Syl Johnson
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Syl Johnson – Is It Because I'M Black-
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Biography
Born Sylvester Thompson in Holly Springs, Mississippi, Johnson sang and played with blues artists Magic Sam, Billy Boy Arnold, Junior Wells and Howlin’ Wolf in the 1950s, before recording with Jimmy Reed for Vee-Jay in 1959. He made his solo debut that same year with Federal, a subsidiary of King Records of Cincinnati, backed by Freddie King on guitar.
He then began recording for Twinight Records of Chicago in the mid 1960s. Beginning with his first hit, Come On Sock It to Me in 1967, Johnson dominated the label as both a hitmaker and producer. His song Different Strokes, also from 1967, featured recently on the Ultimate Breaks and Beats breakbeat compilation.
Like other black songwriters of the period, several of his records at this time explored themes of African-American identity and social problems in songs including Is It Because I’m Black, which reached Number 11 in the R&B charts in 1969.
In 1971, Willie Mitchell brought Johnson to Hi Records, for whom he recorded three albums and a number of singles. Produced in Memphis with the Hi house band, these yielded music of power and enduring value, including 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 charts in 1975. However, at Hi Johnson was always to some extent in Al Green’s shadow commercially, if not artistically.
Top Tracks
Top Albums
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The Complete Syl Johnson on Hi Records
4,242 listeners44 tracks
Released:
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Music to My Ears
25,597 listeners25 tracks
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Diamond In The Rough
1,507 listeners10 tracks
Released:
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Shaolin Soul Episode 1
20,438 listeners3 tracks
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Yeah_Brah
I love Concrete Reservation.
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Fullmettall
soul
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DickBigems
Accouted for some of my favorite samples used by none other than the RZA.
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Jonchino
His voice!
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jillian8
Amazing.
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Anira_Sugar
baby your dresses are too short...
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Flowman23
Back For A Taste Of Your Love !
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CamdenClub
INCREDIBLE.
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fathobie
fuck wow.
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Ygn_Ivan
Ghetto Woman охрененая песня! жаль ток что скачать неоткуда)
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Gabe1955
Just discovered him,must download more.Scary thought.How much good music out there i haven't heard,poss that's a good thought, all that good shit to discover and love
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one_dey
Ghetto Woman вот об этом я..........
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one_dey
аааа, как хорошо.........
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SoulJazzsterInc
Please separate Sly Johnson (French hip-hop/soul singer) scrobbles from Syl Johnson! Thanks
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Cinder_Fella
very underrated artist as great as al green. Listen to his "Diamond in the rough" album circa 1974 you wont be dissapointed.
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zoots14
just look at how many people had never heard of him on this page alone!!!!!!!!!!!!
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zoots14
how do we get full tracks up for syl johnson?? he is super dope, people need to hear the guy, he never got the props he deserved and still doesn't, can we use last fm to change that? i think we can
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carlsten
yes! i need more music like this!
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cdaskew53
Wow, If he recorded this in the 50's he was before James Brown (Black & Proud). Wow what a bold song for that time and today. Sly Johnson. my first hearing him and I have to listen to more.
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MetalFaceDOOM1
counting down the hours until I see him live next week with Renaldo Domino and The Notations.
All 36 shouts
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