Louis Johnson (bassist)

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Louis Johnson (bassist)

Louis Johnson (born April 13, 1955, in Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles is the largest city in the U.S. state of California and the List of United States cities by population in the United States. Often abbreviated as L.A. and nicknamed The City of Angels, Los Angeles is rated as a beta global city, has an estimated population of 3.8 million and spans over in Southern California....
, United States) is an American musician regarded as one of the best bass guitar

Bass guitar

The electric bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a plectrum.The bass guitar is similar in appearance and construction to an electric guitar, but with a larger body, a longer neck and Scale length, and usually four strings tuned to the same pitches as those of the double bass, whic...
ists of the 20th century. Best known for his group The Brothers Johnson and his session playing

Session musician

Session musicians are instrumental performers or vocalists who are available for hire for live performances or recording sessions, as opposed to musicians who are either permanent members of a musical ensemble or who have acquired fame in their own right as bandleaders....
on several hit albums of the 1970s and '80s including the "best selling album of all time" Thriller
Thriller (album)

Thriller is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Michael Jackson. The album was released on November 30, 1982 by Epic Records as the follow-up to Jackson's critically and commercially successful 1979 album Off the Wall ....
. His signature sound is from the Music Man StingRay

Music Man StingRay

Music Man StingRay is an bass guitar by Music Man , introduced in 1976....
bass which Leo Fender

Leo Fender

Clarence Leonidas Fender , also known as Leo Fender, was a Greece-United States inventor who founded Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company, now known as Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, and later founded MusicMan and G&L Musical Instruments ....
especially made for him to first use and promote, and from his slapping

Slapping

In music, the term slapping is often used to refer to two different playing techniques used on the double bass and on the bass guitar....
technique.

Biography
His work appears many well-known records by prominent artists.

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Louis Johnson (born April 13, 1955, in Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles, California

Bass guitar

Session musician

Music Man StingRay

Music Man StingRay is an bass guitar by Music Man , introduced in 1976....
bass which Leo Fender

Leo Fender

Slapping

In music, the term slapping is often used to refer to two different playing techniques used on the double bass and on the bass guitar....
technique.

Biography

His work appears many well-known records by prominent artists. Johnson played on Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson

Michael Joseph Jackson is an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. The seventh child of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene at the age of 11 as a member of The Jackson 5 and began a solo career in 1971 while still a member of the group....
's albums Off the Wall
Off the wall

The term off the wall may refer to:*Off the Wall , an album by Michael Jackson**Off the Wall , a song by Michael Jackson from the album*Off the Wall , a radio show from Long Island, New York, USA...
, Thriller
Thriller (album)

Thriller is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Michael Jackson. The album was released on November 30, 1982 by Epic Records as the follow-up to Jackson's critically and commercially successful 1979 album Off the Wall ....
and Dangerous
Dangerous (album)

Dangerous is the eighth album by Michael Jackson, released on November 26, 1991. It became his second to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200 album chart, where it spent the next four consecutive weeks....
, and hit songs "Billie Jean

Billie Jean

"Billie Jean" is a song by American recording artist Michael Jackson. The track was written by Jackson, and produced by Quincy Jones for the singer's sixth solo album, Thriller ....
" and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough

Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough

"Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough", released in July 1979, is the debut Single from Michael Jackson?s Off the Wall album. Written by Jackson, the track was the first solo recording over which he had creative control, and his debut single released under Epic Records....
". He also played on George Benson

George Benson

George Benson is an American musician, whose recording career began at the age of twenty-one as a jazz guitarist. He is however, better known to the public at large as a Pop music and R&B singer, famous for such hits as "Give Me the Night", "Lady Love Me ", "Turn Your Love Around", "Inside Love", "In Your Eyes", and "This Masquerade", among...
's album Give Me the Night
R&B number-one hits of 1980 (USA)

These are the Billboard magazine Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks number one hits of 1980:See also: 1980 in music, List of number-one R&B hits ...
. He was one of three bassists on Herb Alpert

Herb Alpert

Herbert "Herb" Alpert is an United States musician most associated with the group variously known as Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass or as Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass or just TJB for short....
's 1979 album Rise, which included its top-10, Grammy-winning disco/jazz title-track.

