DATE: Monday, July 28, 1997                 TAG: 9707260058

SECTION: DAILY BREAK             PAGE: E4   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: Sue VanHecke, Correspondent 

                                            LENGTH:   46 lines

TEEN GUITARIST/SINGER ON METEORIC RISE TO FAME

JONNY LANG is a blues guitarist and singer whose acclaimed debut album, ``Lie to Me,'' was recently certified gold. He's set to appear in the next Blues Brothers film and just finished touring with the legendary B.B. King.

Now, he's traveling the nation's amphitheaters with mega-selling Aerosmith.

And he's only 16.

What's a teen-ager know about the blues? Think adolescence.

Actually, ``I really try to go after longevity, more than anything,'' Lang said recently from Atlanta, a stop on the King tour. ``I try to keep my mind on that and keeping it fresh, try not to burn out.''

Spoken like an old soul, which is just what Lang resembles on ``Lie to Me.'' The young man learned to play with convincing world-weariness after getting his first guitar three years ago.

``I took a few lessons in the beginning, but basically the guy just turned me on to some really good records, old blues stuff,'' he said. ``But my mom is a great singer, and my sisters. I listened to old Motown records and stuff growing up.''

The osmosis paid off when A&M Records brass spotted Lang performing in a nightclub. He was quickly offered a record deal.

Now, he's hanging with the heavyweights.

``He's my man,'' Lang said of King. ``He's cool, he's really nice,'' though their limited conversations have been about ``nothing really in particular. I just can't help staring at him the whole time in awe.''

Of Aerosmith, whom he met not long ago in Germany, Lang said, ``They're nice guys. (Frontman) Steven Tyler's really funny. They're gonna kick my butt.''

As his meteoric career has gotten under way, Lang and his family have had to make a few adjustments. His father quit farming in North Dakota to become his road manager. His mother sang backup on ``Lie to Me.'' And Lang, who's being tutored on the road, will be taking the GED test soon to earn his high school diploma.

But he's already decided on a career. The blues.

It's ``definitely what I want to do with the rest of my life,'' Lang said. ``It's a style of music with a lot of room to put your own creativity and feelings into it.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo appears on p E1 KEYWORDS: INTERVIEW PROFILE

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