b. 1941, USA. A singer in the mould of Ben E. King, Johnson was a former member of the Zionettes. Their single "Talking About The Man" enjoyed sufficient local interest to prompt his solo ambitions. Signed to the Big Top/Big Hill group of labels, Johnson recorded a series of superb Burt Bacharach/Hal David compositions, including "Reach Out For Me" (1963) and "(There's) Always Something There To Remind Me" (1964). Both reached the lower rungs of the R&B chart. Sandie Shaw's recording of the latter became a UK number 1 while the former song provided Dionne Warwick with a US Top 20 hit. Johnson's "Kentucky Bluebird (Send A Message To Martha)" later became a hit for Adam Faith and was subsequently revamped by Dionne Warwick as "A Message To Michael". Johnson's last chart record was "A Time To Love, A Time To Cry" (1965), a vocal version of Sidney Bechet's "Petite Fleur". Albums on the Cotillion and Volt labels emerged in the late 60s and early 70s, but following this Johnson retreated to the Los Angeles supper club circuit.

Listen to Lou Johnson at Finetune.

• (2006)  Sweet Southern Soul

• (There's) Always Something There to Remind Me
• Reach Out for Me
• Kentucky Bluebird (Send a Message to Martha)
• The Last One to Be Loved
• Please Stay

• Nancy Sinatra
• Gene Pitney
• Rick Nelson
• Cilla Black
• Christopher Cross
• B.W. Stevenson
• Elvis Costello/Burt Bacharach
• Jill O'Hara
• Take That
• Dido
• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Michele Lee
• Bryan Adams
• Eagles
• 8 1/2 Souvenirs
• Air Supply
• Barbra Streisand, Donna Summer
• Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond
• Bree Sharp
• Cerys From Catatonia

• 835sam
• eddielin11