I believe I first met Hannes Folterbauer at Wise Fools in Chicago, IL when I was in Magic Slim’s Band sometime in 1983? All I knew at this time was he wanted to record Magic Slim and the Teardrops. I could tell he really enjoyed our music. He wanted to record us right away. After recording us in Chicago he invited us to Vienna Austria where he is from to go on tour and to do more recording over there at his Ton Art Studio. This was first time I had recorded a record with a label. Hannes gave Slim and the Teardrops their first big break! He saw something special in us and wanted to bring us back to Vienna to share our music with his people. 

Magic Slim, Nick Holt, Nate Applewhite and myself were very excited about this opportunity you knew how important it was to our career. Hannes is the first person to not only record us, but also bring us to Vienna, Austria.

He believed in my talent as well as Magic Slim. He was the first guy to ever record me as a solo artist as well. We recorded my first CD at A.C.M.E. Studio in Chicago back in 1991. The name of this CD was Poor Man Blues. Hannes was very easy to work with and I appreciated this chance he gave to me when all other record labels didn’t. I was now able to promote myself and share my music with the world. This was one of the biggest moments of my musical life. 
In 1993 I did my second CD with Wolf Records called Blues Behind Closed Doors. This CD was recorded both in Vienna, Austria (Ton Art Studio’s) and in Chicago (ACME Studio). This is my favorite CD of all time. It has some of my greatest songs on it and I was very confident with this CD.

I went on to make many more CD’s with Wolf Records:

Cold Blooded Blues Man in 1994
Easy Baby at the Zoo Bar in 1997 (my first live CD)
It’s A Blues Life with my Real Deal Blues Band in 1998

Blue Steel was a CD focusing on my slide guitar style again with my Real Deal Blues Band in 2003
Then Hannes decided it was time for a “Best Of” John Primer CD so he did, “When They Call Me John Primer”, these are some of the best songs I have ever recorded with Wolf Records. It was released in 2012.

The most recent CD is a special CD to me called “You Can Make it If You Try”. This CD is just the Teardrops with me, Nick Holt and Earl Howell. All the songs were recorded live back in the 90’s. The CD is special to me because Slim and Nick are no longer with us.
I look forward to working with Wolf Records in the future. I have a lot more music left inside of me to be recorded and I am better than ever! 

Many thanks to Wolf Records and especially to Hannes because he gave me my first chance and he taught me a lot about song writing, producing and recording. Hannes not only gave Magic Slim and I our first chance, but many other Chicago musicians we endorsed were also helped. Hannes really helped out the unknown’s, the ones that really needed that first break. Without him I don’t know where my career would be now. I am so happy for Hannes for getting this “Keeping the Blues Alive Award”, he is very deserving of this. Hannes and Wolf Records have kept the Blues alive for many, many years and I hope and pray they continue to work hard for many more years to come at helping out all the unknown’s needing that one big break.

The brand new CD with John Primer & The real deal bluesband it out now and you have it in your hands