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| L.J. Johnson |
| Proof again that Chicago is one heck of a great city! Louis Maurice Johnson was born here on December 10, 1950. Growing up on Chicago's southside the soulful high tenor founded his first group at the tender age of 13. Recruiting brother Robert and sister Sherry they formed Family Affair. Besides local school gigs and the occasional party the group never found fame & fortune. Over the next several years and throughout his high school days the group evolved into the sextet Everyday People. Still fame eluded L.J.
In 1971 Uncle Sam booked L.J. for a "gig" in the U.S. Army. After his four year "tour of duty" he returned to Chicago and his love of music. Once back in Chicago he joined up with the local group Mood Mixers. Another group member Evelyn Thomas had a lead from her manager that an English record producer was in town looking for local talent. In 1975 Ian Levine was a disc jockey from England. He was one of the founders of England's "northern soul" explosion and his success at Blackpool Mecca is legendary. Ian, whose parents were quite wealthy, would often make record-buying junkets to the U.S. and his love of Motown, R&B, and soul would eventually spur him into record producing. Levine had come to America to discover talent for his newly formed Voltafine Production Company. His goal was to record American soul singers and lease the masters to major U.S./U.K.record companies. Chicago studio musician Danny Leake took Levine to hear/see Thomas and the Mood Mixers. Ian was smitten with Thomas and equally impressed with Johnson. Levine and Danny Leake produced Johnson's first single "Your Magic Put A Spell On Me" to much success. Levine and partner Leake's busy arrangement is replete with an insistent string section, a charging backbeat, and fanatical horns which all add up to a quite upbeat listening experience, but occasionally intrude on Johnson's territory. The more restrained follow-up, "Dancing On The Edge Of A Dream," allows the singer to shine more, while displaying his tenor range in full voice. The success of Johnson's record and others ("Weak Spot"-Evelyn Thomas and "Running In Another Direction"- Barbara Pennington) prompted Voltafine to fly their American artists to England to appear on "Top Of The Pops," in hopes of breaking the recordings on Britain's pop charts. The appearances went well but the records never crossed to the pop charts, nor did they chart in the States. After returning to Chicago, the threesome was soon flown back to England to tour the Northern soul clubs; this event was promoted by Terry King and was called The Chicago Soul Review. Financially, the tour was a failure, drawing well in the northern areas but failing miserably in London proper. During this period, Levine was a constant victim of rip-offs and threats, but persevered to realize his dream, often having to call up friends and relatives for loans via Western Union for payoffs and to complete sessions. During this turmoil Johnson's recording career seemed to be on hold for the next few years. By 1978 the final sessions with Levine were released on AVI, a label that Ian had contracted with. "L.J.'s Love Suite" was a disco masterpiece. The medley formation of the tracks give the album a nice flow. Despite the wonderful tracks and the top-notch performance given by Johnson the album only scored mediocre sales and club play. No additional album or material was forth coming. Since that album release Johnson has seemed to disappear. There is no known record of him after the disco-era. We can only hope that he is alive, well and happy? Thanks L.J. for your contribution to disco music. |
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