Syl Johnson

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Syl Johnson

Syl Johnson (actually Sylvester Thompson , born July 1, 1936 in Holly Springs (Mississippi) ) is an American musician ( vocals , guitar , harmonica ) of Chicago blues , soul and rhythm and blues .

Live and act

Syl Johnson, a brother of bassist Mac Thompson and guitarist and singer Jimmy Johnson , worked in Chicago a. a. with Magic Sam , Billy Boy Arnold, and Junior Wells ; In 1959 Jimmy Reed recorded for Vee-Jay Records . In the same year he presented his first album under his own name on Federal Records . From 1959 to 1962 he toured with Howlin 'Wolf ; then Willie Mitchell signed him for the local label Hi Records. Around 1970 Johnson recorded for Twilight and Hi; he had a hit with "Come on Sock It to Me", a release from the album Is It Because I'm Black (Twilight, 1970). He also had success in this decade with the titles Is It Because I'm Black? and Take Me to the River (1975), which reached # 7 on the R&B charts and was Johnson's biggest hit. In later years he still recorded for the Shama and Boardwalk label . In 2002 he recorded Johnson's Are Better Than One with his brother Jimmy Two . Johnson was also active as a music producer (including Otis Clay's "Hard Working Woman")

Discography

Albums

year title Top ranking, total weeks, awardChartsChart placements
(Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes)
Remarks
R&B R&B
1974 Back For A Taste Of Your Love R&B19 (13 weeks)
R&B
Hi
1976 Total explosion R&B56 (2 weeks)
R&B
Hi

More albums

  • 1968: Dresses Too Short (Twinight)
  • 1970: Is It Because I'm Black? (Twinight)
  • 1974: Diamond in the Rough (Hi)
  • 1979: Uptown Shakedown (Hi)
  • 1980: Bring Out The Blues In Me (Shama)
  • 1982: Ms. Fine Brown Frame (Boardwalk)
  • 1983: Suicide Blues (Isabel)
  • 1988: Foxy Brown, Volume 1, December 1988 (Shama)
  • 1994: Back in the Game ( Delmark Records )
  • 1995: This Time Together by Father and Daughter (Twinight) with Syleena Johnson
  • 1995: Bridge to a Legacy (Antone's)
  • 1999: Talkin 'About Chicago (Delmark)
  • 2000: Hands of Time (Hep 'Me Records)
  • 2002: Two Johnsons are Better Than One (Evangeline) with Jimmy Johnson
  • 2003: Straight Up (P-Vine PCD-25004, Japan)
  • 2013: Syl Johnson With Melody Whittle, featuring Syleena Johnson (Twinight 4086-CD2)

Compilations

  • 2000: The Complete Syl Johnson on Hi Records
  • 2010: Syl Johnson: Complete Mythology
  • 2012: Backbeats Artists Series: Syl Johnson: Mississippi Mainman

Singles

year Title
album
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements
(Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes)
Remarks
US US R&B R&B
1967 Come On Sock It to Me
Dresses Too Short
US97 (3 weeks)
US
R&B12 (12 weeks)
R&B
Different Strokes
Dresses Too Short
US95 (2 weeks)
US
R&B17 (10 weeks)
R&B
1968 Dresses Too Short
Dresses Too Short
- R&B36 (9 weeks)
R&B
1969 Is It Because I'm Black
Is It Because I'm Black
US68 (6 weeks)
US
R&B11 (14 weeks)
R&B
1970 Concrete Reservation
Is It Because I'm Black
- R&B29 (7 weeks)
R&B
One Way Ticket to Nowhere - R&B24 (9 weeks)
R&B
1971 Get ready - R&B34 (5 weeks)
R&B
1972 The Love You Left Behind
Back For a Taste of Your Love
- R&B43 (3 weeks)
R&B
We Did It
Back For a Taste of Your Love
US95 (3 weeks)
US
R&B23 (16 weeks)
R&B
1973 Back for a Taste of Your Love
Back For a Taste of Your Love
US72 (6 weeks)
US
R&B16 (14 weeks)
R&B
1974 I'm Yours
Back For a Taste of Your Love
- R&B68 (6 weeks)
R&B
Let Yourself Go
Diamond In The Rough
- R&B54 (8 weeks)
R&B
I Want to Take You Home (to See Mama)
Diamond In The Rough
- R&B40 (13 weeks)
R&B
1975 Take Me to the River
Total Explosion
US48 (7 weeks)
US
R&B7 (18 weeks)
R&B
I Only Have Love
Total Explosion
- R&B15 (14 weeks)
R&B
1976 Star Bright, Star Lite
Total Explosion
- R&B89 (4 weeks)
R&B
Bout to Make Me Leave Home
Total Explosion
- R&B94 (4 weeks)
R&B
1977 Goodie-Goodie-Good Times - R&B93 (4 weeks)
R&B
1982 Ms. Fine Brown Frame - R&B60 (9 weeks)
R&B

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. a b Chart sources: US