Post by Admin on Nov 20, 2013 12:14:55 GMT -5
Al Johnson, soul singer and Newport News native, dead at 65
By Sam McDonald
10:56 a.m. EDT, October 29, 2013
Al Johnson, a Newport News native who made a name for himself in the world of soul music both as lead singer of The Unifics and as a producer, died early Saturday.
He was 65. Johnson helped to form The Unifics in 1960s while a student at Howard University. At the time of his death, he was living in Capitol Heights, Md., his home for many years.
Milt Delaney, operations manager for The Unifics, said Tuesday that Johnson died from complications following surgery. "He had some health issues, but nothing life threatening as far as we knew, so this was very sudden," Delaney said.
Johnson performed with The Unifics for the last time June 22, in Atlantic City, N.J., but that was a brief, 20-minute performance as part of an R&B revue. His last full concert with The Unifics was Oct. 13, 2012, at the Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center in Johnson's hometown of Newport News.
The surviving members of The Unifics plan to return to Downing-Gross Dec. 20 to give a concert that will pay tribute to Johnson.
"No one can replace him, of course, but we have a couple of guys who are going to step in and do him proud," Delaney said. "We're going to carry on his tradition, which I'm sure he would want us to do. Al was truly a giant in the music industry, even though he was seldom in the spotlight. He has made a huge contribution to the music industry, and his legacy will last for many years to come."
The Unifics placed two songs in the Billboard Top 40. "Court of Love" reached No. 25 in 1968. "The Beginning of My End" peaked at No. 36 in 1969.
After The Unifics disbanded in the 1970s, Johnson worked with acts including Norman Connors, Gayle Adams and Jean Carn.
"I've been recalling the many, many times I've had the pleasure and privilege to share the mic and the stage and commiserate in the studio with Al," Carn wrote in a remembrance posted on the SoulTracks.com site. "Our first recording was 'I'm Back for More,' which has been sampled many times and was covered beautifully by Bobby Womack and Lulu. His orchestral arrangements for artists like The Whispers were beyond genius."
Johnson's bandmate Tom Fauntleroy, a Hampton resident, also described his friend as extraordinary.
"He was an authentic genius," Fauntleroy said. "I'm not just using that word as a cliché. I mean it literally. Every day of my life, he blew my mind with something."
Fauntleroy said Johnson overcame eyesight problems and, thanks to his brilliant mind, was able to master most anything he tried. Musically, he was blessed with perfect pitch and the ability to arrange and compose sophisticated lines. After his time with The Unifics and a brief period as a solo performer, most of his musical work was done in the studio in support of other artists.
"Al was very much unsung," Fauntleroy said. "That was OK with Al. He said, 'There are all kinds of ways to define success.'"
A memorial and tribute event for Johnson will be 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1, at Union Temple Baptist Church, 1225 W Street, SE, Washington, D.C.
By Sam McDonald
10:56 a.m. EDT, October 29, 2013
Al Johnson, a Newport News native who made a name for himself in the world of soul music both as lead singer of The Unifics and as a producer, died early Saturday.
He was 65. Johnson helped to form The Unifics in 1960s while a student at Howard University. At the time of his death, he was living in Capitol Heights, Md., his home for many years.
Milt Delaney, operations manager for The Unifics, said Tuesday that Johnson died from complications following surgery. "He had some health issues, but nothing life threatening as far as we knew, so this was very sudden," Delaney said.
Johnson performed with The Unifics for the last time June 22, in Atlantic City, N.J., but that was a brief, 20-minute performance as part of an R&B revue. His last full concert with The Unifics was Oct. 13, 2012, at the Downing-Gross Cultural Arts Center in Johnson's hometown of Newport News.
The surviving members of The Unifics plan to return to Downing-Gross Dec. 20 to give a concert that will pay tribute to Johnson.
"No one can replace him, of course, but we have a couple of guys who are going to step in and do him proud," Delaney said. "We're going to carry on his tradition, which I'm sure he would want us to do. Al was truly a giant in the music industry, even though he was seldom in the spotlight. He has made a huge contribution to the music industry, and his legacy will last for many years to come."
The Unifics placed two songs in the Billboard Top 40. "Court of Love" reached No. 25 in 1968. "The Beginning of My End" peaked at No. 36 in 1969.
After The Unifics disbanded in the 1970s, Johnson worked with acts including Norman Connors, Gayle Adams and Jean Carn.
"I've been recalling the many, many times I've had the pleasure and privilege to share the mic and the stage and commiserate in the studio with Al," Carn wrote in a remembrance posted on the SoulTracks.com site. "Our first recording was 'I'm Back for More,' which has been sampled many times and was covered beautifully by Bobby Womack and Lulu. His orchestral arrangements for artists like The Whispers were beyond genius."
Johnson's bandmate Tom Fauntleroy, a Hampton resident, also described his friend as extraordinary.
"He was an authentic genius," Fauntleroy said. "I'm not just using that word as a cliché. I mean it literally. Every day of my life, he blew my mind with something."
Fauntleroy said Johnson overcame eyesight problems and, thanks to his brilliant mind, was able to master most anything he tried. Musically, he was blessed with perfect pitch and the ability to arrange and compose sophisticated lines. After his time with The Unifics and a brief period as a solo performer, most of his musical work was done in the studio in support of other artists.
"Al was very much unsung," Fauntleroy said. "That was OK with Al. He said, 'There are all kinds of ways to define success.'"
A memorial and tribute event for Johnson will be 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1, at Union Temple Baptist Church, 1225 W Street, SE, Washington, D.C.