Gerry Casey interviews Johnny Iguana

August 31, 2025

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Making a Scene Presents Gerry Casey’s Interview with Johnny Iguana

Johnny Iguana, along with his longtime songwriting and producing partner JQ, is the composer behind the original score for the hit FX/Hulu series The Bear. Though Chicago has been his home for decades, Johnny still carries his East Coast roots proudly.

He grew up in Philadelphia, where he began piano lessons at age eight and was already performing on piano and organ in blues bands by sixteen. At 22, he moved to New York City and soon met one of his greatest musical heroes, blues legend Junior Wells. After impressing Wells during a live audition at the Boston House of Blues, Johnny joined his band and relocated to Chicago in 1994. He spent the next three years touring with Wells, later touring with Otis Rush and recording with Carey and Lurrie Bell, Lil’ Ed, and others.

Johnny went on to contribute to Grammy-nominated albums, including Junior Wells’ later recordings, Chicago Blues: A Living History, and the Muddy Waters 100 Band. He played all the piano on the 2018 release Chicago Plays the Stones, where he shared the studio with icons like Buddy Guy, James Cotton, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Derek Trucks, Gary Clark Jr., Johnny Winter, and Shemekia Copeland. After appearing on dozens of blues records for other artists, Johnny released his own debut as a bandleader: JOHNNY IGUANA’S CHICAGO SPECTACULAR! on the legendary Delmark Records. The album features collaborations with Lil’ Ed, John Primer, Billy Boy Arnold, Bob Margolin, Matthew Skoller, Billy Flynn, Kenny Smith, Bill Dickens, and Michael Caskey.

Beyond the blues, Johnny has also led several genre-bending rock projects, often showcasing his gritty, overdriven organ style. These include Stevie Lizard & His All-Reptile Orchestra (late ’90s), the cult-favorite oh my god, Them vs. Them (with JQ of the Q Brothers), and the synth-heavy Software Giant.

Since 2010, Johnny has been at the helm of his “garage cabaret” band, The Claudettes. What began as a piano-and-drums duo with Michael Caskey has grown into a dynamic vocal group, with albums released on Yellow Dog Records and Forty Below Records. The Claudettes have featured vocalists Berit Ulseth, Yana, and now Rachel Williams, alongside guitarist Zach Verdoorn. Between his blues tours and projects like The Claudettes and oh my god, Johnny has performed across Europe, North and South America, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Japan, and the Middle East.

In recognition of his artistry, Johnny received a Blues Music Award nomination in 2021 for Piano Player of the Year and a Living Blues Award nomination in 2022 for Outstanding Musician: Keyboard.

Johnny’s inspirations range from Otis Spann, Jay McShann, Ray Charles, Mose Allison, and Bobby Timmons to punk and experimental icons like Mike Watt, Bob Mould, Joe Strummer, and Captain Beefheart. Above all, he credits the late Junior Wells as a life-changing mentor.

Today, Johnny Iguana stands as both a proud torchbearer of the Chicago blues tradition and a fearless innovator, known for his raw organ tones and highly rhythmic, “in-the-moment” piano style that’s entirely his own.