Due to his tremendous ability, he was nick-named "Thunder-Thumbs". Many slap bassists

Slapping

In music, the term slapping is often used to refer to two different playing techniques used on the double bass and on the bass guitar....
have been given the moniker, however it is Johnson that the name first originated with. His slap bass playing arrived soon after Larry Graham

Larry Graham

Larry Graham, Jr. is an United States baritone singer, musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as both the bass guitar player in the popular and influential psychedelic soul/funk band Sly & the Family Stone, and as the founder and frontman of Graham Central Station....
brought it into the mainstream, and both are considered the "grandfathers" of slap-bass playing.

His most prominent slap bass lines include his work with Stanley Clarke

Stanley Clarke

Stanley Clarke is an United States jazz musician and composer known for his innovative and influential work on double bass and bass guitar as well as for his numerous film and television scores....
on the Time Exposure album, his work with Grover Washington, Jr.

Grover Washington, Jr.

Grover Washington Jr. was an American jazz-funk / soul-jazz saxophonist. Along with John Klemmer, George Benson, David Sanborn, Bob James , Chuck Mangione, Herb Alpert, and Spyro Gyra, he is considered by many to be one of the founding fathers of the smooth jazz genre....
(Hydra), George Duke

George Duke

George Duke is a piano and synthesizer pioneer and singer. He made a name for himself with the album The Jean-Luc Ponty Experience with the George Duke Trio....
(Guardian of the Light, Thief In The Night), Jeffrey Osborne

Jeffrey Osborne

Jeffrey Osborne is an United States funk music and Rhythm and blues musician, songwriter, and former lead singer of the musical ensemble, L.T.D....
(Jeffrey Osborne, Stay With Me The Night) among others.

An excellent example of his thumb playing can be heard on the Earl Klugh

Earl Klugh

Earl Klugh is an United States smooth jazz/jazz fusion guitarist and composer. Klugh currently resides in the Buckhead district of Atlanta, Georgia....
song "Kiko". Without any plucking at all, Johnson sets a complicated funky bassline using combination of counter point slapping with right hand using right thumb, counter point with left hand middle finger as a mute tec. it's called a slap choke, thus creating a percussive sound like drums, adding to the bass notes,}L.E.J.

His style incorporates more funk plucks in combination with his thumping which along with the Music Man StingRay sound gives a very funky, unique sound.

He was the bassist on Earl Klugh's 1976 jazz/pop album Finger Paintings plus Earl's 1977 jazz/pop Living Inside Your Love, as well as Quincy Jones

Quincy Jones

Quincy Delight Jones, Jr. , is an United States music Conductor , record producer, musical arranger, film composer and trumpeter. During five decades in the entertainment industry, Jones has earned a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend Award in 1991....
' 1975 release Mellow Madness.

Collaboration

Louis Johnson has recorded and performed with the following artists (list in alphabetical order):

