Bruce Johnston

Bruce Johnston 2006

Bruce Johnston (* 27. June 1942 in Chicago , Illinois , USA as Billy Baldwin ) is an American musician and composer , who mainly through its membership in the band The Beach Boys became known. However, Johnston was not a founding member of the Beach Boys, but replaced Brian Wilson on concert tours from April 1965 , as he no longer wanted to play live performances.

Life

The adopted Bruce Johnston grew up in Beverly Hills , California and played a variety of instruments, including bass , guitar , keyboard and drums, and sang along with them.

Initial career

Johnston was initially a member of the Ritchie Valens Band. In 1959 he brought out the single Take This Pearl , written by him, with his friend Terry Melcher . He then began to work as a studio musician, composer and producer, including for Sandy Nelson and Ron Holden. Johnston had its first commercial success in 1961 with the band Little Caesar and the Romans, which brought the Johnston-arranged single Those Oldies but Goodies (Remind Me of You) to number 9 on the US Billboard charts. The following year Johnston released two singles under his name.

In 1963 he released two solo albums and worked again with Terry Melcher. First they released an album under the name Hot Doggers, four months later they called themselves The Rip Chords and had a chart success with Hey Little Cobra (No. 4 on the US Billboard charts). By 1967 he released numerous albums and singles with Terry Melcher - mostly under changing band names. Johnston worked on many other studio projects, mostly as a songwriter and producer.

Joined the Beach Boys

In 1965 Johnston became a member of the Beach Boys. At first he was only involved in the band's tours and continued to work as a singer, composer and producer for other groups. After all , he was represented in the studio for the first time on the song California Girls . On God Only Knows he sings a voice in the canon that ends. A year later, his attention was focused only on the band. On the Beach Boys album 20/20 from 1969, Johnston made his first appearance as a composer and producer for the Beach Boys.

In 1972 he was fired by the Beach Boys during a concert after an argument with band manager Jack Rieley . But he was still mostly represented as a background singer on the following albums.

Career as a producer and songwriter

After leaving the Beach Boys, he began working again as a composer, producer and studio musician. From 1972 to 1979 he worked with Cass Elliot , Roger McGuinn , America , Elton John , David Cassidy , Art Garfunkel , Pink Floyd , Captain & Tennille and Papa Doo Run Run, among others . In the mid-1970s he recorded an album with his former companion Terry Melcher. In 1977 he achieved his greatest success as a songwriter with the title I Write the Songs , which he wrote for Barry Manilow . The song became a number one hit and Johnston received a Grammy for the single of the year for it . In the same year he released the solo album Goin 'Public , which, however, only sold moderately. The decoupled single pipeline reached number 33 on the British charts. This remained Johnston's only chart listing.

Return to the Beach Boys

After winning the Grammy, Johnston had become interesting again for the Beach Boys, which is why he received the offer in 1979 to produce their next album ( LA (Light Album) ). The following year he produced the album Keepin 'the Summer Alive for the band , this time as a full Beach Boys member. Both albums sold very poorly, whereupon Johnston no longer worked as a producer in the future. Bruce Johnston is touring today with Mike Love under the name The Beach Boys .

On September 5, 2011, the Johnston-produced comeback album by Doris Day was released .

Awards

In 2000, Johnston received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy with the still living Beach Boys Brian Wilson , Alan Jardine and Mike Love.

Discography

Solo albums

• Surfers' Pajama Party (1963)
• Surfin 'Round the World (1963) (Instrumental)
• Surfin 'USA (1963) as Hot Doggers (with Terry Melcher)
• Rev-UP with Vettes (1964)
• Hey Little Cobra and other Hot Rod Hits as Rip Chords (1964) (US Charts # 56)
• Three Window Coupe as Rip Chords (1964)
• Goin 'Public (1977)

More (excerpt)

• Graham Bonney - Thank You Baby (songwriter, producer, 1967)
• Roger McGuinn - Roger McGuinn (piano, backing vocals, 1973)
• Terry Melcher - Terry Melcher (producer, backing vocals, songwriter 1974)
• Elton John - Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me (Backing Vocals, 1974)
• Bill House - Give Me a Break (producer, backing vocals, vocal arranger, 1974)
• Terry and Bruce - Take It to Mexico (Producer, 1975)
• Barry Mann - Survivor (producer, 1975)
• David Cassidy - The Higher They Climb, the Harder They Fall (producer, vocals, piano, arranger, 1975)
• Art Garfunkel - Breakaway (piano, backing vocals, 1975)
• David Cassidy - Home Is Where the Heart Is (Producer, Arranger, Backing Vocals, 1976)
• David Cassidy - Breaking Down (Producer, 1976)
• Elton John - Blue Moves (Backing Vocals, 1976)
• Terry Melcher - Royal Flush (producer, backing vocals, 1976)
• Jack Jones - The Full life (producer, arranger, vocals, piano, 1977)
• Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blue (Backing Vocals, 1977)
• Sailor - Checkpoint (producer, 1977)
• Eric Carmen - Boats Against the Current (Backing Vocals, 1977)
• Captain & Tenille (Backing Vocals, 1978)
• Pink Floyd - The Wall (Backing Vocals, 1979)
• Elton John - Dear God (Backing Vocals, Arranger, 1980)
• The Tremblers - Twice Nights (Executive Producer, 1980)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ David Beard: Bruce Johnston produces new recordings for Doris Day album , August 23, 2011, accessed September 6, 2011