Brooklyn soul maven Johnny Burgos takes on Bill Withers’ ’70s classic “Use Me” in a new live session video, premiered (5/24/2018) by SoulBounce.
Burgos is joined by VJ Brown on guitar, and Dave Zerio on keys. Shot and edited by Jermaine Clark, Burgos’ “Use Me” cover video is a warm up to his original music, which is being released in the form of a new EP titled Love Through It All, due out later this season via Soulspazm.
“Bill Withers has always been an influence but has recently become a significant inspiration to me, as I’ve grown into myself as a solo artist and songwriter. Bill wrote from such an honest place and pulled you into his feelings, while never failing to provide some of the funkiest grooves to date. He was also from humble beginnings and achieved his stardom fairly late in comparison to similar artists of his era, which I feel is what kept him grounded and less likely to bend or mold his artistry to the pressure of the industry. That is something I’ve grown to respect greatly, through which I’ve found a new appreciation for him as one of Soul Music’s greats. I hope this cover does him justice.” – Johnny Burgos
More about Johnny Burgos
Johnny Burgos possesses a raw uncompromising sound rooted in soul, revealing beauty from pain, hope from despair and the will to keep fighting. With influences from Michael Jackson, Erykah Badu, J Dilla, and D’Angelo, Johnny’s music draws upon the core principles of R&B/Soul, while encompassing elements of Pop, Hip Hop, Reggae, and Blues. Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, Johnny was fascinated by the music he was exposed to by the melting pot of cultures surrounding him. He was especially influenced by his uncle and world-class percussionist, Andre Martinez. This relationship spawned a particular fascination with the percussive rhythms of salsa and soul music, eventually manifesting into a devoted passion for Hip Hop. In the early stages of his music career, Johnny co-produced beats with long-time collaborator and friend, DJ Skizz, for Hip Hop luminaries such as Mobb Deep and M.O.P. Soon after, Johnny would team up with singer, songwriter and close friend, Liza Colby to form the eclectic – soul duo known as Good Boy Good Girl, where his production molded into R&B/Soul. His interests soon turned towards more organic arrangements as he developed his songwriting and smooth, but raw vocal approach that would become an integral element to his band project known as Bridge City Hustle.
