighting Buddy Guy, Johnny Copeland and Matt “Guitar” Murphy. Johnson shares the Sunday bill with Big Twist and the Mellow Fellows, Hank Crawford, Albert King and a “Harmonica Jam” featuring James Cotton, Junior Wells and Rod Piazza.)

“I know too many other people with songs I think are much better than mine. I wish I could write a ‘Stormy Monday’ or ‘Every Day I Have the Blues.’

“I don’t think I’m being modest. I don’t understand people that pat themselves on the back. You’ve got to like yourself but you don’t go through life saying, ‘Hey, man, look at me, I’m real tough. Look at me, I’m the greatest.’ ”

Johnson, 57, was raised in Mississippi and started playing piano during high school lunch breaks when his family couldn’t afford to buy a guitar. He moved to Chicago in 1950 and played with gospel groups before shifting to blues nine years later. He worked for a while with harmonica player Slim Willis and traded licks in Chicago club jams with guitarists Magic Sam and Freddie King. But the necessity of providing for his family steered Johnson toward greater financial security in the mid-’60s.

“I went through spells where I did dinner clubs and had to learn all the standard tunes,” he reflected by phone from San Francisco, where he was performing. “I had what we called the ‘Bible’ with about 2,000 songs in it and you would pick out all the popular songs. It was good money but kind of boring.

“This was in Chicago but we were playing where blacks weren’t welcome. Some of the joints we played in, we stayed in the dressing room until we would go on the bandstand. Some others would have one table reserved for you and, when you got off the bandstand, you’d go there and sit down. You didn’t lollygag all over the place.”

In the late ‘60s, Johnson worked in house bands playing the R&B; hits of the day and backing such popular soul acts as Otis Clay, Denise LaSalle and his younger brother Syl Johnson. (The family surname is actually Thompson but Jimmy and Syl switched after the latter’s early soul singles were mistakenly credited to “Syl Johnson.”) Johnson re-embraced the blues in the mid-’70s, playing second guitar in bands led by Jimmy Dawkins and Otis Rush before striking out with his own group in 1976.

Johnson was overlooked by local Chicago blues labels leery of his varied background until an album produced and released in Europe opened the doors at home. He now has two albums (“Johnson’s Whacks” and “North/South”) on Delmark and a third recorded for Alligator (“Bar Room Preacher”).

Johnson’s stinging guitar and distinctive, high-pitched vocals are prominently featured throughout those acclaimed records. The material often offers fresh lyric themes and expand musically on traditional blues forms to incorporate R&B; and even jazz touches. Studio sessions for a new Alligator album are tentatively set for December and Johnson is determined to continue placing his singular stamp on the blues.

“I don’t want to play ‘The Thrill Is Gone’ music and sing some different words over it,” he insisted. “I want to have an identity to my songs.

“As long as I come up with something new, even if it’s not what you think is real great, then I feel like it’s worthwhile. You’re trying to find out what people will like and the bottom line is originality.”