Groovy brothers
.....
Guitarist/vocalist George
Johnson and bassist/vocalist Louis Johnson formed the
band Johnson Three Plus One with older brother Tommy,
and their cousin Alex Weir, while attending school in
Los Angeles, California. When they became professionals,
the band backed such touring R&B acts as Bobby Womack
and the Supremes. George and Louis Johnson later joined
Billy Preston's band, and wrote "Music in My Life" and
"The Kids and Me" for him before leaving his group in
1973. In 1976, The Brothers covered the Beatles song,
"Hey, Jude", for the ephemeral musical documentary
All This and World War II.
Quincy Jones hired them to
play on his LP Mellow Madness, and recorded four
of their songs, including "Is It Love That We're
Missing?" and "Just a Taste of Me".
After touring with
various artists like Bobby Womack and Billy Preston,
Quincy Jones hired them for a tour in Japan and produced
their debut album Look out for Number 1, released
in March 1976 (#9 U.S.) Their Right On Time album
was released in May 1977 and reached number 13 on the
Billboard Hot 200. Blam!! came out in August 1978
and reached number 7 on the Billboard 200.
Their popular
album Light Up the Night was released in March
1980 and got as high as number 5 on the Billboard 200.
It was number 46 on the "Top 100 LP's of 1980" list in
Rolling Stone Magazine. The subsequent album, Winners,
was self-produced by the brothers and released in July
1981, but was less successful, going only as high as
number 48 on the Billboard 200.
Among their most
popular songs are "I'll Be Good to You" (Billboard Hot
100 #3 in 1976), "Strawberry Letter 23" (Hot 100 # 5 in
1977), "Ain't We Funkin' Now" (1978), and "Stomp!" (Hot
100 #7 and Hot Dance Music/Club Play #1 in 1980). Their
styles include funk, disco, and R&B ballads. The duo
split up in 1982.
They started doing
separate ventures; Louis Johnson played bass on Michael
Jackson's Thriller and recorded a gospel music
album; whilst George Johnson worked with Steve
Arrington.
Leon Sylvers produced
their 1984 return LP Out of Control; it did not
equal their past success, but got them another R&B hit
with "You Keep Coming Back". They recorded Kickin'
in 1988, and co-wrote "Tomorrow" with Siedah Garrett for
Quincy Jones' Back on the Block release.
In addition, Jones
remade "I'll Be Good to You" in 1989, with Ray Charles
and Chaka Khan, which also appeared on Back on the
Block.
The
Brothers Johnson -
Look Out For #1
"Be the number
one"
The Tracks are:
I'll be Good To You, Thunder Thumbs
And Lightnin' Licks, Get The Funk Out Ma Face, Tomorrow, Free And Single, Come
Together, Land Of Ladies, Dancin' And Prancin' & The Devil.
Musicians on the
Look Out For #1 album: George Johnson, Louis Johnson, Harvey Mason, Lee Ritenour, Dave Grusin, Don Lewis, Ian Underwood,
Ralph MacDonald, Toots Thielemans, Ernie Watts, Glenn Farris, Chuck Findley, Terry Harrington, Bill Lamb, Jim Gilstrap, Jesse Kirkland, Pepper Swinson
& Syreeta
Wright.
Available from
A&M Records/Original
release year: 1976
The
Brothers Johnson -
Right On Time
"The timing is
right"
The Tracks are:
Runnin' For Your
Lovin', Free Yourself Be Yourself, "Q", Right On Time, Strawberry
Letter 23, Brother Man, Never Leave Your Lonely & Love Is.
Musicians on the
Right On Time album: George Johnson, Louis Johnson, Harvey Mason,
David T. Walker, Lee Ritenour, Dave Grusin, Ian Underwood, Michael Boddicker, Ralph MacDonald, Greg Adams, Emilio Castillo, Mick Gillette, Stephen Kupka, Lenny
Pickett, Alex Weir, Mortonette Jenkins, Richard Heath, Jim
Gilstrap, Stephanie Spruill & Oren Waters.
Available from
A&M Records/Original
release year: 1977
The
Brothers Johnson -
Blam!
"3rd album"
The Tracks are:
Ain't We Funkin' Now, So Won't You
Stay, Blam, Rocket Countdown / Blastoff, Ride - O - Rocket, Mista' Cool, It's
Your Girl & Streetwave.
Musicians on the
Blam! album: George Johnson, Louis Johnson, Harvey Mason, Steve Shaffer, Larry Carlton, Steve Khan, Alex
Weir, David Foster, Richard Tee, Wayne Waughn, Steve Porcaro, Larry Williams, Eddie Brown, Michael Brecker, Gary Grant, Jerry Hey, Kim Hutchcroft, Bill
Reichenbach, Vivian Cherry, Bill Eaton, Gwen Guthrie, Richard
Heath, Yolanda McCullough & Kenny Pickens.
Available from
A&M Records/Original
release year: 1978
The
Brothers Johnson -
Light Up The Night
"Party in the
night"
The Tracks are:
Stomp!, Light Up The Night, You
Make Me Wanna Wiggle, Treasure, This Had To Be, All About The Heaven,
Smilin' On Ya, Closer To The One That You Love & Celebrations.
