L.V. Johnson
Encyclopedia
L.V. Johnson was an American
Chicago blues
and soul-blues guitarist
, singer and songwriter
. He is best known for his renditions of "Don't Cha Mess With My Money, My Honey Or My Woman" and "Recipe". He worked with The Soul Children
, The Bar-Kays and Johnnie Taylor
, plus his self penned songs were recorded by Tyrone Davis
, Bobby Bland
and The Dells
. He was the nephew of Elmore James
.
, Illinois
, and learned his guitar playing from B.B. King.
Johnson was originally a session musician
employed by Stax Records
, and he played on recordings
by The Bar-Kays, Johnnie Taylor
, and The Soul Children
. His songs "Are You Serious" and "True Love Is Hard to Find" were both hit single
s for Tyrone Davis
, while "Country Love" was recorded by Bobby Bland
. The Dells
reached the US
Billboard
charts
with their version of Johnson's "Give Your Baby a Standing Ovation".
Johnson's association with Tyrone Davis extended to him being Davis' accompanist, until Johnson embarked on a modest solo career in the early 1980s. He then recorded for ICA, Phono, and Ichiban Records
, although his style did not garner much commercial success. Up to his early death from undisclosed causes, Johnson was also the part-owner of a steakhouse and nightclub
in Chicago.
L.V. Johnson died in Chicago in November 1994, at the age of 47.
Johnson's track "I Don't Really Care" was sampled
by J. Dilla in 2006, and appeared on the track "Airworks" on Dilla's album
, Donuts
. The same track was sampled by Strong Arm Steady
in 2010, and featured on the track "Chittlins & Pepsi" (featuring Planet Asia
), on Strong Arm Steady's album, In Search of Stoney Jackson
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Chicago blues
Chicago blues
The Chicago blues is a form of blues music that developed in Chicago, Illinois, by taking the basic acoustic guitar and harmonica-based Delta blues, making the harmonica louder with a microphone and an instrument amplifier, and adding electrically amplified guitar, amplified bass guitar, drums,...
and soul-blues guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
, singer and songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
. He is best known for his renditions of "Don't Cha Mess With My Money, My Honey Or My Woman" and "Recipe". He worked with The Soul Children
The Soul Children
The Soul Children was an American vocal group who recorded soul music for Stax Records in the late 1960s and early 1970s. They had three top ten hits on the Billboard R&B chart – "The Sweeter He Is" , "Hearsay" , and "I'll Be The Other Woman" – all of which crossed over to the Hot...
, The Bar-Kays and Johnnie Taylor
Johnnie Taylor
Johnnie Harrison Taylor was an American vocalist in a wide variety of genres, from rhythm and blues, soul, blues and gospel to pop, doo-wop and disco.-Early years:...
, plus his self penned songs were recorded by Tyrone Davis
Tyrone Davis
Tyrone Davis , born Tyrone Fettson, was a leading American soul singer with a distinctive style, recording a long list of hit records over a period of more than 20 years. He had three no...
, Bobby Bland
Bobby Bland
Robert Calvin Bland better known as Bobby "Blue" Bland, is an American singer of blues and soul. He is an original member of the Beale Streeters, and is sometimes referred to as the "Lion of the Blues"...
and The Dells
The Dells
The Dells are an R&B and crossover musical group. Their successful recordings spanned more than four decades. Formed in 1952 after attending high school together, the Dells' repertoire has included doo-wop, jazz, soul, disco and contemporary rhythm and blues...
. He was the nephew of Elmore James
Elmore James
Elmore James was an American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and band leader. He was known as "the King of the Slide Guitar" and had a unique guitar style, noted for his use of loud amplification and his stirring voice.-Biography:James was born Elmore Brooks in the old Richland community in...
.
Biography
Johnson was born in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, and learned his guitar playing from B.B. King.
Johnson was originally a session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
employed by Stax Records
Stax Records
Stax Records is an American record label, originally based in Memphis, Tennessee.Founded in 1957 as Satellite Records, the name Stax Records was adopted in 1961. The label was a major factor in the creation of the Southern soul and Memphis soul music styles, also releasing gospel, funk, jazz, and...
