Syl Johnson


Sylvester "Syl" Johnson is an American blues and soul singer and record producer.

Biography

1950s: Early life and recording debut

Born in Holly Springs, Mississippi, he moved with his family to Chicago in 1950, where blues guitarist Magic Sam was his next-door neighbor. Johnson sang and played with Magic Sam and other blues artists, such as Billy Boy Arnold, Junior Wells and Howlin' Wolf, in the 1950s. He recorded with Jimmy Reed for Vee-Jay in 1959 and made his solo debut that same year with Federal, a subsidiary of King Records of Cincinnati, backed by Freddie King on guitar.

1960s: Career at Twinight Records

Johnson began recording for Twilight/Twinight of Chicago in the mid-1960s. Beginning with his first hit, "Come On Sock It to Me", in 1967, he dominated the label as both a hit-maker and a producer. His song "Different Strokes", also from 1967, is included on the breakbeat compilation album Ultimate Breaks and Beats.
Like other black songwriters of the period, he wrote songs exploring themes of African-American identity and social problems, such as "Is It Because I'm Black", which reached number 11 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1969.

1970s: Hi Records and Willie Mitchell

In 1971, the producer Willie Mitchell brought Johnson to Hi Records, for which the two recorded three albums, which generated a number of singles. Produced in Memphis with the Hi house band, these albums contained the hits "We Did It", "Back for a Taste of Your Love" and "Take Me to the River", his biggest success, reaching number 7 on the R&B chart in 1975. However, at Hi Records, Johnson was always to some extent in the shadow of Al Green, commercially if not artistically. Mitchell also chose to use mainly in-house compositions rather than Johnson's original songs.
Reviewing one of his last albums for Hi, 1976's Total Explosion, Robert Christgau wrote in : "Johnson has tended to disappear in between Willie Mitchell and Al Green, but on this LP he takes his harmonica up to the microphone and stands clear as a lapsed bluesman. Good move. His voice is still shriller, and more strained than Green's, but that can be a satisfying distinction in the right context."

1980s: Retirement

After his years with Hi ended, Johnson produced two LPs for his own Shama label, the second of which, the soul/funk Ms. Fine Brown Frame, was picked up for distribution by Boardwalk Records. The title track of that album was Johnson's last hit record.
Around the mid-1980s, Johnson mostly retired from performing, making only occasional appearances at blues clubs. At that time, he opened a chain of seafood restaurants and began investing in real estate.

1990s: Return to music

In 1992, Johnson found out that his song "Different Strokes" had been sampled by several rappers, including Wu-Tang Clan, Public Enemy, Kool G Rap, Hammer, and the Geto Boys. This stimulated his interest in making comeback in the music industry. He recorded the album Back in the Game, released by Delmark Records in 1994, which featured the Hi rhythm section and his youngest daughter, Syleena Johnson.
Johnson has been one of the most sampled artists, largely from "Different Strokes" and "Is It Because I'm Black". He feels passionately that taking music from an original artist without proper compensation constitutes theft and has sued other artists for copyright infringement.

Personal life

Johnson is a brother of the blues guitarist and singer Jimmy Johnson and the bassist Mack Thompson.
Johnson appeared in an episode of the TV One reality series ', in which he offers advice and encouragement to his daughter Syleena before she gives a live performances.
He and his family appeared on the American reality television series ', by the request of his daughter Syleena, to help her mother and the alcohol addiction.