Andrae Crouch Andrae Crouch Andra? Edward Crouch* , is an United States Gospel musician, recording artist, songwriter, arranger and record producer.... Angela Bofill Angela Bofill Angela Bofill* is an United States R&B Alto vocalist and songwriter.Bofill was born to a Cuban father and Puerto Rican American mother. She performed with Ricardo Morrero & the Group and Dance Theater of Harlem chorus prior to her 1978 debut album, Angie .... Anita Baker Anita Baker Anita Baker* is an American rhythm and blues and soul music singer-songwriter. To date, Baker has won eight Grammy Awards, and has earned four platinum albums and three gold albums to her credit.... Aretha Franklin Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin* is an American singer, songwriter and pianist commonly referred to as "The Queen of Soul". Although renowned for her soul recordings, Franklin is also adept at jazz, rock and roll, blues, Pop music, Rhythm and Blues and Gospel music.... Billy Preston Billy Preston William Everett "Billy" Preston* was an United States soul musician from Houston, Texas, raised mostly in Los Angeles, California. In addition to his successful, Grammy-winning career as a solo artist, Preston collaborated with some of the greatest names in the music industry, including the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Nat King Cole, Little... Bill Withers Bill Withers Bill Withers* is an United States singer-songwriter and hall-of-fame songwriter who performed and recorded from 1970 until 1985. Some of his best-known songs are "Ain't No Sunshine," "Use Me ," "Lovely Day ," "Lean on Me ", "Grandma's Hands", and "Just the Two of Us ".... Björk Björk Bj?rk Gu?mundsd?ttir* is an Icelandic singer-songwriter, composer, actor and record producer, whose work includes seven solo albums and two film soundtracks.... The Carpenters The Carpenters The Carpenters* were a vocal and instrumental duo, consisting of siblings Karen Carpenter and Richard Carpenter . Though often referred to by the public as "The Carpenters", the duo's official name on authorized recordings and press materials is simply "Carpenters", without the Article .... The Controllers The Controllers (R&B band) This Birmingham, Alabama-based* quartet commenced the establishment of their musical reputations in the late seventies. Originally part of an eight member gospel group they were down to just four by the time they entered junior high school.... The Crusaders The Crusaders The Crusaders* are an United States music group popular in the early 1970s known for their amalgamated jazz, Pop music and Soul music sound. Since 1961, more than forty albums have been credited to the group , 19 of which were recorded under the name "The Jazz Crusaders" .... Dave Grusin Dave Grusin David Grusin* is an Academy Award-winning United States composer, arranger and pianist. Grusin has composed many film score for feature films and television, and he has won numerous awards for his soundtrack work.... * Deniece Williams Deniece Williams Deniece "Niecy" Williams* is a Grammy Awards of 1983-winning United States singer, songwriter and record producer who achieved success in the 1970s and 1980s.... Donna Summer Donna Summer Donna Summer* is an United States singer-songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of music.Summer was trained as a gospel music singer prior to her introduction to the music industry.... Donn Thomas Modern soul Modern Soul* is a style of music with associated clothing and dance styles , that developed in Northern England in the early 1970s.Modern Soul developed from the Northern Soul scene, when some Northern DJs began looking in record shops of the United States and United Kingdom for something more complex and contemporary.... Earl Klugh Earl Klugh Earl Klugh* is an United States smooth jazz/jazz fusion guitarist and composer. Klugh currently resides in the Buckhead district of Atlanta, Georgia.... Gábor Szabó Gábor Szabó G?bor Szab?* was a Hungarian people jazz guitarist, famous for mixing jazz, pop-rock and his native Music of Hungary.... George Benson George Benson George Benson* is an American musician, whose recording career began at the age of twenty-one as a jazz guitarist. He is however, better known to the public at large as a Pop music and R&B singer, famous for such hits as "Give Me the Night", "Lady Love Me ", "Turn Your Love Around", "Inside Love", "In Your Eyes", and "This Masquerade", among... Gene Van Buren George Duke George Duke George Duke is a piano and synthesizer pioneer and singer. He made a name for himself with the album The Jean-Luc Ponty Experience with the George Duke Trio.... Grover Washington, Jr. Grover Washington, Jr. Grover Washington Jr.