The two-fer package listed above collects albums recorded and released in the early 70's. His next two albums are also available on another double, which I need to get, based on this one. Johnson's 60's work on Twinight and other small labels is much more in the vein of guys like James Brown, Wilson Pickett, Joe Tex, hard funk and soul with overtones of humor and social commentary. I still think that ulitmately it's his best stuff and collecting some of those singles is how I knew him. The first time I heard the Hi disk I was taken aback, I thought it was too similar to Al Green and Willie Mitchell was imposing his style on Johnson at the expense of his own established one. Which is true, but actually Mitchell did the same with Green more than people realize and that worked out pretty well to say the least. Johnson, a Memphis artist to begin with, did contribute his own writing skills. Once I got over the superficial Green influence with repeated listening, the quality of the songs and performances came to the fore and won me over. I'll send you a CD-R of this collection, see what you think. (I have not tried to locate vintage vinyl to compare.)
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- 53120 posts total
- 53120 posts total