Musicians on the
Light Up The Night album: George Johnson, Louis
Johnson, John
Robinson, Rod Temperton, Steve Porcaro, Larry
Williams, Paulinho Da Costa, Richard Heath, Jerry Hey, Larry Williams, Kim Hutchcroft, Bill Reichenbach, Gary
Grant, Valerie Johnson, Josie James, Alex Weir, Richard
Heath, Jim Gilstrap & Augie Johnson.
Available from
A&M Records/Original
release year: 1980
The
Brothers Johnson -
Winners
"Hanging out
with the Toto boys"
The Tracks are:
The Real Thing, Dancin' Free, Sunlight, Teaser, Caught
Up, In The Way, I Want You, Do It For Love, Hot Mama & Daydreamer Dream.
Musicians on the
Winners album: George Johnson, Louis Johnson, John Robinson, Jeff Porcaro,
Gerald Brown, Steve Lukather, David Paich, Anne Herring, Greg Phillinganes, David Paich,
Steve Porcaro, Jeff Lorber, Paulinho Da Costa, Ernie Watts, Jerry Hey, Larry Williams, Kim Hutchcroft, Bill Reichenbach, Ricky Heath, Lynn Davis, Valerie Johnson, Yolanda
Smith & Lalomie Washburn.
Available from
A&M Records/Original
release year: 1981
The
Brothers Johnson -
Blast
"Best of + new
songs"
The Tracks are:
Funk It (Funkadelala), Welcome To The
Club, The Great Awakening, I'm Giving You All Of My Love, The Real Thing, Ain't
We Funkin' Now, Strawberry Letter 23, Stomp!, Get The Funk Out Ma Face & I'll
Be Good To You.
Musicians on the
Blast album: George Johnson, Louis Johnson, John Robinson, Steve
Ferrone, Jeff Porcaro, David Williams, Raymond Crossley, Steve Porcaro, Eddie Noble, Greg Phillinganes, James Newton Howard, Paulinho Da Costa, James Ingram, Jim Gilstrap, Valerie Johnson, Wanda
Waughn, Augie Johnson & Marian Jones.
Available from
A&M Records/Original
release year: 1982
The
Brothers Johnson -
Out Of Control
"No control"
The Tracks are:
1. You Keep Me Coming Back, Lovers
Forever, Do You, Let's Try Love Again, I Came Here To Party, Out Of
Control, Save Me/Tokyo, Dazed & It's All Over Now.
Musicians on the
Out Of Control album: George Johnson, Louis Johnson and others.
Available from
A&M Records/Original
release year: 1984
The
Brothers Johnson -
Stomp!
"The very best
of Brothers Johnson"
The Tracks are:
Stomp, I'll Be Good To You, Blam!,
Running For Your Lovin', Ain't We Funkin' Now, Ride O Rocket, The Real
Thing, This Had to Be, Get the Funk Out Ma Face, Streetwave, Strawberry
Letter 23 & Lovers Forever.
Musicians on the
Stomp! The Very Best Of Brothers Johnson album:
George Johnson, Louis Johnson and others.
Available from
A&M Records/Original
release year: 1984
The
Brothers Johnson -
Classics, Vol. 11
"A Collection
of songs"
The Tracks are:
Ain't
We Funkin' Now, Strawberry Letter 23, Free And Single, Stomp, Runnin'
For Your Lovin', Q, Land Of Ladies, Get The Funk Out Ma Face, I'll Be
Good To You, Light Up The Night, You Keep Me Comin' Back, The Real
Thing, , Tokyo, , Ride-O-Rocket &
Funk It (Funkadelala).
Musicians on the
Classics, Vol. 11 album: George Johnson, Louis
Johnson and others.
Available from
A&M Records/Original
release year: 1987
The
Brothers Johnson -
KickinŽ
"Get the kick"
The Tracks are:
Kick It To The Curb, Real Love, I
Fresh, Still In Love, P.O. Box 2000, Ball Of Fire, We Must Be In Love,
I'll Give It Up, This Is Our Love & Party Avenue.
Musicians on the
KickinŽ album: George Johnson, Louis Johnson and others.
Available from
A&M Records/Original
release year: 1988
The
Brothers Johnson -
Funkadelia
"Best of"
The Tracks are:
Stomp!, Dancin' Free, Ain't We Funkin' Now,
The Real
Thing, You Make Me Wanna Wiggle, Come Together, Thunder
Thumbs And Lightnin' Licks, Funk It, Light Up The Night, I
Came Here To Party, You Keep Me Coming Back, Love Is, It's You Girl & Do It For Love.
Musicians on the
Funkadelia album: George Johnson, Louis Johnson and others.
Available from
Universal Music/Original
release year: 1994
The
Brothers Johnson -
Greatest Hits
"The best
hits"
The Tracks are:
Ain't We Funkin' Now, Strawberry
Letter 23, Free And Single, Stomp, Runnin' For Your Lovin', Q, Land Of
Ladies, Get The Funk Out Ma Face, I'll Be Good To You, You Keep Me
Coming Back, The Real Thing, Tokyo, Ride-O-Rocket & Funk It (Funkadelala).
