The Brothers Johnson
Biography
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. 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.
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." Jones took them on a Japanese tour, then produced their debut LP, Look Out for Number 1, after they signed with A&M, which was also his label at the time (1976). They scored a number-one R&B and number-three pop hit with "I'll Be Good to You," and enjoyed R&B chart toppers in 1977 and 1980 respectively with "Strawberry Letter 23" and "Stomp!," while sustaining a consistent hit presence via such songs as "Get the Funk Out Ma Face" and "Runnin' for Your Lovin." Jones remade "I'll Be Good to You" in 1989 with Ray Charles and Chaka Khan on his Back on the Block release.
The Brothers earned platinum records for Look Out for Number 1 and Right on Time. Jones produced both of these, along with their third and fourth LPs, Blam and Light Up the Night. The group produced its single "The Real Thing" in 1981. It reached number 11 on the R&B charts, and the Brothers had another hit with "Welcome to the Club" in 1982. They started doing separate ventures; Louis Johnson played bass on Michael Jackson's Thriller LP and recorded a gospel album, while George Johnson worked with Steve Arrington. Leon Sylvers produced their mid-'80s return LP Out of Control; it didn't equal their past success, but got them another R&B hit with "You Keep Coming Back" in 1984. They recorded Kickin' in 1988, and co-wrote "Tomorrow" with Siedah Garrett for Jones' Back on the Block in 1989. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide
Selected Discography
San Francisco. 1976. Folsom Street. South of Market. What a time for a kid.This song on the car radio.
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My favorite duo group of all times. I saw them in 1976 , best show I've ever seen.
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WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL I LOVED ALL OF THEIR MUSIC. IT FEELS GOOD TO HEAR THESE OLD SONGS GREAT MEMORIES.
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"stomp"-in' down at the community center to this one when i was a teenager on a saturday night nineteen seventy _?
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I saw them perform in 2002 at a free concert on the Santa Monica Pier. They were Fantastic. They still have great showmanship, and put on a first class show, this is unitl the pier officials turned off the electrisity and shut the show down.
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I LOVE THIS GROUP NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENED. IVE HEARD THEY DONT EVEN TALK TO EACHOTHER ANYMORE, THATS A DAMN SHAME...Q
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Remember the block parties with the Johnson brothers, cool and always on the 1.....
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My guess would be The Brecker Brothers on horns. They did a lot of session work in the 80's. And that's "TRUMPET" by the way.(lol)
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My two most favorite songs are blam and aint we funkin now. If anyone know the name of the(white) trumpit players name please share with me. He had/has so much soul.
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great stuff! I don't recall that I ever knew the name of this group, but I loved "I'll be Good to you" and "Strawberry Letter 23". The good ol' days...
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The hands of time were just turned back to when MUSIC was MUSIC! Where are they now?
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everytime i hear strawberry letter 23, it remind me of the movie "jackie Brown" When sam jackson blasted chris tucker in the trunk. this is a good group thats been overlooked.
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We will never have music like the 70's ever again, that was a different time when music was real. Rythum and funk RULE!
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Just heard 'Ain't We Funkin' Now'. That jam takes me back to 1978. Saw them in concert with Heatwave and Atlantic Starr. That was one of the BEST concerts I've ever been to. Louis stole the show with his 5-minute solo. The boy is BAD!!
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I was around about six years old when I first heard the brother Johnsons in the mid 70's and I love there music the 70' R&B rocks
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I almost forgot how hott the BJ were...SL23. . love them thunder thunps on that bass guitar.. I love the 70's.. I was young..cute in the face and slim in the waist..oh, that's another story..
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These two brothers were funky, loved listening to them, still do. Light Up the Night album is my favorite one, loved the album cover.
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Grew up listening to this band. As a kid I loved the Look Out for #1 Album. The sound is awesome. Some 30 years later, some things don't change!
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msnana07@yah o o . c o m the brothers johnson are the finest brothers around and alsotalented .
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I believe the brothers johnson also did a gospel album under the band name Passage.
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