Bruce Johnston

Bruce Johnston (* June 24, 1944 in Chicago, Illinois, USA as Billy Baldwin ) is an American musician and composer who was best known for his membership in the band The Beach Boys. However, Johnston was not a founding member of the Beach Boys, but replaced from April 1965 Brian Wilson on concert tours, as this would not play any more live performances.

• 3.1 Solo albums
• 3.2 More (excerpt)

Life

The adopted Bruce Johnston grew up in Beverly Hills, California and played a variety of instruments, including Bass, guitar, keyboard and drums and sang.

Initial career

Johnston was initially a member of the Ritchie Valens band. In 1959, he released the single written by him Take this pearl with his friend Terry Melcher. After that he began as a studio musician, composer and producer to work, including for Sandy Nelson and Ron Holden. Her first commercial success in 1961 with Johnston had the band Little Caesar and The Romans, who brought the single arranged by Johnston "Those Oldies But Goodies ( Remind Me Of You ) " at No. 9 of the U.S. Billboard charts. A year later Johnston published under his name two singles.

In 1963, he released two solo albums and worked again with Terry Melcher together. First, they released under the name Hot Dogger an album, only four months later, they called themselves The Rip Chords Hey Little Cobra and had with a chart success ( # 4 on the U.S. Billboard charts ). Until 1967 he published with Terry Melcher - mostly under changing band names - numerous albums and singles. Johnston worked on many other studio projects, mostly as a songwriter and producer.

Joining the Beach Boys

1965 Johnston was a member of the Beach Boys. At first he was only involved in the tours the band and continued to work as a singer, composer and producer for other groups. On the song "California Girls", he is finally represented the first time in the studio. Finally, on " God Only Knows" he sings with a voice in canon fading. A year later, his attention was only the band. On the Beach Boys album 20/20 from 1969 Johnston meets for the first time as a composer and producer for the Beach Boys in appearance.

He was still dismissed during a concert by the Beach Boys after he had quarreled with the band manager in 1972. But he was still mostly represented as a backing vocalist on the following albums.

Career as a producer and songwriter

After his retirement from the Beach Boys, he began to work again as a composer, producer and studio musician. He worked from 1972 to 1979, inter alia, with Cass Elliot, Roger McGuinn, America, Elton John, David Cassidy, Art Garfunkel, Pink Floyd, The Captain & Tenille and Papa Doo Run Run. The mid-1970s he took with his former companions Terry Melcher on an album. In 1977 he achieved his greatest success as a songwriter with the title " I Write The Songs ," which he wrote for Barry Manilow. The song was a No. 1 hit and Johnston received the Grammy Award for Single of the Year. In the same year, he released the solo album Goin ' Public, which, however, only moderately sold. The single from the pipeline reached number 33 of the UK singles chart. This remained the only Johnston's chart listing.

Returning to the Beach Boys

After winning the Grammys Johnston had become interesting again for the Beach Boys, so in 1979 he received the offer to produce her next album (Light Album). The following year, however, he produced for the band's album Keeping The Summer Alive, this time as a full member of the Beach Boys. Both albums have sold very poorly, leading Johnston future was no longer active as a producer. Bruce Johnston touring today with Mike Love under the name of The Beach Boys.

On 5 September 2011, produced by Johnston comeback album by Doris Day appeared.

Awards

2000 Johnston received with the surviving Beach Boys Brian Wilson, Alan Jardine and Mike Love a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Discography

Solo albums

• Surfers Pajama Party (1963 )
• Surfin ' round the world ( 1963) ( Instrumental)
• Surfin 'USA (1963 ) as Hot Dogger ( with Terry Melcher )
• Rev UP with Vettes (1964 )
• Hey Little Cobra And Other Hot Rod Hits as Rip Chords (1964 ) (US- Charts # 56)
• Three window coupe as Rip Chords (1964 )
• Goin ' Public ( 1977)

More (excerpt)

• Graham Bonney - Thank You Baby (Songwriter, Producer, 1967)
• Roger McGuinn - Roger McGuinn (piano, backing vocals, 1973)
• Terry Melcher - Terry Melcher ( producer, backing vocals, songwriter 1974)
• Elton John - Do not let the sun go down on me ( backing vocals, 1974)
• Bill House - Give me a break (Producer, Backing Vocals, Vocal Arranger, 1974)
• Terry and Bruce - Take it to Mexico (Producer, 1975)
• Barry Mann - Surviver (Producer, 1975)
• David Cassidy - The higher They clime, the harder they fall (Producer, Vocals, Piano, Arranger, 1975)
• Art Garfunkel - Breakaway (piano, backing vocals, 1975)
• David Cassidy - Home is where the heart is (Producer, Arranger, Vocals, 1976)
• David Cassidy - Breaking down (Producer, 1976)
• Elton John - Blue Moves ( backing vocals, 1976)
• Terry Melcher - Royal Flash (Producer, Backing Vocals, 1976)
• Jack Jones - The Full life (Producer, Arranger, Vocals, piano, 1977)
• Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blue ( backing vocals, 1977)
• Sailor - Checkpoint (Producer, 1977)
• Eric Carmen - Boats Against the Current ( backing vocals, 1977)
• The Captain & Tenille ( backing vocals, 1978)
• Beach Boys - Light album (Producer, 1979)
• Pink Floyd - The Wall ( backing vocals, 1979)
• Elton John - Dear God ( backing vocals, arranger, 1980)
• The Tremblers - Twice Nights ( executive producer, 1980)