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| Johnny Martin |
| Johnny Martin |
| Born: 2-2-1941 Died: Feb.-1987 ...cause of death unknown. |
| The Mighty Clouds of Joy were formed in Los Angeles during the mid-1950's by schoolmates Joe Ligon and Johnny Martin; while still in their teens. The original group, which also included brothers Ermant and Elmo Franklin, Leon Polk and Richard Wallace, made their recorded debut in 1960 with "Steal Away To Jesus," cut for the Peacock label. Their debut LP "Family Circle" arrived a year later. In the years that followed, the Mighty Clouds earned a reputation among gospel's greatest showmen; one of the first groups to incorporate choreographed moves into their act, their nimble footwork and bright, color-coordinated outfits earned them the sobriquet "The Temptations of Gospel." More importantly, they were the first group to add bass, drums and keyboards to the standard quartet accompaniment of solo guitar, resulting in a sound which horrified traditionalists but appealed to younger listeners — so much so, in fact, that the Mighty Clouds became the first gospel act ever to appear on television's "Soul Train," where they performed their disco smash "Mighty High." Their crossover success continued with opening slots for secular pop stars including Marvin Gaye, the Rolling Stones and Paul Simon, whom the group backed during a month-long stint at Madison Square Garden. While lineup changes plagued the Mighty Clouds throughout their career, they remained active through the 1990s; in addition to co-founders Ligon and Wallace, their latter-day incarnation also included Michael McCowin, Wilbert Williams, Johnny Valentine and Ron Staples. |
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