* was an American jazz-funk / soul-jazz saxophonist. Along with John Klemmer, George Benson, David Sanborn, Bob James , Chuck Mangione, Herb Alpert, and Spyro Gyra, he is considered by many to be one of the founding fathers of the smooth jazz genre.... Hannah Freidenberg Harvey Mason Harvey Mason Harvey William Mason is an American jazz drummer. He has worked with many jazz and fusion artists such as Bob James , The Brecker Brothers, Lee Ritenour, Herbie Hancock's The Headhunters and almost all the Mizell Brothers productions with Donald Byrd, Johnny Hammond, Bobbi Humphrey and Gary Bartz.... Herb Alpert Herb Alpert Herbert "Herb" Alpert* is an United States musician most associated with the group variously known as Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass or as Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass or just TJB for short.... Herbie Hancock Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock* is a jazz pianist and composer. He embraces elements of rock and roll and soul music while adopting freer stylistic elements from jazz.... Hiroshima Hiroshima (band) Hiroshima* is an United States jazz fusion band formed in 1974 by Sansei Japanese American Dan Kuramoto , June Kuramoto , Johnny Mori , and Danny Yamamoto .... Irene Cara Irene Cara Irene Cara* is an United States singer and actress. Cara won an Academy Award in 1984 in the category of Best Original Song for co-writing "Flashdance...... The Jacksons James Ingram James Ingram James Ingram is an United States Soul music musician. He is best-known as a vocalist. He is also a self-taught musician who plays piano, guitar, bass guitar, Drum kit and synthesizer.... Jeffrey Osborne Jeffrey Osborne Jeffrey Osborne* is an United States funk music and Rhythm and blues musician, songwriter, and former lead singer of the musical ensemble, L.T.D....	John Mellencamp John Mellencamp John Mellencamp, previously known by the stage names John Cougar* and John Cougar Mellencamp, is a Grammy-winning United States rock music singer-songwriter, musician, artist and occasional actor.... * Kenny Loggins Kenny Loggins Kenneth Clark "Kenny" Loggins* is an United States singer and songwriter best known for a number of soft rock and adult contemporary hit singles beginning in the 1970s.... Lee Ritenour Lee Ritenour Lee Mack "Captain Fingers" Ritenour* is an internationally acclaimed guitarist, recording artist, composer and producer. He began his career at 16 as a session player.... Leon Haywood Leon Haywood Leon Haywood* is an United States funk and soul singer, best known for his song "I Want a Do Something Freaky To You". The song was sampling on two of Dr.... Leslie Gore Makoto Izumitani Makoto Izumitani Makoto Izumitani is Drummer. Performed at Awards 47th Grammy Awards at Staples Center, BRIT Awards at Earls Court Exhibition Centre, American Music Award at Shrine Auditorium, MTV Europe Music Awards 2004 in Rome Italy, Billboard Music Award at MGM Grand Las Vegas, as well as TVs Saturday Night Live, Late Night with David Letterma... Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson* is an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. The seventh child of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene at the age of 11 as a member of The Jackson 5 and began a solo career in 1971 while still a member of the group.... Michael McDonald Michael McDonald (singer) Michael McDonald* is a Music recording sales certification and Music recording sales certification United States R&B/soul music singer and songwriter.... Natalie Cole Natalie Cole Natalie Maria Cole* is an influential United States singer-songwriter and performer who has won ten Grammy Awards. She achieved success in her early career as an R&B star, but smoothly changed her repertoire toward a more jazz orientated musical style in the early 1990s.... Patti Austin Patti Austin Patti Austin, born August 10 1950, in Harlem, New York, to Edna and Gordon Austin, is a Grammy award-winning R&B and jazz music singer.... Paul McCartney Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney Member of the Order of the British Empire is a multiple Grammy Award-winning England singer-songwriter, poet, composer, multi-instrumentalist, entrepreneur, record producer, film producer, Painting, and Animal rights.... Peabo Bryson Peabo Bryson Peabo Bryson* is a two-time Grammy Award-winning United States R&B and Soul music singer, born in Greenville, South Carolina, South Carolina. He is well known for singing soft-rock ballads, often as a duo with female singers, and his contribution to several Disney animated feature soundtracks.... Peggy Lee Peggy Lee Peggy Lee* was an United States jazz and traditional pop singer and songwriter and Academy Award-nominated actress. She was born Norma Deloris Egstrom in Jamestown, North Dakota.... Pointer Sisters Pointer Sisters The Pointer Sisters* are an United States Grammy Award-winning Pop music/R&B recording act from Oakland, California, California that achieved mainstream success during the 1970s and 1980s.... Quincy Jones Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones, Jr.