"Johnny Rawls has carved a niche for himself as the master of soul-blues, delivering up-tempo songs with solid pop hooks, as well as smooth vocals with just the right touch of grit and Stax-style horns," wrote Blues Revue. "Johnny Rawls is seemingly a man on a mission to become the new king of R&B. Rawls is the master of this genre and Soul Survivor shines from beginning to end,' wrote Blueswax. He is one of the last of the Soul Survivors along with Bobby Rush, William Bell, Al Green and Otis Clay. He started backing legends like Z.Z. Hill, Little Johnny Taylor and the Sweet Inspirations while still in high school. In his early 20s, Johnny became the music director for O.V. Wright and was with the great singer when O.V. died in 1979. He kept the band together, opening for and backing Little Johnny Taylor and other artists. Rawls has been a solo artist since the 1990s and his last four albums have been nominated for Blues Music Awards with Ace of Spades winning the 2010 Soul Album of the Year. HIs last two albums have been selected Living Blues Magazine Critics' Choice Southern Soul Album of the Year. His last four have all made top 5 of the blues charts with Red Cadillac reaching #1. He is the reigning master of soul blues, one of the few originals still alive. He is enjoying a resurgence in popularity with the renewed interest in soul music helped by artists such as Usher, Josh Stone and Amy Winehouse. Soul Survivor is the work of the master at the top of his career. Backed by the Rays, his studio band for all his recent albums, with background vocals again by the Ivey Sisters, he has a winning team. He and his songwriting partner, Bob Trenchard, were nominated for Song of the Year for Memphis Still Got Soul at the 2012 Blues Music Awards and these songs are just as strong. Soul Survivor will go to the top of the blues charts and is a sure bet for more award nominations.