Wallace Johnson

Vocalist Wallace Johnson last sang around New Orleans clubs in the late '70s, but it wasn't until the mid-'90s that his singing has been recorded and made available to a larger public outside of New Orleans, thanks to New Orleans-based producer <a href="spotify:artist:63aP18bg2ABSOqSNQcAMNy">Allen Toussaint</a>. Best described as a soul-blues singer, Johnson recorded a 1996 album, Whoever's Thrilling You, that was the debut for <a href="spotify:artist:63aP18bg2ABSOqSNQcAMNy">Toussaint</a>'s NYNO (New York/New Orleans) label.

Born on a plantation in 1937, Johnson got married and joined the Army at age 17. He first performed in public during his term in the Army in the mid-'50s, and after singing around Thibodaux, Louisiana in the early '60s, he recorded four singles for AFO Records in 1962, a label Harold Battiste, <a href="spotify:artist:63aP18bg2ABSOqSNQcAMNy">Toussaint</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:320TrJub4arztwXRm7kqVO">Dr. John</a> and other New Orleans-based musicians founded. With a growing family and a wife, Johnson reached a crossroads of sorts, and decided to put his singing career on the back burner for a number of years (though he did record eight more singles between 1965 and 1972 at <a href="spotify:artist:63aP18bg2ABSOqSNQcAMNy">Toussaint</a>'s home studios).

Between 1972 and 1992, Johnson put show business aside, working as a longshoreman and running a music club, Mr. J's, in Thibodaux for a number of years. After being urged to go back on stage and sing by both his fiancée and his bassist Alonzo Johnson (<a href="spotify:artist:4YjUgG9now7U0MB5xR1t6b">Rockin' Dopsie</a>), he sang in public once again in 1993 at the New Orleans French Quarter Festival. Johnson began making regular appearances in Crescent City clubs and in late 1995, returned to <a href="spotify:artist:63aP18bg2ABSOqSNQcAMNy">Toussaint</a>'s studios to record his first full-length album. <a href="spotify:artist:63aP18bg2ABSOqSNQcAMNy">Toussaint</a> wrote nine of the album's twelve songs specifically with Johnson in mind. On the album, Johnson sings songs with a wide variety of tempos. His gospel-influenced, soul-drenched vocals are unique, powerful and moving. ~ Richard Skelly, Rovi