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.
Discography
Stomp: The Best Of The Brothers Johnson
Spectrum Music 2013
Tracks: CD1: Get the Funk Out Ma Face (Single Version), I'll Be Good To You, Free and Single, Land of Ladies, Right On Time, Free Yourself Be Yourself, Love is, Ain't We Funkin' Now, Ride-O-Rocket, Street Wave, Mista' Cool, Blam, Closer To the One That You Love, Thunder Thumbs and Lightnin' Licks, Runnin' For Your Lovin' & Strawberry Letter 23. CD2: Stomp!, Light Up the Night, Treasure, Smilin' On Ya, The Real Thing, Teaser, Welcome To the Club, Funk It (Funkadelala), I'm Giving You All of My Love, The Great Awaking, P.O. Box 2000 (Instrumental), Real Love, Dazed, You Keep Me Coming Back (Special Remixed Version), Do You, I Came Here To Party & Kick It To the Curb (12" Version).
Musicians on the Stomp: The Best Of The Brothers Johnson: Brother Johnson and others.
S.O.U.L.
Sony Music 2011
Tracks: I'll Be Good to You, Get the Funk Out Ma Face, Ain't We Funkin' Now, Thunder Thumbs & Lightnin' Licks, Strawberry Letter 23, Family Affair, If You Want Me to Stay, Land of Ladies, Word Up & Stomp!
Musicians on the S.O.U.L. album: Brothers Johnson and others.
Strawberry Letter 23:Live
Cleopatra Records 2004
Tracks: Opening Instrumental, Ain't We Funkin' Now, Í´ll 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.
Strawberry Letter 23
A&M Records 2003
Tracks: 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.
Classic Brothers Johnson
Universal Music 2003
Tracks: 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.
Stomp!
Rotation Records 2001
Tracks: 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 Stomp! album: George Johnson, Louis Johnson and others.
The Best Of The Brothers Johnson
A&M Records 2000
Tracks: 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.
The Best Of The Brothers Johnson
Karussell Records 1999
Tracks: 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.
Ain´t We Funkin´Now
Connoisseur Records 1996
Tracks: I'll Be Good To You, Thunder Thumbs And Lightnin´Licks, 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 Ain´t We Funkin´Now album: George Johnson, Louis Johnson and others.
Brothers´N´Love
A&M Records 1996
Tracks: 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 Brother´N´Love album: George Johnson, Louis Johnson and others.
Greatest Hits
A&M Records 1996
Tracks: 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.
Funkadelia
Universal Music 1994
Tracks: 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.
Kickin´
A&M Records 1988
Tracks: 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 Kickin´ album: George Johnson, Louis Johnson and others.
Classics, Vol. 11
A&M Records 1987
Tracks: 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.
Stomp!
A&M Records 1984
Tracks: 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.
Out Of Control
A&M Records 1984
Tracks: 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.
Blast!
A&M Records 1982
Tracks: 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.
Winners
A&M Records 1981
Tracks: 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.
Light Up The Night
A&M Records 1980
Tracks: 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.
Blam!
A&M Records 1978
Tracks: 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.
Right On Time
A&M Records 1977
Tracks: 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.
Look Out For #1
A&M Records 1976
Tracks: 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.