, and he played on recordings
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
by The Bar-Kays, Johnnie Taylor
Johnnie Taylor
Johnnie Harrison Taylor was an American vocalist in a wide variety of genres, from rhythm and blues, soul, blues and gospel to pop, doo-wop and disco.-Early years:...
, and The Soul Children
The Soul Children
The Soul Children was an American vocal group who recorded soul music for Stax Records in the late 1960s and early 1970s. They had three top ten hits on the Billboard R&B chart – "The Sweeter He Is" , "Hearsay" , and "I'll Be The Other Woman" – all of which crossed over to the Hot...
. His songs "Are You Serious" and "True Love Is Hard to Find" were both hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
s for Tyrone Davis
Tyrone Davis
Tyrone Davis , born Tyrone Fettson, was a leading American soul singer with a distinctive style, recording a long list of hit records over a period of more than 20 years. He had three no...
, while "Country Love" was recorded by Bobby Bland
Bobby Bland
Robert Calvin Bland better known as Bobby "Blue" Bland, is an American singer of blues and soul. He is an original member of the Beale Streeters, and is sometimes referred to as the "Lion of the Blues"...
. The Dells
The Dells
The Dells are an R&B and crossover musical group. Their successful recordings spanned more than four decades. Formed in 1952 after attending high school together, the Dells' repertoire has included doo-wop, jazz, soul, disco and contemporary rhythm and blues...
reached the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
charts
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
with their version of Johnson's "Give Your Baby a Standing Ovation".
Johnson's association with Tyrone Davis extended to him being Davis' accompanist, until Johnson embarked on a modest solo career in the early 1980s. He then recorded for ICA, Phono, and Ichiban Records
Ichiban Records
Ichiban Records was a hip hop record label founded in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1985. Wrap Records and Nastymix Records were some of its subsidiary labels. Urgent! Records was distributed by Ichiban. Most of its discography is now out of print. Besides hip hop groups, Ichiban also released albums by...
, although his style did not garner much commercial success. Up to his early death from undisclosed causes, Johnson was also the part-owner of a steakhouse and nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
in Chicago.
L.V. Johnson died in Chicago in November 1994, at the age of 47.
Johnson's track "I Don't Really Care" was sampled
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
by J. Dilla in 2006, and appeared on the track "Airworks" on Dilla's album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Donuts
Donuts (album)
Donuts is an instrumental hip hop album by producer J Dilla. Donuts was released on February 7, 2006, his 32nd birthday, and only three days before his death...
. The same track was sampled by Strong Arm Steady
Strong Arm Steady
Strong Arm Steady, often referred to as SAS, is a rap/hip hop group in California's underground hip hop scene. As of December 2009, the act consists of members Mitchy Slick of San Diego, California, and Phil Da Agony and probably the most visually distinct member, Krondon, who is albinistic...
in 2010, and featured on the track "Chittlins & Pepsi" (featuring Planet Asia
Planet Asia
Planet Asia aka King Medallions is an underground hip hop MC from Fresno, California who is a member of hiphop groups the Cali Agents, and Skhool Yard...
), on Strong Arm Steady's album, In Search of Stoney Jackson
In Search of Stoney Jackson
In Search of Stoney Jackson is the second album from California based group Strong Arm Steady, produced by Madlib. The CD name is referenced to actor Stoney Jackson who now referees youth basketball games in California. The album contains guest verses from former Strong Arm Steady rappers like...
.
Albums
- We Belong Together (1981)
- I Really Don't Care (1987)
- Cold & Mean (1991) - IchibanIchiban RecordsIchiban Records was a hip hop record label founded in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1985. Wrap Records and Nastymix Records were some of its subsidiary labels. Urgent! Records was distributed by Ichiban. Most of its discography is now out of print. Besides hip hop groups, Ichiban also released albums by...
- I Got the Touch (1991) - Ichiban
- Unclassified (1992) - Ichiban