Mike Johnson (yodeler)
Mike Johnson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1946 |
| Instrument(s) | Yodeling, guitar |
| Years active | 1966–present |
| Labels | Roughshod Records and You and Me Records |
Mike Johnson (born 1946) is an American country music yodeler, singer, and songwriter living in Arlington, Virginia. Also known as Country Music's No.1 Black Yodeler, and Black Yodel No.1.
Raised in a Catholic family in Washington, DC, Johnson began yodeling in the 1950s, imitating the "Tarzan yell" of actor Johnny Weissmuller.[1] Johnson enlisted in the US Navy in 1965 and served two Vietnam tours from 1967 to 1969 on the USS Constellation CVA-64. He did his first professional recording session at Globe Recording Studio in April 1981 in Nashville, and released his first 45rpm single "King of the Fish."[2] In September 1981 he became a long distance trucker for Newlon's Transfer of Arlington, Va. Johnson founded Pata del Lobo Music publishing in 1982, and Roughshod Records and You and Me Records in 1987.[2] Johnson has since released 2 45rpm vinyls, 11 cassettes, and 61 CDs.
Awards and recognition
- Inducted into America's Old-Time Country Music Hall Of Fame by The National Traditional Country Music Association at the 27th Annual Old-Time Country Music Festival, in Avoca, Iowa, September 2002[3][4]
- 114 of his yodels were acquired by the Library of Congress' Recorded Sound Reference Center's permanent music collection in April 2007[citation needed]
- received Lifetime Achievement Award from National Traditional Country Music Association in August 2016 at 41st Annual Old Time Country Music Festival, LeMars, Iowa.[5]
Johnson received a 2017 Legendary Honky Tonk CD of the Year Award from the National Traditional Country Music Association at their 2017 Old Time Country Music Festival in LeMars, Iowa.
Works
Discography
- King of the Fish (single 1981)
- Hooked on Rodeo (single 1985)
- Did You Hug Your Mother Today? (single 1994)
- Black Yodel No.1, The Song, The Songwriter (1999)
- Dig You Hug Your Mother Today? (1999)
- Doggone It I’ve Written A Sad Song Again (2014)
- Mike Johnson Yodeling 40 Years (2006)
Compilations
- Rough Guide to Yodel (2006)[6]
Books
- Mike Johnson (13 December 2012). I Just Wanted to Be a Songwriter: A Mike Johnson Music Anthology. MAJJ Productions. ISBN 978-0-615-75114-6.
References
- ^ Brace, Eric (1996-10-11). was later influenced by the music of %5b%5bJimmie Rodgers (country singer)|Jimmie Rodgers%5d%5d, %5b%5bGene Autry%5d%5d, and %5b%5bRoy Rogers%5d%5d, "A Local Yodel". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2015-07-11.
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help) - ^ a b Bart Plantenga (8 February 2013). Yodel in Hi-Fi: From Kitsch Folk to Contemporary Electronica. University of Wisconsin Pres. pp. 30–31. ISBN 978-0-299-29053-5.
- ^ "Mike Johnson Live! DVD Series: Mike Johnson's Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame Induction". YouTube. 2010-09-04. Retrieved 2015-07-03.
- ^ "National Traditional Country Music Assn". Ntcma.net. Retrieved 2015-07-11.
- ^ "Mike Johnson Lifetime Achievement & James Adelsberger Instrumental CD of the Year - 2016". YouTube. 2016-09-26.
- ^ Bart Plantenga (22 September 2006). "Why it's time we learned to love yodelling". The Guardian. Retrieved 2015-07-11.
- Pamela E. Foster (1998). My Country: The African Diaspora's Country Music Heritage. My Country. p. 146. ISBN 978-0-9662680-1-0.
External links
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
- Yodelers
- Country musicians from Virginia
- American country singer-songwriters
- African-American country musicians
- Musicians from Arlington County, Virginia
- 1946 births
- Living people
- African-American songwriters
- 21st-century African-American people
- 20th-century African-American people
- Singer-songwriters from Virginia