Bob Johnston

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Bob Johnston (left), 2009

Donald William "Bob" Johnston (born May 14, 1932 in Hillsboro , Texas , † August 14, 2015 in Gallatin , Tennessee ) was an American music producer who was best known for his work with Bob Dylan , but also a number other folk and country rock performers.

Life

Childhood and youth

Johnston was born in Texas in 1932. His mother Diane, who was already writing songs for Gene Autry , taught him to compose songs. After Johnston finished serving in the Navy, he moved to Fort Worth .

Beginnings with rockabilly

In Fort Worth, he wrote some songs for rockabilly singer Mac Curtis , including You Ain't Treatin 'Me Right , I'll Be Gentle and You are My Very Special Baby . Johnston sent a few demo recordings to New York City , hoping to have a chance for a career there. In fact, the titles came to Robert Mellin, who passed Johnston on to Clyde Otis. Otis was the A&R manager for Mercury Records and had Johnston record the single Born To Love One Woman . The song was also covered by Ric Cartey for RCA Victor . More rockabilly singles from Johnston on Chic Records and I'm Hypnotized on Dot Records followed . None of these records hit the charts.

Career as a producer

In 1964 Johnston took a job as a producer at Kapp Records in New York City and later married songwriter Joy Byers , with whom he wrote some hit songs, for example for Elvis Presley and Timi Yuro .

A little later, Johnston then took a job at Columbia Records , where he produced much of the Bob Dylan classic Highway 61 Revisited in 1965 . While the album was still being recorded, Johnston came up with the idea of moving the recording location from New York to Nashville , Tennessee, in order to create a more country-oriented sound. Blonde on Blonde was a great success in 1966. Until 1973 Johnston produced all other Dylan albums and also worked with artists such as Simon & Garfunkel , Johnny Cash , the Byrds , Leonard Cohen , Marty Robbins , Patti Page and Dino Valente .

After Johnston got too low a salary in the early 1970s, he left Columbia and started working for other labels. During these years he produced recordings of Lindisfarne , Tracy Nelson , the New Riders of the Purple Sage , Michael Murphey , Hoyt Axton , Joe Ely and Loudon Wainwright III . After 1984, Johnston withdrew from the music scene for a few years, reappeared in 1988 with the production of some unknown albums and then worked with Willie Nelson in 1992 .

Bob Johnston died of heart failure on August 14, 2015, at the age of 83 in Gallatin, Tennessee .

Well-known productions

  • Highway 61 Revisited by Bob Dylan (1965)
  • Blonde on Blonde by Bob Dylan (1966)
  • Patti Page Sings America's Favorite Hymns by Patti Page (1966)
  • Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme by Simon & Garfunkel (1966)
  • Sounds of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel (1966)
  • John Wesley Harding by Bob Dylan (1967)
  • Christmas with Marty Robbins by Marty Robbins (1967)
  • At Folsom Prison by Johnny Cash (1968)
  • Bookends by Simon and Garfunkel (1968)
  • Dino Valente by Dino Valente (1968)
  • Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde of the Byrds (1969)
  • Songs from a Room by Leonard Cohen (1969)
  • Nashville Skyline by Bob Dylan (1969)
  • New Morning by Bob Dylan (1970)
  • Self Portrait by Bob Dylan (1970)
  • Songs of Love and Hate by Leonard Cohen (1971)
  • Sunday Morning Coming Down by Johnny Cash (1972)
  • Dingly Dell by Lindisfarne (1972)
  • Geronimo's Cadillac by Michael Murphey (1972)
  • Live Songs by Leonard Cohen (1973)
  • Attempted Mustache by Loudon Wainwright III (1973)
  • Blue Sky - Night Thunder by Michael Murphey (1975)
  • Sweet Soul Music by Tracy Nelson (1975)
  • New Riders from the New Riders of the Purple Sage (1976)
  • Rocket Fuel by Alvin Lee (1978)
  • Down on the Drag by Joe Ely (1979)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ William Grimes: Bob Johnston, 83, Dies; Produced Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash Albums. In: The New York Times, August 17, 2015 (accessed August 19, 2015).
  2. ↑ Elaine Woo: Bob Johnston dies at 83; produced albums for Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash. In: Los Angeles Times, August 18, 2015 (accessed August 19, 2015).
personal data
SURNAME Johnston, Bob
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Johnston, Donald William (real name); Johnston, Don (stage name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American music producer
DATE OF BIRTH May 14, 1932
PLACE OF BIRTH Hillsboro , Texas , United States
DATE OF DEATH August 14, 2015
Place of death Gallatin , Tennessee