Johnny "V" Vernazza

Johnny Vernazza was born in San Francisco and raised in Daly City. As we all know the Bay Area in the i96o's was a hot bed of music. Clubs were every where and to go out and jam at four or five clubs a night was the norm, not to mention the Fillmore, Avalon Ball Room and concerts in Golden Gate Park.

Starting out playing guitar in 1963 he also played bass for a time with a rock band that worked the Fillmore and toured as an opening act for Quicksilver, War and Big Brother. About 1970 he joined a gospel band toured the U.S. and appeared on the Sonny & Cher show. Around that time the blues scene was beginning to break out in the City and Johnny went back to playing guitar in a club on Grant St. in San Francisco's North Beach. During that time he got to work with Blues greats like Luther Tucker, Sonnyland Slim and others.

Elvin Bishop started coming by the club and jamming with Johnny and soon recruited him into his band in 1972. That led to 6 albums, endless touring and the #3 song in the nation by 1974 "Fooled Around and Fell in Love" that featured J.V. playing the unique "hook" Line. Elvin and Johnny's dual lead and slide parts set a style that lives on today and was part of the Southern Rock sound. Since that time Johnny has been working with Norton Buffalo (Steve Miller) and producing, playing and recording with many Bay Area acts.