Musicians on the
Greatest Hits album: George Johnson, Louis Johnson and others.
Available from
A&M Records/Original
release year: 1996
The
Brothers Johnson -
BrothersŽNŽLove
"Lets funk"
The Tracks are:
Treasure, Strawberry Letter 23,
Land of Ladies, Dancin' and Prancin', Runnin' For Your Lovin', Blam!,
I'll Be Good to You, Love Ballad, Stranger, Where Did We Go Wrong, Lady
Love, (Every Time I Turn Around) Back in Love Again, (Won't Cha) Stay
With Me & April Love.
Musicians on the
BrotherŽNŽLove album: George Johnson, Louis Johnson and others.
Available from
A&M Records/Original
release year: 1996
The
Brothers Johnson -
AinŽt We FunkinŽNow
"A funky
collection"
The Tracks are:
I'll Be Good To You, Thunder Thumbs
And LightninŽLicks, Get The Funk Out Ma Face, Strawberry Letter 23, , Q, Ain't We Funkin' Now,
Streetwave, Rocket Countdown/Blastoff, Ride-O-Rocket, , Stomp, Light Up
The Night, The Real Thing & Lovers Forever.
Musicians on the
AinŽt We FunkinŽNow album: George Johnson, Louis
Johnson and others.
Available from
Connoisseur Records/Original
release year: 1996
The
Brothers Johnson -
The Best Of The Brothers Johnson
"Best of"
The Tracks are:
I'll
Be Good To You, Free And Single, Land Of Ladies, Get The Funk Out Ma
Face, Tomorrow, Runnin' For Your Lovin', Strawberry Letter, Right On
Time, Q, Blam!, Ain't We Funkin' Now, Light Up The Night, Stomp,
Treasure, The Real Thing, You Keep Me Comin' Back, I'm Giving You All Of
My Love & Kick It To The Curb.
Musicians on the
Best Of The Brothers Johnson album: George Johnson,
Louis Johnson and others.
Available from
Karussell Records/Original
release year: 1999
The
Brothers Johnson -
The Best Of The Brothers Johnson
"The millenium
collection"
The Tracks are:
Welcome To The Club, I'll Be Good
To You, Strawberry Letter 23, Is It Love That We're Missing (with Quincy
Jones), Runnin' For Your Lovin', Ride-A-Rocket, Ain't We Funkin' Now,
Stomp, Light Up The Night, The Real Thing, Funk It (Funkadelala) & Get
The Funk Out Ma Face.
Musicians on the
Best Of The Brothers Johnson album: George Johnson,
Louis Johnson, Quincy Jones, Dave Grusin, Lee Ritenour and others.
Available from
A&M Records/Original
release year: 2000
The
Brothers Johnson -
Classic Brothers Johnson
"San Francisco
Bay music"
The Tracks are:
Land
Of Ladies, Tomorrow, Blam!, I'll
Be Good To You, Free And Single, Get The Funk Out Ma
Face, Runnin' For Your Lovin', Strawberry Letter, Right On
Time, Q, , Ain't We Funkin' Now, Light Up The Night, Stomp,
Treasure, The Real Thing, You Keep Me Comin' Back & I'm Giving You All Of
My Love.
Musicians on the
Classic Brothers Johnson album: George Johnson, Louis
Johnson and others.
Available from
Universal Music/Original
release year: 2003
The
Brothers Johnson -
Strawberry Letter 23
"San Francisco
Bay music"
The Tracks are:
Is It Love That We're Missing (with
Quincy Jones), I'll Be Good To You, Thunder Thumbs And Lightnin' Licks,
Get The Funk Out Ma Face, Free And Single, Tomorrow, Strawberry Letter
23, Runnin' For Your Lovin', Q, Ain't We Funkin' Now, Ride-O-Rocket,
Mista' Cool, Stomp!, Light Up The Night, Treasure, In The Way, The Real
Thing, Welcome To The Club, Funk It (Funkadelala) & You Keep Me Coming
Back.
Musicians on the
Strawberry Letter 23 album: George Johnson, Louis
Johnson, Richard Heath, Quincy Jones, Toto, Dave Grusin, Steve
Ferrone, Billy Cobham and others.
Available from
A&M Records/Original
release year: 2003
The
Brothers Johnson -
Strawberry Letter 23:Live
"San Francisco
Bay music"
The Tracks are:
Opening Instrumental, Ain't We Funkin' Now,
ÍŽll Be Good To You, Thunder Thumbs And Lightnin' Licks, Land Of Ladies,
Family Affair, , If You Want Me To Stay, Strawberry Letter 23, Free And
Single, Get The Funk Out Ma Face, Instrumental, Word Up, Bass & Drum
Solo & Stomp!.
Musicians on the
Strawberry Letter 23:Live album: George Johnson,
Louis Johnson and others.
Available from Cleopatra Records/Original
release year: 2004
