Since his days at Warsaw Community High School as a teenager, Chris Long has always been musically driven. Today, with a 36-year history in the music industry, Long is seeing the fruits of his labor emerge on a Grammy nominated album.

“Hangin’ Up” is one of 11 cuts on blues artist Shemekia Copeland’s new album titled 33 1/2, and it was penned in the basement of Long’s Warsaw home especially for Copeland. He also calls the album’s producer a personal friend and credits Oliver Wood for his small role in grabbing the Grammy nomination. Wood is also up for a Grammy for his efforts on 33 1/3.

Chris Long (Photo courtesy of Cat Edge Photography)

As noted by National Public Radio, “Copeland embodies the blues with her powerful vocal chops and fearless look at social issues” and her latest album is said to be “the perfect balance of soul and rock music.”

After graduating from Warsaw Community High School in 1976, Long left the area with a band called Touch. The trio of friends, including Nate Kratzsch and Tommy Arnold, were a lounge band and existed for just a couple of years.

After that, Long moved to Muncie where he was in yet another band – a story that would repeat itself several times over the years – until he finally settled in Atlanta, Ga., in the mid-1980s and joined with Wood to form the King Johnson Band.

Together, Long and Wood created five CDs of their own original music over the 15 years they were together. But when Wood teamed up with his own brother to create the Wood Brothers Band, King Johnson disbanded. Long moved back to Warsaw but he and Wood have retained a friendship and a working relationship.

Oliver Wood, left, and Warsaw resident Chris Long, performed together for 15 years as King Johnson. (Photo courtesy of Cat Edge Photography)

When Wood was asked to produce Copeland’s latest record, he called upon his old friend and fellow songwriter to help him out. Long tells, “I actually sent a song for a previous record for Shemekia called ‘Big Brand New Religion.’ When he asked me a second time, I said sure and actually sent two songs. They only used one for the latest album but it’s up for a Grammy and that’s great.”

Long found out about the Grammy nominations through Facebook. “Coy Bowles of the Zac Brown Band is a friend of mine and said something about it on Facebook,” he explains. “It’s the first I’ve ever been part of the Grammys. It’s always exciting (to have one of your songs recorded) and I’m tickled to have her record my song. I’m obviously going to be proud for that.”

While today Long’s full-time gig consists of working at the Clunette Elevator, he is the newest member of local band The Sock Monkeys, he still operates Walking Stick Music Publishing Co. and he still is dedicated to writing music. In fact, in the last two weeks he says he has written three songs and is currently moving forward with a fourth one.

“He’s really good at being a wordsmith, a lyrical genius if you will,” says Long’s wife, Jennifer.

And Long is happy in that role. Though pleased to be a part of the tremendous success of the 33 1/3 album, he says he probably won’t even watch the Grammy Awards.

“I’ll probably be down in the basement writing more songs,” he says matter of factly. “Everyone wants to be on the stage, but I’m happy writing the music for those people.”