Discography

Albums

  1. "Dresses Too Short"
  2. "I Can Take Care of Business"
  3. "Different Strokes"
  4. "Soul Drippin'"
  5. "Fox Hunting on the Weekend"
  6. "Ode to Soul Man"
  7. "Come On Sock It to Me"
  8. "I'll Take Those Skinny Legs"
  9. "Try Me #2"
  10. "Same Kind of Thing"
  11. "I've Got the Real Thing"
  12. "Sorry 'Bout Dat!"
  1. "It Is Because I'm Black"
  2. "Come Together"
  3. "Together, Forever"
  4. "Concrete Reservation"
  5. "Black Balloons"
  6. "Walk a Mile in My Shoes"
  7. "I'm Talkin' Bout Freedom"
  8. "Right On"
  1. "Feelin' Frisky"
  2. "Back for a Taste of Your Love"
  3. "I'm Yours"
  4. "I Let a Good Girl Go"
  5. "Anyway the Wind Blows"
  6. "You Don't Know Me"
  7. "We Did It"
  8. "Wind, Blow Her Back My Way"
  9. "I Hate I Walked Away"
  10. "The Love You Left Behind"
  1. "Let Yourself Go"
  2. "Don't Do It"
  3. "I Want to Take You Home"
  4. "Could I Be Falling in Love"
  5. "Stuck in Chicago"
  6. "Diamond in the Rough"
  7. "Keeping Down Confusion"
  8. "Please, Don't Give Up on Me"
  9. "Music to My Ears"
  10. "I Hear the Love Chimes"
  1. "I Only Have Love"
  2. "Bustin' Up or Bustin' Out"
  3. "Star Bright Star Lite"
  4. "Watch What You Do to Me"
  5. "Steppin' Out"
  6. "Take Me to the River"
  7. "It Ain't Easy"
  8. "'Bout to Make Me Leave Home"
  9. "That's Just My Luck"
  1. "Mystery Lady"
  2. "Let's Dance for Love"
  3. "Gimme Little Sign"
  4. "You're the Star of the Show"
  5. "Blue Water"
  6. "Who's Gonna Love You"
  7. "Otis Redding Medley"
  8. "Respect"
  9. "Wholesale Love"
  10. "Snatch a Little Piece"
  11. "I Can't Turn You Loose
  12. "Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa "
  13. " The Dock of the Bay"
  1. "Brings Out the Blues in Me"
  2. "How You Need to Be Loved"
  3. "Last Night Was the Night"
  4. "Got My Eyes on You"
  5. "Liberated Lady"
  6. "Sock It to Me"
  7. "Is It Because I'm Black"
  8. "Crazy People"
  1. "Ms. Fine Brown Frame"
  2. "Keep On Loving Me"
  3. "They Can't See Your Good Side"
  4. "Groove Me"
  5. "Sweet Thing"
  6. "You Don't Have to Go"
  7. "It Ain't Easy"
  1. "If I Had a Hammer"
  2. "This Little Light of Mine"
  3. "Amen"
  4. "Baby Workout"
  5. "Before You Accuse Me"
  6. "Take Me to the River"
  7. "The Blues in Me"
  8. "Sock It to Me"
  9. "Got to Make a Change"
  10. "Crazy Men"
  1. "Tripping on Your Love"
  2. "Love Baby"
  3. "Here We Go"
  4. "Gimme Some "
  5. "Do You Know What Love Is"
  6. "Foxy Brown"
  7. "They Can't See Your Good Side"
  8. "Ms. Fine Brown Frame"
  1. "Lover Man"
  2. "Sweet Love Hang Over"
  3. "Keep On Loving Me"
  4. "I Needed Some Body"
  5. "They Can't See Your Good Side"
  6. "A Time for Us"
  7. "Sister"
  8. "Ms. Fine Brown Frame"
  9. "I'm Woman"
  10. "Trippin"
  11. "Different Strokes"
  12. "Piece of the Rock"
  13. "Here We Go"
  14. "Goodie Goodie Good Times"
  1. "Who's Still in Love"
  2. "I Been Missin' You"
  3. "Half a Love"
  4. "Unconditional Love"
  5. "Midnight Woman"
  6. "Piece of the Rock"
  7. "I Don't Know Why"
  8. "Let's Get It On Again"
  9. "They Can't See Your Good Side"
  10. "Sexy Wayz"
  1. "Cheryl"
  2. "Sweet Dynamite!"
  3. "Talkin' Bout Chicago"
  4. "Diff'rent Strokes "
  5. "I'm Back into You"
  6. "Different Kind of Man"
  7. "Surrounded"
  8. "Caribbean Beach"
  9. "Get Free – Call Me"
  10. "Trade Secret"
  11. "Finger Lickin' Good"
  12. "All Night Long"
  13. "Woo-Wee!"
  1. "Hands of Time"
  2. "Beyond the Finish Line"
  3. "Talk to Me"
  4. "Wake Up Cryin'"
  5. "Superwoman"
  6. "You're Number One"
  7. "Listen to Me Closely"
  8. "Touch of Your Love"
  9. "Funky Situation"
  10. "Bonus" / "Wake Up Cryin'"
  1. "Two Johnsons Are Better Than One"
  2. "Uncomplicated Life"
  3. "I Used to Be a Millionaire"
  4. "Is It Because I'm Black"
  5. "If I Wuz White"
  6. "I Feel the Pain"
  7. "Oprah"
  8. "Ashes in the Ashtray"
  9. "Dangerous"
  10. "Let Her Go"
  11. "Living the Life"
  12. "I Can't Survive"
  13. "Goodie Goodie Goodtime"
  14. "Bottoms Up"
  1. "Send Me Some Lovin'"
  2. "Try Me"
  3. "I Feel an Urge"
  4. "I Resign"
  5. "Love Condition"
  6. "Going to the Shack"
  7. "Don't Give It Away"
  8. "My Funky Band"
  9. Sockin' Soul Power"
  10. "Double Whammy"
  11. "Take Me Back"
  12. "I Take Care of Homework"
  13. "Let Them Hang High"

    Singles and EPs

''Any Way the Wind Blows''

The 2015 documentary Any Way the Wind Blows, directed by Rob Hatch-Miller, premiered at the Chicago International Film Festival. It takes its inspiration from events in the life of this mostly forgotten soul singer from the 1970s seeking a second attempt at a career. While his records were being sampled by artists from Wu Tang Clan to Kid Rock to Jay-Z and Kanye West, Johnson often found himself with no credit and no money.