The Johnston Brothers
Encyclopedia
The Johnston Brothers were a vocal
group
who had a #1 hit
in the UK Singles Chart
in 1955 with their cover version
of "Hernando's Hideaway
".
The group was formed by Johnny Johnston (born John Harold Johnston, 10 July 1919 - 10 June 1998, London
). He had formed a music publishing company, Michael Reine Music, in London in 1946, and was used by the BBC Light Programme
radio channel
as a singer and arranger
. His first big success was to write and perform, with his vocal quartet The Keynotes, the theme to the successful comedy series Take It From Here
in 1948. The Keynotes remained a popular singing group in the United Kingdom
throughout the 1950s, winning several awards but having no hit records.
In 1949 Johnston formed an all-male singing trio, The Johnston Brothers, the other members being Alan Dean, Eddie Lester and Denny Vaughan (died 1972). They won a recording contract
with Decca Records
, and had their first UK
Top 10 hit in 1953 with "Oh Happy Day". In November 1955, their version of "Hernando's Hideaway", from the movie
The Pajama Game
, reached the number one spot for two weeks, beating off the American
versions by both Johnnie Ray
and Archie Bleyer
. The Johnston Brothers had a number of smaller follow-up hits in the UK, including the medley "Join In And Sing Again" (1955) and "Heart" (1957), and also recorded
with Joan Regan
. They provided backing
for the British
vocalist, Suzi Miller, on their UK #14 joint hit, "Happy Days and Lonely Nights" in 1955.
By 1956, Johnston had established Johnny Johnston Jingles Ltd., which was responsible for hundreds of advertising jingle
s in the early years of British commercial television, including "A million housewives every day pick up a can of beans and say - Beanz Meanz Heinz
!", "You can be sure of Shell
", and the first ever colour TV commercial
in Britain, for Birds Eye
peas in 1969.
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
group
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
who had a #1 hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in 1955 with their cover version
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...
of "Hernando's Hideaway
Hernando's Hideaway
"Hernando's Hideaway" is a tango show tune from the musical The Pajama Game, written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross and published in 1954. The lyrics describe a dark and secretive nightclub....
".
The group was formed by Johnny Johnston (born John Harold Johnston, 10 July 1919 - 10 June 1998, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
). He had formed a music publishing company, Michael Reine Music, in London in 1946, and was used by the BBC Light Programme
BBC Light Programme
The Light Programme was a BBC radio station which broadcast mainstream light entertainment and music from 1945 until 1967, when it was rebranded as BBC Radio 2...
radio channel
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
as a singer and arranger
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
. His first big success was to write and perform, with his vocal quartet The Keynotes, the theme to the successful comedy series Take It From Here
Take It From Here
Take It From Here was a British radio comedy programme broadcast by the BBC between 1948 and 1960. It was written by Frank Muir and Denis Norden, and starred Jimmy Edwards, Dick Bentley and Joy Nichols...
in 1948. The Keynotes remained a popular singing group in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
throughout the 1950s, winning several awards but having no hit records.
In 1949 Johnston formed an all-male singing trio, The Johnston Brothers, the other members being Alan Dean, Eddie Lester and Denny Vaughan (died 1972). They won 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...
with Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
, and had their first UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Top 10 hit in 1953 with "Oh Happy Day". In November 1955, their version of "Hernando's Hideaway", from the movie
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
The Pajama Game
The Pajama Game
The Pajama Game is a musical based on the novel 7½ Cents by Richard Bissell. It features a score by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The story deals with labor troubles in a pajama factory, where worker demands for a seven-and-a-half cents raise are going unheeded...
, reached the number one spot for two weeks, beating off the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
versions by both Johnnie Ray
Johnnie Ray
Johnnie Ray was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Popular for most of the 1950s, Ray has been cited by critics as a major precursor of what would become rock and roll, for his jazz and blues-influenced music and his animated stage personality.-Early life:John Alvin Ray was born in...
and Archie Bleyer
Archie Bleyer
Archie Bleyer was an American song arranger, bandleader, and record company executive.-Early life:He was born in the Corona section of the New York City borough of Queens. He began playing the piano when he was only seven years old...
. The Johnston Brothers had a number of smaller follow-up hits in the UK, including the medley "Join In And Sing Again" (1955) and "Heart" (1957), and also 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...
with Joan Regan
Joan Regan
Joan Regan is a traditional pop music singer from the UK, popular during the 1950s and early 1960s.-Biography:...
. They provided backing
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
for the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
vocalist, Suzi Miller, on their UK #14 joint hit, "Happy Days and Lonely Nights" in 1955.
By 1956, Johnston had established Johnny Johnston Jingles Ltd., which was responsible for hundreds of advertising jingle
Jingle
A jingle is a short tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. The jingle contains one or more hooks and lyrics that explicitly promote the product being advertised, usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans. Ad buyers use jingles in radio and television...
s in the early years of British commercial television, including "A million housewives every day pick up a can of beans and say - Beanz Meanz Heinz
H. J. Heinz Company
The H. J. Heinz Company , commonly known as Heinz and famous for its "57 Varieties" slogan and its ketchup, is an American food company with world headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Perhaps best known for its ketchup, the H.J...
!", "You can be sure of Shell
Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
", and the first ever colour TV commercial
Television advertisement
A television advertisement or television commercial, often just commercial, advert, ad, or ad-film – is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message, typically one intended to market a product...
in Britain, for Birds Eye
Birds Eye
__FORCETOC__Birds Eye is an international brand of frozen foods owned by Pinnacle Foods in North America and by private equity group Permira in Europe....
peas in 1969.