DER US-AMERIKANISCHE BLUES-, SOUL- UND R&B-MUSIKER UND -SÄNGER SYL JOHNSON IST GESTORBEN

Syl Johnson (Bild, eigentlich Sylvester Thompson), der am 1. Juli 1936 in Holly Springs (Mississippi) geborene US-amerikanische Musiker (Gesang, Gitarre, Harmonika) des Chicago Blues, Soul, Funk und Rhythm and Blues, ist vor dem oder am 6. Februar 2022 gestorben. Er war einer der meist gesampelten Künstler überhaupt. Seine Songs wurden unter anderem von Michael Jackson, Wu-Tang Clan, Cypress Hill, Public Enemy, Jay-Z, Kanye West und De La Soul - oft illegal - gesampelt. Das Portal «WhoSampled» nennt über 300 Songs, die Teile von Johnsons Kult-Werk verwenden. Johnson veröffentlichte während seiner Karriere ein Dutzend Alben, darunter «Different Strokes», «Is It Because I'm Black», «Back for a Taste of Your Love» und «Bridge to Legacy».

Foto: I, Sumori, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Sumori, 1997 – Lizenz: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en – Datei: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SylJohnson1997.jpg

Chicago Blues, Soul Legend Syl Johnson Dies at 85

«A fiery, fierce, fighter, always standing for the pursuit of justice as it related to his music and sound, he will truly be missed by all who crossed his path. His catalog and legacy will be remembered as impeccable and a historical blueprint to all who experience it,» said a statement from his family, including Johnson’s daughter, Syleena Johnson, a Grammy-nominated singer.

https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2022/02/06/chicago-blues-soul-legend-syl-johnson-dies-at-85/

Syl Johnson, ‘Different Strokes’ legend sampled by Kanye, dead at 85

Syl Johnson, the veteran R&B voice behind the 1967 classic «Different Strokes» and an indelible underground influence on the hip-hop community, has died.

Rob Bailey-Millado

https://nypost.com/2022/02/07/syl-johnson-different-strokes-rb-legend-dead-at-85/

Syl Johnson, Soul Singer Heavily Sampled in Hip-Hop, Dies at 85

The Chicago bluesman’s 1967 single «Different Strokes» has been used in tracks by Jay-Z and Kanye West, Public Enemy, Wu-Tang Clan, and more

Madison Bloom

https://pitchfork.com/news/syl-johnson-soul-singer-heavily-sampled-in-hip-hop-dies-at-85/

Singer’s upbeat and socially conscious songwriting appears on tracks by Wu-Tang Clan, Public Enemy and Kanye West

He had his biggest hit in 1975 with Take Me To the River, the song by labelmate Al Green that would also be recorded by Talking Heads. It reached No 7 in the US R&B chart and crossed over into the Top 50 of the pop chart.

Ben Beaumont-Thomas

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/feb/06/syl-johnson-much-sampled-blues-funk-and-soul-singer-dies-aged-85

Syl Johnson, der «meist gesampelte» Künstler aller Zeiten, ist tot

Die Musikwelt hat eine wichtige Figur verloren. Mit 85 Jahren ist Soul-Ikone Syl Johnson gestorben. Berühmt wurde er vor allem in der Hip-Hop-Community, wo er als «meist gesampelte» Persönlichkeit in die Annalen eingegangen ist.

Björn Springorum

https://www.udiscover-music.de/news/syl-johnson-ist-tot

Audio / Videos:

Syl Johnson: Any Way The Wind Blows – Official Movie Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh0DE8lAenA

Radio-Interview 2010

http://www.sittinginthepark.com/interviews/syljohnson-5-30-2010.mp3

Syl Johnson Interview – NAMM Oral History Library (2013)

https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/syl-johnson

Syl Johnson / Take Me To The River

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSgGkaARhQs

Take Me to the River