Livin' With The Blues showcases Johnny Nicholas' instrumental virtuosity, songwriting acumen (featuring 7 original tunes) and his heartfelt love of the musical and cultural diverstiy of Texas. This outstanding CD pays loving, deeply respectful homage to those seminal blues masters and friends who were his greatest influences and is a testament to the fact that Johnny is back in force. Livin' With The Blues, Johnny's 3rd CD release on TopCat Records (his first two widely acclaimed releases - Rockin' My Blues To Sleep and Thrill On The Hill), features a Who's-Who of top Texas music stars - Marcia Ball, Greg Piccolo, Ray Benson, Cindy Cashdollar, Stephen Bruton, Mark "Kaz" Kazinof, Red Young, Joel Guzman, Barry "Frosty" Smith, Ernie Durawa, Riley Osbourne, Terry Hale, Al Gomez, John Mills, Jack Barber and special guest Kinky Friedman. In 1980, after twenty years of the blues scenes of Providence, Detroit-Ann Arbor, Chicago, the Bay Area, the Cajun country of Louisiana and Texas, performing with Duke Robillard, Steve Nordella, Big Walter Horton, Asleep At The Wheel and Johnny Shine (Nicholas played on and produced the late Johnny Shine's last album with Snooky Pryor). Johnny Nicholas is without a doubt "The Real Deal" and every fan of Johnny will be thrilled to add this exceptional CD to their collection. Livin' With The Blues is sure to receive stellar reviews and will certainly be one of the top CD releases of 2005.