Johnny Bristol
Johnny Bristol ( born February 3, 1939 as John William Bristol in Morganton, North Carolina, † March 21, 2004 in Howell, Michigan) was an American soul singer, producer and songwriter who with in the 1960s Harvey Fuqua (1929-2010) numerous classics of the genre for the record company Motown wrote or produced. In 1974, Bristol also took up self- plates and immediately landed with Hang on in There Baby an international, Grammy-nominated hit, he could not repeat despite numerous other publications on this scale.
- 3.1 albums
- 3.2 compilations
Career
The early years and success in Motown
Johnny Bristol's musical career began in the late 1950s. The musician, who had already sung in high school in a band, just served in the U.S. Air Force when he made the acquaintance of Jackey Beavers. With him, he formed the duo Johnny & Jackey, the few singles released from 1959 smaller labels like Anna or Tri - Phi, but was able to record any appreciable success. However, noteworthy was the inclusion Someday We'll Be Together, which should be in 1969 in a version of the Supremes to top hit. This composition was written not only in cooperation with Beavers, but also with Harvey Fuqua, of a solid songwriting partnership with Bristol went down in the future.
After the label Anna and Tri - Phi had been bought by the emerging Motown record company, recognized their enterprising chief Berry Gordy Jr., the potential of Bristol and Fuqua's compositions, which, henceforth by known artists of the house such as Marvin Gaye, Tammi Terrell, The Marvelettes the Isley Brothers, Gladys Knight & the Pips, David Ruffin, the Spinners, Four Tops and of course the Supremes were taken. Also as a producer is claiming Bristol: The Gaye / Terrell duets Is not No Mountain High Enough, Your Precious Love and If I Could Build My Whole World Around You (all 1967) were of him just as responsible as the first solo single by Jermaine Jackson, that's How Love Goes (1972 ), or the last singles of the Supremes with Diana Ross ( Someday We'll Be Together, 1969) or the Miracles with Smokey Robinson ( We've Come Too Far to End It Now, 1972).
Hang on in There Baby: career peak in mid -1970s
Bristol's contract with Motown ended in 1973. Gordy was not interested to give him a chance as a singer, a circumstance which moved to Bristol, not to renew the contract. The following year, he signed a recording contract with MGM and released his debut there Hang on in there baby with the eponymous hit single. The song was a huge success, number three in the UK and number eight in the U.S. and number two in the U.S. R & B charts. Cover versions of Bette Midler (1979) and many years later by Gary Barlow (1997) contributed to the popularity of the song. Two other compositions from Hang on in There Baby were known by other artists: Tom Jones took Memories Do not Leave Like People Do, while The Osmonds had a big hit with Love Me for a Reason. Bristol received two Grammy nominations, one for Best Newcomer and Best R & B vocal performance of the year. Nevertheless, the collaboration between Bristol and MGM only two albums and several singles kept long. You and I (1974) and Leave My World ( 1975) were indeed in the R & B charts successful, the crossover success remained largely out.
Bristol was also still in demand as a producer: With soul legend Jerry Butler LP Power Of Love (1973 ) was, for Buddy Miles, he produced All the Faces of Buddy Miles (1974 ) and the cuddly singer of the 1950s and 1960s, Johnny Mathis, he missed a contemporary sound to The Heart of a Woman (1974). Will be followed by collaborations with Boz Scaggs ( Slow Dancer, 1974), Margie Joseph ( Feeling My Way, 1978) and Marlena Shaw ( Let Me in Your Life, 1982).
For two albums, Bristol 's Creme (1976) and Strangers ( 1978), Bristol later moved to Atlantic. With Do It to My Mind Bristol succeeded here again a respectable hit in the U.S. (No. 43, R & B # 5 ), which aimed musically on the former disco era and in the discos was very successful. Notable recordings were made in 1980 in the form of two duets: together with Alton McClain took a new version of Bristol Hang on in there baby. In the same year followed a single with Amii Stewart, a medley of two well-known Motown evergreens, My Guy by Mary Wells and the Temptations My Girl by - irony: both songs had Bristol neither written nor produced in his Motown days. Together with Stewart Bristol also appeared in the German TV show Musikladen and once again landed a small hit on both sides of the Atlantic: No. 39 in the UK and number 63 in the U.S. and number 76 in the R & B charts.
Subsiding success and comeback attempts: the years after 1980
In the following year appeared with Free to Be Me Bristol's last album before a big break. Love No Longer Has a Hold on Me was another success in the clubs of the time. End of the 1980s, Bristol was back for a comeback attempt on the label Motor City. Here are just a few singles that were hardly noticed arisen. A similar fate befell his album Life & Love in 1993. Had For the former Boyzone 1994/5 a great success with a remake of Love Me for a Reason. Bristol's name disappeared more or less permanently in the headlines, but remained until his death in 2004, active with live performances. Bristol died a natural death.
Private
Johnny Bristol was a long time with Iris Gordy, a niece of Berry Gordy Jr., married. Even Iris was active as a songwriter and producer for Motown.