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R&B vocalist Howard Johnson started out in Miami, holding forth in local bars and clubs until the appearance of a life-changing business contact. That was Sandy Torano, a guitarist and producer associated with performers such as <a href="spotify:artist:6twIAGnYuIT1pncMAsXnEm">the Commodores</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:3oqSDVaf6RoBGreqOlgUpv">Phyllis Hyman</a>. Johnson was his choice for a new vocal group and thus began the singer's recording career. It was 1977, the group was called Niteflyte, and the label was <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Ariola%22">Ariola</a>. The project lasted for only two albums but created enough of a buzz for <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22A%26M%22">A&M</a> to sign Johnson to a solo contract.

A trio of close associates -- <a href="spotify:artist:135Rv69sEKYSUfBBaI7i3M">Kashif</a>, Paul Laurence Jones, and Morris Brown -- produced Keepin' Love New (1982), Johnson's solo debut; both "So Fine" and the title track did very well in the British market. The singer recorded two more albums for the label: Doin' It My Way (1983), produced by <a href="spotify:artist:67NN7SgdxKesGnxZOB8YeX">the System</a>, and The Vision (1985), some of which was handled by <a href="spotify:artist:4ZaXj4ZrqscgpfqJolMfib">Jimmy Jam</a> and Terry Lewis. At the end of the decade, the singer returned to <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22A%26M%22">A&M</a> as part of the duo Johnson & Branson with Regis Branson. In the interim, Johnson did some recording with singer <a href="spotify:artist:2MGI96UXRCEwaQGuQzAWfZ">Donna Allen</a>.

The '90s, if not a completely fallow period, represented a stark respite from the action-packed '80s. Johnson was not really to be seen until he showed up again with old pal Branson in the new millennium, this time at the behest of a Japanese outfit, Soul Japan, that had gone mad for the sound of old-school '80s soul. Packed and Waitin' was released in 2002. Roughly a decade later, Johnson's <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22A%26M%22">A&M</a> albums were reissued by the Netherlands' <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22PTG%22">PTG</a> label. ~ Eugene Chadbourne, Rovi

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