Marv Johnson

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Marvin Earl Johnson (October 15, 1938 – May 16, 1993) was an American R&B and soul singer most notable for performing on the first record to ever come from Motown.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Johnson began his career singing with a doo-wop group called the Serenaders in the mid-1950s. With budding talents not only as a singer but as a songwriter and pianist, he would eventually be discovered by Motown CEO Berry Gordy, who signed Johnson to the then-fledging label in 1959 while Johnson performed at a carnival.

Johnson's debut Motown single, "Come To Me", was released regionally on the label's subsidiary imprint, Tamla, in May of 1959. The song was eventually picked up by United Artists and reached the top thirty of the US pop singles chart.

Between 1959 and 1961, Johnson would issue nine Hot 100 singles including two top ten singles, "You Got What It Takes" and "I Love The Way You Love". He scored his final top 40 single in 1960 with "(You've Got To) Move Two Mountains".

In the UK, he had two Top Ten hits "You Got What It Takes", number 7 in 1960 and "I'll Pick A Rose For My Rose" number 10 in 1969. Three other recordings made the top 75: "I Love The Way You Love", "Ain't Gonna Be That Way" and "I Miss You Baby".

Johnson's early Motown-issued singles would be the precedent to the future sound and success of the label, which by the time Johnson began issuing his Motown records nationally in 1965, had become the biggest independent label in the world. After issuing his final Motown singles in 1968, Johnson remained with Motown working on sales and promotion throughout the 1970s.

Johnson continued singing into the 1990s releasing a solo album on London-based Motor City Records. Johnson died of a stroke on May 16, 1993 in Columbia, South Carolina at the age of 54.


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Persondata
NAME Johnson, Marv
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Johnson, Marvin Earl
SHORT DESCRIPTION American R&B and soul singer
DATE OF BIRTH October 15, 1938
PLACE OF BIRTH Detroit, Michigan
DATE OF DEATH May 16, 1993
PLACE OF DEATH Columbia, South Carolina
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