Marv Johnson
Marv Johnson , full name Marvin Earl Johnson (born October 15, 1938 in Detroit , Michigan , † May 16, 1993 in Columbia , South Carolina ), was an American rhythm and blues and soul singer , who mainly in the 1960s Years of success.
Life
Johnson got his first musical impetus from the gospels of the Baptist Church and jazz musician Louis Jordan . During his high school years he was a member of the local singing group Serenaders, which performed at fairs and festivals. With the small Detroit record company Kudo, Johnson recorded his first single in 1958 with the titles My Baby-O and Once Upon a Time . The record didn't sell, but the record production led to a meeting with Detroit producer Berry Gordy . When he founded the Tamla record company in 1959, Johnson sang his first Tamla single with the A-side title Come to Me composed by himself . After the title was well received in the Detroit region, the nationwide record company United Artists took over the distribution of the single for the entire United States with the result that Come to Me rose to number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 and in the Rhythm and blues chart reached sixth place. Then United Artists took Johnson under contract and produced 17 more singles and three long-playing records with him until 1964. In addition to Come to Me , eight other titles were added to the Billboard charts, of which the 1960s title I Love the Way You Love was the most successful at places 9 (Hot 100) and 2 (R&B).
In 1965, at the height of the British Invasion , United Artists split from Johnson. This found a new engagement with Berry Gordy's record company Gordy, but only three singles were released by 1968, and only the track I Miss You Baby found its way onto the Billboard Hot 100 with the top rating at number 39. With the 1968 title I'll Pick a Rose for My Rose , Johnson achieved a 10th place in the UK charts. This single was released in the UK by Tamla Motown under catalog number 11111. As early as 1959, Johnson had been successful in the British charts with You Got What It Takes (number 7).
After Johnson's record career came to an end in 1968, he took on a job as a marketing manager for the Motown record company . In addition, he worked as a songwriter, including for Tyrone Davis and Johnnie Taylor . Until the early 1990s, he still performed at show events. During a concert in Columbia, he suffered a fatal stroke at the age of 54.
Discography
Albums
- 1960: Marvelous Marv Johnson ( Reissue as Marvelous Marv)
- 1960: More Marv Johnson
- 1962: I Believe
- 1969: I'll Pick a Rose for My Rose
- 1990: Come to Me
Compilations
- 1960: Love the Way You Love (EP)
- 1979: Early Classics
- 1986: Motor City Roots: The Roots of Detroit Soul (with The Falcons)
- 1987: You Got What It Takes & Other Hits
- 1996: The Best of Marv Johnson
- 2004: Marv Johnson
- 2011: I'll Pick a Rose for My Rose: The Complete Motown Recordings 1964–1971
Singles
| year | Title album |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 UK
|
 US
|
R&B
|
|||
| 1959 | Come to Me Marvelous Marv Johnson |
- |
US30 (15 weeks) US |
R&B6 (15 weeks) R&B |
First published: January 21, 1959
|
| I'm coming home |
- |
US82 (4 weeks) US |
R&B23 (3 weeks) R&B |
First published: June 1959
|
|
| You Got What It Takes Marvelous Marv Johnson |
UK7 (17 weeks) UK |
US10 (22 weeks) US |
R&B2 (22 weeks) R&B |
First published: September 1959
|
|
| 1960 | I Love the Way You Love More Marv Johnson |
UK35 (3 weeks) UK |
US9 (13 weeks) US |
R&B2 (12 weeks) R&B |
First published: February 1960
|
| Ain't Gonna Be That Way More Marv Johnson |
UK50 (1 week) UK |
US74 (7 weeks) US |
- |
First published: May 1960
|
|
| All the Love I've Got More Marv Johnson |
- |
US63 (6 weeks) US |
- |
First published: June 1960
|
|
| (You've Got To) Move Two Mountains Marvelous Marv |
- |
US20 (11 weeks) US |
R&B12 (3 weeks) R&B |
First published: July 1960
|
|
| Happy Days Marvelous Marv |
- |
US58 (7 weeks) US |
R&B7 (9 weeks) R&B |
||
| 1961 | Merry-Go-Round Marvelous Marv |
- |
US61 (6 weeks) US |
R&B26 (3 weeks) R&B |
First published: January 1961
|
| 1966 | I Miss You Baby (How I Miss You) I'll Pick a Rose for My Rose |
UK25 (8 weeks) UK |
- |
R&B39 (2 weeks) R&B |
First published: March 4, 1966
Chart entry in UK only in October 1969 |
| 1969 | I'll Pick a Rose for My Rose I'll Pick a Rose for My Rose |
UK10 (11 weeks) UK |
- | - |
First published: October 3, 1968
|
More singles
- 1958: My Baby-O (release: May)
- 1961: How Can We Tell Him (released June)
- 1961: Oh Mary (release: August)
- 1961: Johnny One Stop (released October)
- 1962: With All That's in Me (released February)
- 1962: He Gave Me You (released April)
- 1962: Let Yourself Go (release: August)
- 1962: Keep Tellin 'Yourself (released December)
- 1963: Another Tear Falls (released May)
- 1963: Come On and Stop (release: July)
- 1963: Congratulations, You've Hurt Me Again (released September)
- 1964: The Man Who Don't Believe in Love (released January)
- 1965: Why Do You Want to Let Me Go (released May 28)
- 1970: So Glad You Chose Me (released May)
literature
- Frank Laufenberg: Rock & Pop Lexicon. Econ 1998, Volume 1 p. 780, ISBN 3-612-26206-8 .
swell
- ↑ Chart sources: Singles UK
- ^ Joel Whitburn : Hot R&B Songs 1942–2010: 6th Edition, ISBN 978-0-89820-186-4 .
Web links
- Marv Johnson at Allmusic (English)
- Marv Johnson at Discogs (English)
- Discography at 45cat.com
- Discography at soulfulkindamusic.net
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Johnson, Marv |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Johnson, Marvin Earl (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American rhythm and blues and soul singer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | October 15, 1938 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Detroit , Michigan |
| DATE OF DEATH | May 16, 1993 |
| Place of death | Columbia , South Carolina |