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CONTACT: Thunderbird Artists
Judi Combs, 480.837.5637
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Johnny Summers Recognized At The Arizona Fine Art EXPO For Black History Month

Johnny Summers Captures African Traditions & Writes Stories With His Brush

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.—January 12 through March 26, 2006. The Arizona Fine Art EXPO is produced by Thunderbird Artists of Fountain Hills, Ariz., the leading producer of fine art festivals and wine tasting events in the Southwest. Thunderbird Artists receives rave reviews for producing the best juried selection of artists from throughout the U.S. One of these outstanding artists is Johnny Summers.

He pulled it out and began playing around with the weathered guitar and eventually he taught himself to play. After a couple of years, age 17, Johnny returned to Oklahoma City and continued his passion and love for fine arts and music. He continued his education at Rose State University and Central State University. He began touring as an artist in 1992 and produced his first CD in 2003. He, like his famous ancestor, Billie Holiday, has a great love and respect for jazz music and is now in the process of producing his second jazz CD,. Who knows… maybe he’ll be famous like Billie Holiday. Johnny Summers was born in Oklahoma City in 1959. He developed a love for the arts at a very young age. Judi Combs, CEO of the Arizona Fine Art EXPO and person responsible for jurying Johnny into the show, asked him about his family memoirs since this is Black History Month. Johnny proudly responded “I have an uncle named Bobby Summers that was one of the first black firemen in the United States and I’m also related to the famous black actor, Morris Chestnut.” Johnny gave a big smile and proudly said “I also have a distant relative named Billie Holiday, the famous Jazz singer.” Johnny was raised in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma for the first 15 years of his life until he went to live with his Father in California. While living in California, he found an old guitar locked up in his father’s closet. One day Johnny returned to the closet to investigate the old antique.

Patrons strolling through-out the Arizona Fine Art EXPO experience the feeling of being in Africa once they step into Johnny Summers studio. They are captivated by the close up of the faces, the fine details given to the headdress and beads surrounding the necks of his African native people he paints. In addition to playing jazz on the guitar, Johnny paints jazz in acrylic on canvas.