Sammy Johns
Encyclopedia
Sammy Johns is an American
country
singer-songwriter
, best known for his million selling 1975 hit single
, "Chevy Van".
, and by the time he was a teenager
he had established his own band
, the Devilles. The group performed in local clubs
and recorded
a few records
on the Dixie record label
. After a move to Atlanta, Georgia
, he was given a recording contract
in 1973. General Recording Corporation put out Johns' first solo
record, "Early Morning Love", that year.
Although he wrote a number of hit song
s for other artists
, Johns is best remembered for the one he recorded himself, "Chevy Van". The single drove up to #5 in the Billboard Hot 100
chart
. It remained in the chart
for 20 weeks and was awarded a gold disc
by the R.I.A.A.
on 4 May 1975.
After his eponymous debut album
on the GRC record label
, which included "Chevy Van", the singer signed a deal in 1976 with Warner-Curb, which resulted in Johns working on the soundtrack
to The Van. The 1982 New World Records
single
"Falling for You" came to the attention of Elektra
, and the company took Johns on board and issued "Love Me off the Road" and "Common Man". When country artist John Conlee
covered
"Common Man", the single went gold and topped the charts. Conlee made the song his theme, and Johns continued writing songs for others.
Those who have recorded Johns' songs are Waylon Jennings
, Sammy Kershaw
, and Conway Twitty
. In 1985, Jennings serenaded the Statue of Liberty
with Johns' song "America", on a nationally broadcast event to mark the statue's restoration. The performance helped turn the single gold, and "America" was nominated for song of the year in country music circles. Johns' "Desperado Love" also brought Twitty his final gold record. Kershaw covered "Chevy Van" on his 1996 album Politics, Religion and Her
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, best known for his million selling 1975 hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
, "Chevy Van".
Career
When he was nine years old, Johns' father presented him with a guitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, and by the time he was a teenager
Adolescence
Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and mental human development generally occurring between puberty and legal adulthood , but largely characterized as beginning and ending with the teenage stage...
he had established his own band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, the Devilles. The group performed in local clubs
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
and recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
a few records
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
on the Dixie record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
. After a move to Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, he was given a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
in 1973. General Recording Corporation put out Johns' first solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
record, "Early Morning Love", that year.
Although he wrote a number of hit song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s for other artists
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, Johns is best remembered for the one he recorded himself, "Chevy Van". The single drove up to #5 in the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
. It remained in the chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
for 20 weeks and was awarded a gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
by the R.I.A.A.
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
on 4 May 1975.
After his eponymous debut album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
on the GRC record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, which included "Chevy Van", the singer signed a deal in 1976 with Warner-Curb, which resulted in Johns working on the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
to The Van. The 1982 New World Records
New World Records
New World Records is a record label based in New York City specialising in American music. The label was established in 1975 through a Rockefeller Foundation grant to produce a 100 disc anthology covering 200 years of American music....
single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"Falling for You" came to the attention of Elektra
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
, and the company took Johns on board and issued "Love Me off the Road" and "Common Man". When country artist John Conlee
John Conlee
John Conlee is an American country music singer. Between 1978 and 2004, Conlee charted a total of thirty-two singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts and recorded eleven studio albums...
covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
"Common Man", the single went gold and topped the charts. Conlee made the song his theme, and Johns continued writing songs for others.
Those who have recorded Johns' songs are Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings
Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...
, Sammy Kershaw
Sammy Kershaw
Samuel Paul "Sammy" Kershaw is an American country music artist. A third cousin of Cajun fiddler Doug Kershaw and ex-husband of Lorrie Morgan, he has been active in country music since 1991. He has released ten studio albums, with three RIAA platinum certifications and two gold certifications...
, and Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty
Conway Twitty , born Harold Lloyd Jenkins, was an American country music artist. He also had success in early rock and roll, R&B, and pop music. He held the record for the most number one singles of any act with 55 No. 1 Billboard country hits until George Strait broke the record in 2006...
. In 1985, Jennings serenaded the Statue of Liberty
Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886...
with Johns' song "America", on a nationally broadcast event to mark the statue's restoration. The performance helped turn the single gold, and "America" was nominated for song of the year in country music circles. Johns' "Desperado Love" also brought Twitty his final gold record. Kershaw covered "Chevy Van" on his 1996 album Politics, Religion and Her
Politics, Religion and Her
Politics, Religion and Her is a 1996 album by country musician Sammy Kershaw. The album launched several charting singles and itself charted at #115 on The Billboard 200, also peaking at #17 on Top Country Albums...
.
Albums
| Year | Album | US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Sammy Johns | 148 | General Recording |
| 1994 | Golden Classics | — | Collectables |
| 2000 | Honky Tonk Moon | — | Southern Tracks |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | RIAA Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... |
Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
||||
| 1974 | "Chevy Van" | 5 | — | Gold | Sammy Johns |
| "Early Morning Love" | 68 | 79 | — | ||
| 1975 | "Rag Doll" | 52 | — | — | |
| 1981 | "Common Man" | — | 50 | — | singles only |
| 1988 | "Chevy Van" (re-release) | — | 80 | — | |