From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Tue Oct 15, 2002  1:24 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Marv Johnson
 
MARV JOHNSON

Born Marvin Earl Johnson, 15 October 1938, Detroit, Michigan
Died 16 May 1993, Columbia, South Carolina

Singer. Best remembered for a handful of hits, in particular "You Got What
It Takes" and "I Love The Way You Love," Marv Johnson was also a seminal
figure in the early history of Motown Records. He was raised in a musical
environment that mixed the gospel music of the Baptist church with the
jump-jazz of Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five. By the time he was in
high school he had joined a local singing group, playing carnivals and fairs.
In 1958, he cut his first sides, "My Baby-O" and "Once Upon a Time" for
the small Kudo label. Although the single went nowhere, the recording
session resulted in a meeting with songwriter and would-be record producer
Berry Gordy. After Johnson played his original song "Come to Me" for Gordy
and his future wife Raynoma, the couple chose Johnson as the first artist for
their fledgling record label, Tamla. Because the new label didn't have
distribution
outside of Detroit, "Come to Me" (credited to Gordy and Johnson) was released
nationally by United Artists, and rose to # 6 on the R&B charts and # 30 on the
pop charts. Gordy soon lost direct control of his first discovery after United
Artists
signed Johnson directly, but continued as the singer's manager. Johnson also
toured with Motown acts such as the Miracles in addition to appearing on Alan
Freed's rock 'n roll revues and media venues such as American Bandstand, and
joined early package tours and stage revues where he shared bills with his idols
Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson.
Johnson's second single fared poorly, but his third, 1959's "You've Got What
It Takes," exploded onto the charts, peaking at # 10 (# 2 R&B) and earning a
gold record. The 1960 follow-up "I Love the Way You Love" also landed in the
Top Ten; among his subsequent singles, "You've Got To Move Two Mountains"
was a more pop flavoured effort that reached the Top 20, while "Happy Days"
got to # 7 on the R&B charts late in 1960. "Merry-Go-Round," issued in early
1961, was Johnson's last chart success.
In 1965, with the British invasion in full swing, Johnson's contract was
dropped by United Artists. He finally came "home" to Motown, joining the
Gordy label, but never enjoyed another American hit, although he scored in
the UK with "I'll Pick a Rose for My Rose (# 10, 1968) and "I Miss You Baby"
(# 25, 1969). He later worked in a front-office job for Motown, and also wrote
songs for Tyrone Davis and Johnny Taylor. Johnson's recording career ended
in the late 1960's, but he never stopped performing, and remained active on
stage until his death in 1993.

CD: The Best Of Marv Johnson : You've Got What It Takes (United Artists
E2-98895), in the EMI Legends of rhythm and blues series. 24 tracks.