Rogue Johnsen’s teachers include the great Charles Brown and slide-master Ron Thompson. He’s toured with Archie Bell and the Drells, W.C. Clark, and Lavelle White, and he’s been a sideman for Johnny Adams, Larry Davis, Sam Andrew (Janis Joplin) and Bo Diddley. Over the years, Rogue and his trio have been the opening act for Albert King, James Cotton, Dave Mason, Robben Ford, and The Blind Boys of Alabama.

With three published recordings, Rogue’s playing can also be heard on recordings by W.C. Clark, Jesse 'Guitar' Taylor and Chris Polk.

Discography:

Heart of Gold by W.C. Clark
Texas Tattoo by Jessie “Guitar” Taylor
Live at Zigs by Chris Polk
Trouble Blues by Rogue Johnsen
Way Back by Rogue Johnsen
20/20 by Rogue Johnsen Project
HOME by Rogue Johnsen Project

As Mark progressed as a guitarist through his adulthood, playing any and every style and genre of music he could, one day he realized that, in his words, "I looked at myself (literally) in the mirror one morning and said, enough is enough! It was the blues I started with and it was the blues that forever and always has been within my heart. I decided then and there that I was only going to play what I believed in and what I could pour myself into."

Mark threw himself into projects that allowed him to hone his blues skills.

"I've worked on some great projects", Mark recalls, "that provided me with terrific opportunities to showcase my playing. These other projects gave back to me as much or more than I gave to them. I like to think of those as "win-win" situations. Lord knows I'm grateful for them all."

One of the more fruitful projects for Mark was being in the blues band, Tough Deal. It was a five-piece band in the traditional two guitarists, a bass player, and drummer, fronted by a female vocalist. They recorded and released a CD together of all original material entitled Don't You Fold, which can be found on YouTube.

After his stint, with Tough Deal, Mark joined The Mike Lucci Band, a great Chicago-style blues band, working with them for nearly 10 years.

Following a pandemic-shortened stint with The Syndicators and then the HemiCats, Mark began seeking another "original" project with the right balance of utilizing his writing skills, originality, and adherence to his blues roots, which proved to be trickier than he had perceived.

Mark recalls, "A few years ago I was inducted into the Northern Virginia Blues Hall of Fame. That day was one for the scrap book. Being inducted with such luminaries as Billy Hancock (bass player with Danny Gatton and Roy Buchanon) and Pete Ragusa (drummer with The Nighthawks and Tom Principato), was an honor beyond anything I ever expected. Then came that day when the phone rang and I found myself talking with Rogue Johnsen. I embrace all forms and genres of the blues. I could not have hoped to find another musician more in tune with my musical goals and aspirations. This chance to work with the RJP comes at a terrific time. Rogue's music is a synthesis of so many of my styles and influences, that it is the perfect vehicle for me and my creativity. I look forward to a rewarding and long-standing collaboration."

Mike Dutton is an electric Blues-based guitarist residing in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region. A native of Alexandria, VA, he has been a sideman for numerous local and regional performers from D.C. to Baltimore, MD to Richmond, VA since the mid 1980s for both club and studio work. He's worked with artists such as Catfish Hodge, Richmond, VA's Li'l Ronnie & the Grand Dukes and Kurt Crandall & True Story, Washington, D.C.'s Flatfoot Sam & the Educated Fools, Big Boy Little Band and Janine Wilson Band and Baltimore's Glenn Moomau. Mike has also backed such nationally & internationally recognized artists as Delta Groove recording artists Mitch Kashmar and R.J. Mischo, Blues Music Award winner John Nemeth, and harmonica master Phil Wiggins, formerly of the piedmont blues duo Cephas & Wiggins.

Band credits include 19 years with the Catfish Hodge Band, 6 1/2 years with Richmond, VA's Li'l Ronnie Owens & the Grand Dukes, a 2 1/2 year stint with Kurt Crandall & True Story of Richmond, VA. Mike has also worked with the Rogue Johnsen Project featuring Rogue Johnsen on Hammond organ and piano, and veteran drummer Joe Wells. From 2015 -2022 he had also been performing with the Cosmic Cowboy/Texas influenced Country Rock band, The Snake Farmers. Recording credits include “Home” (2024) and “20/20” (2021) by the Rogue Johnsen Project , “Communication" (2005) by Catfish Hodge , "Young & Evil" (2001) and "Do What'cah Do" (2005) with Li'l Ronnie & the Grand Dukes, "Grotto Says" (2001) by Steve Potter, "Maiden America" (1999) by The Deacons, and two offerings for the Hungry For Music label -- "No More Pretty Presents" from "A Holiday Feast: Vol. III" (1998) and "Viva Las Vegas" from "Night Of 100 Elvises" (1999) -- with Janine Wilson.

A few highlights of his career include twice working in studio with Texas Blues master Anson Funderburgh, jamming with members of the legendary Beach Boys (Mike Love, Al Jardine, and Bruce Johnston) as well as members of the big band Roomful of Blues. Mike has shared bills with the likes of Delbert McClinton, Johnny Winter, Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets, Bobby Radcliff, Jimmy Thackery, Carey Bell, Bobby Parker, Mem Shannon, Michael Burks, Walter Trout and many others.

As a member of the Grand Dukes, Dutton's talents helped the band win readers poll awards from Canada's "Real Blues" magazine in 2004 and an award for "Best Blues Artists" at the 5th Annual Virginia Music Awards. His songwriting collaboration with Ronnie Owens led to the Grand Dukes recording "Do What'cha Do" placing in Living Blues magazine's list of Top 100 Recordings for 2005 at #94 as well as reaching the #8 position on Canada's Real Blues magazine's top CDs of 2005.

Additionally, Mike was a 1996 WAMA (Washington Area Music Association) Wammie finalist for "Best Blues Instrumentalist" and was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame (www.blueshalloffame.com) as an artist representative of Northern Virginia on November 4, 2012.