* , is an United States music Conductor , record producer, musical arranger, film composer and trumpeter. During five decades in the entertainment industry, Jones has earned a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend Award in 1991.... Randy Badazz A&M Records A&M Records* is an United States record label owned by Universal Music Group which operates through the Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.... Rene & Angela René & Angela Ren? & Angela* were an 80's R&B duo consisting of artist/producers Ren? Moore and Angela Winbush. Angela met Ren? in 1980, formed the group, and subsequently married.... The Ritz Rufus Rufus (band) Rufus was a 1970s funk band , best known for launching the career of their lead singer Chaka Khan. They had several Chart-toppers throughout their career, including "Tell Me Something Good" , "Sweet Thing ", and "Ain't Nobody".... Sergio Mendes Sergio Mendes S?rgio Santos Mendes, Pronunciation. , is a Grammy Award-winning List of Brazilian musicians. He has released over thirty-five albums, and plays bossa nova heavily crossed with jazz and funk.... Side Effect Side effect Side effect can mean:* Adverse reaction, an unintended consequence specifically arising from drug therapy* Therapeutic effect, an unintended but desirable consequence of any kind of medical treatment... Sister Sledge Sister Sledge Sister Sledge* is an United States musical group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, formed in 1972 and consisting of four sisters: Kim Sledge , Debbie Sledge , Joni Sledge , and Kathy Sledge .... Stanley Clarke Stanley Clarke Stanley Clarke* is an United States jazz musician and composer known for his innovative and influential work on double bass and bass guitar as well as for his numerous film and television scores.... Stevie Nicks Stevie Nicks Stephanie Lynn "Stevie" Nicks* is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her work with Fleetwood Mac and an extensive solo career, which collectively have produced over forty Top 50 hits and has sold nearly 120 million albums.... Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder Stevie Wonder* is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. A prominent figure in popular music during the latter half of the 20th century, Wonder has recorded more than thirty US top ten hits, won twenty-two Grammy Awards , plus one for Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, won an Academy Award for Best Song, an... Sweet Comfort Band Sweet Comfort Band Sweet Comfort Band* was a Christian rock band who were active from the mid-1970s until 1984. The band was composed of keyboardist/lead vocalist Bryan Duncan, guitarist/vocalist Randy Thomas and brothers Kevin and Rick Thomson.... Temptations Vanity 6 Vanity 6 Vanity 6* was a female vocal trio assembled by Prince in the early 1980s. They released Vanity 6 , which blended the sounds of pop music, New Wave music, dance music, Rhythm and blues, and Funk music.... *The Brothers Johnson

Solo releases

Year	Title	Format	Label	Additional info
1981	Passage	Album	A&M A&M Records A&M Records is an United States record label owned by Universal Music Group which operates through the Interscope-Geffen-A&M division....	Gospel-directed album by this group, including Louis Johnson, Valerie Johnson (ex-wife) & former Brothers Johnson-percussionist/vocalist Richard Heath
1985	"Kinky"/"She's Bad"	Single	Capitol Capitol Records Capitol Records is a major United States-based record label owned by EMI and located in Hollywood, California and New York City as part of Capitol Music Group....	Europe-exclusive solo release by Louis Johnson
1985	Evolution	Album	Capitol Capitol Records Capitol Records is a major United States-based record label owned by EMI and located in Hollywood, California and New York City as part of Capitol Music Group....	Europe-exclusive solo release by Louis Johnson
1985	Starlicks Master Sessions	VHS Video	Starlicks	Louis Johnson instructional video re-issued on DVD by the Hal Leonard Company