From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Thu Jan 10, 2002  1:16 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Buddy Johnson
 
BUDDY JOHNSON (By Dave Penny)

Born Woodrow Wilson Johnson, 10 January 1915, Darlington, South Carolina
Died 9 February 1977, New York City, New York.

Vocalist/pianist/composer/bandleader.
Leader of a hugely popular big band that lasted incredibly until 1955 - long
after his peers had disbanded - Buddy Johnson was a consummate composer who
penned standards such as "I Still Love You", "You Won't Let Me Go", "Save
Your Love For Me" and, especially, "Since I Fell For You". In addition to
the romantic ballads, he was also skilled at crafting catchy blues and jump
tunes and was responsible for the original versions of "That's The Stuff You
Gotta Watch" (#2 in 1945), "Please Mr Johnson" and "Crazy 'Bout A
Saxophone". Johnson recorded for Decca (1939-52), Mercury (1953-57),
Roulette (1958) and Old Town (1961-64) and made a sneaky one-off session for
Sam Goody's Harlem Records in 1945 as "Pedro Johnson". Many of his best
recordings were made accompanying his vocalist sister Ella. The band's
complete 1940s Decca recordings are available on three CDs from
Chronological Classics, while Bear Family released a lush box set collecting
the complete post Decca recordings 1953-64.