Little Johnny Taylor

Born Johnny Lamont Merrett on Feb. 11 1943 in Grgory, AR. This is the original "Johnny Taylor". Little Johnny came to Los Angeles in 1950 and did a stint with the Mighty Clouds Of Joy before going secular. He debuted as an R&B artist with a pair of 45s for the Swingin' logo, but his career took off with Fantasy's Galaxy subsidiary in 1963. His first hit "You'' Need Another Favor" hit #27 on R & B charts in 1963 but it was his next hit where he hit the big time. His cover of Clay Hammond's "Part Time Love" went straight to #1 on the R & B chart and even crossed over on pop charts to #19. After some more minor hits for Galaxy Taylor eventually signed with Stan Lewis' Ronn label and scored big again with the hits "Everybody Knows About My Good Thing" & "Open House At My House". LJT's chart success waned and it wasn't until the late 80s that he started recording often again with Ichiban Records. Although he never returned to the success of his glory days he remained active performing until his death in 2002

Album Discography

"Little Johnny Taylor" aka "Part Time Love" (Galaxy 1962)

"Everybody Knows About My Good Thing" (Ronn 1970)

**** 1/2 His earlier Galaxy material is superb, but this debut LP for Ronn is full of classic soulful, bluesy, passionate singing. The obvious high point is "Everybody Knows About My Good Thing" (#9 R&B) here in two parts. Perhaps THE cheating Blues song of the modern era. The album also boasts the emotive slow ballad "How Are You Fixed For Love", the southern soul in 6/8 time "How Can A Broke Man Survive" & the West Coast slow blues "It's My Fault Darling" (#41 R&B),

"Open House At My House" (Ronn 1973)

***** How do you follow up a smash like "Everybody Knows About My Good Thing"? With an equally good Blues like "Open House At My House" (#16 R & ) here in two parts. Bobby Patterson penned this classic with Kenny Strickland as well as the turnabout "You're Not The Only One (Who's Got Someone Across Town". The duo also wrote he mid-paced blues thumper "I'll Make It Worth Your While" (#39 R&B) and "You're Saving Your Best Love For Me" (#83 R & B). Meanwhile Taylor wrote and gives the vocal of his life on the gorgeous soul waltz "My Special Rose".

Little Johnny And Ted Taylor "The Super Taylors" (Ronn 1974; Paula 1995)

*** Compilation featuring four solo tracks each from Little Johnny Taylor & Ted Taylor plus four cuts with the soul singers together (including "Funky Ghetto", "Walking The Floor"). Fans of either will probably want this but it's a marketing tool to push one artists to fans of the other.

"L.J.T." (Ronn 1979)

*** The tag line in "L.J.T." (from the album L.J.T.) goes: "My name is Little Johnny Taylor and I've been singing for a long long time. If you haven't heard about me it ain't no fault of mine.". Which was true, even though his fame was eclipsed by another great singer name Johnnie Taylor. Nevertheless, in 1977 with disco ruling the charts Little Johnny Taylor's record company updated his blues sound with a touch of funk; most evident on the title track, the great "Don't Do It" and a few others on the LJT album. It didn't sell. LJT was too good and too BLUES to appeal to the faddish Disco crowd

"As Long As I Don't See You" (Charly 1980)

N/R Unnecessary compilation of Ronn material.

"I Should've Been A Preacher" (Red Lighnin' 1981)

N/R Good collection of Galaxy sides supplanted by newer compilations.

"Stuck In The Mud" (Ichiban 1988)

*** Although Taylor's voice is not what it once was this is a competent modern soul blues LP produced by Gary B.B. Coleman. LJT redoes his standard "Everybody Knows About My Good Thing" and another blues classic ("First Class Love") and belts out some fine slow blues on "Stuck In The Mud", "Full Time Love" & "There's Something On Your Mind".

"Ugly Man" (Ichiban 1989)

** Disappointing followup from the legend is simply flat- Taylor's vocals and the accompaniment both sound lazy. Gary B.B. Coleman needed to punch things up on this session. The listener keeps waiting for LJT to wail but he never does; causing one to suspect the power is gone from his once powerful vocal chords. The title track is an okay slow blues and the update of the funky "L.J.T." is passable. Perhaps if you never heard his music before you'd be more pleased.

"Greatest Hits" (Fantasy 1991)

**** 1/2 Excellent 17-track compilation of his Galaxy material featuring the hits "Part Time Love" (R & B #1; Pop #19), "You'll Need Another Favor" (R & B #27), "Zig Zag Lightning" (R & B #43), "Since I Found A New Love" (R & B #78 Pop #78) and other great tracks by the blues wailer.

"The Galaxy Years" (Ace 1999)

***** Superior compilation of LJT's Galaxy material contains 26 tracks (9 more than "Greatest Hits" ).

"You're Looking Good" (Nasha 1997)

** 1/2 Very obscure final recording by Taylor features some low budget midtempo Southern Soul like the thoughtful "Golden Rule" and sweet, love paean "When God Made You". There's one strong blues that rises about the plastic production ("You Must Think I'm Crazy"). There's something bittersweet about this CD that, although nowhere near what he was capable of, sticks with you after listening.

"Part Time Love" (Ronn 1997)

*** 1/2 Despite the title this record has nothing to do with the 1962 Galaxy LP of the same name but was actually recorded before the "L.J.T." album released in 1979. "Part Time Love" was made up of mostly singles released between 1974-1976. (The actual album was not officially released until 1997). Included on this stellar set are remakes of two of his biggest hits: "Part Time Love" & "You'll Need Another Favor", plus a thumping cover of "Just A Little Bit" (spoiled a bit by the superfluous moaning and groaning by LJT and a female singer). Also included are the masterfully sung Soul Blues of "True Love" & "When Are You Coming Home". Don't sleep on this one. Taylor's aching blues wail of a voice was one of the best ever recorded and you can never have too much of this "good thing".