Terry Isaiah Johnson's production and arrangement of “I Only Have Eyes For You” has enlisted him as a Grammy Hall of Fame Award winner and a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee.
About “I Only Have Eye’s For You”
Terry Isaiah Johnson is a music producer, entertainer, and entertainment consultant whose extensive background includes writing and producing with Smokey Robinson at Motown Records. Terry has earned a Grammy Hall of Fame Award, BMI Certificate of Achievement in Broadcasting Award and an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, just to name a few of his accolades.
The Love Song of All Love Songs
His sexy, fresh new version of “I Only Have Eyes For You” is being hailed as 'the love song of all love songs' and truly exemplifies Johnson’s genius in music arrangement.
Recorded at Reba McEntire’s studio, Starstruck Studios in Nashville Tennessee, the Song Boasts a Stellar Line-up of A-list Collaborators:
Executive Producer - Paul Kasofsky
Producer - Jimmy Nichols
Producer – Terry Johnson
Co-Producer - Theresa Trigg
Piano & Synth - Jimmy Nichols
Electric Guitar - Brent Mason
Acoustic Guitar - B. James Lowry
Bass Guitar - Spady Brannan
Drums & Percussion - Paul Leim
“I love it when someone takes a classic song like this and re-works it into something brand new. This recording is reverent and the contemporary production is amazing but at the same time, it represents the original song very well.” - Ed Gertler
About Terry Isaiah Johnson
Terry Isaiah Johnson wrote and produced with Smokey Robinson at Motown Records. As a BMI Certificate of Achievement in Broadcasting Award and a Rhythm & Blues Foundation Pioneer Award recipient, Terry was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Grammy Hall of Fame. Boyz II Men recruited him and his producing partner Theresa Trigg where they re-produced his famous arrangement of I Only Have Eyes For You. Terry's group, The Flamingos, appeared on The View with Whoopi Goldberg.
Background
Terry wrote, arranged and sang lead on "Fool Heart" and "Are You Sorry?", both released in 1955. Terry Johnson is the duet lead heard, along with Paul Wilson, on "Lovers Never Say Goodbye", "Love Walked In", "Time Was" and "But Not For Me", all Billboard chart hits except the latter which is a beautiful album cut. Terry recorded three albums with The Flamingos, Flamingo Serenade, Requestfully Yours and Flamingo Favorites. They toured extensively and appeared five times on the TV show American Bandstand. The group's signature classic "I Only Have Eyes for You" is perhaps the finest example of Johnson's genius in musical arranging, especially vocal harmony.
Shortly after Tommy Hunt left the group in 1961, the Flamingos split into 2 groups, one with the Careys and Paul Wilson and one with Terry Johnson and Nate Nelson calling themselves at varying times, the Modern Flamingos, the Fabulous Flamingos and later simply, Terry Johnson's Flamingos. The two recorded on Atco together in 1963 as the Starglows. The result was the beautiful Johnson-penned ballad "Let's Be Lovers" (b/w "Walk Away Softly", written by Skyliners' manager and "Since I Don't Have You" co-author Joe Rock). Terry Johnson would later re-record "Let's Be Lovers" in 2005 with artists Jeff Calloway and TeeTee for his own Hot Fun Record label. The Flamingos featuring Terry Johnson appeared on two PBS specials: Rock and Roll at Fifty (in which they were the only group to have more than two songs featured) and Doo Wop Cavalcade: The Definitive Anthology.
At Motown
In 1964, Smokey Robinson recruited Johnson onto the staff of Motown Records. Their most notable collaboration was the the Top 10 Miracles hit, Baby, Baby Don't Cry . Other charted hits include "Malinda" for Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers and "Here I Go Again" for Smokey Robinson & The Miracles. Terry also wrote/produced for the Four Tops, the Temptations, Martha and the Vandellas and the Supremes. In 1969, Johnson released the solo 45's "My Springtime" and "Whatcha Gonna Do", both b/w "Suzie" on Gordy Records (a Motown subsidiary.) He then released the follow-up "Stone Soul Booster" b/w "Sandy" under the name "Buzzie".
Contact: hotfunrecords@gmail.com
This press release was brought to you by BWH Music Group.