Little Johnny Taylor

Biography

Little Johnny Taylor (born Johnny Lamont Merrett; February 11, 1943 – May 17, 2002) was an American blues and soul singer. He made recordings throughout the 1960s and 1970s, and continued public performances through the 1980s and 1990s.

Biography

Born in Gregory, Arkansas, United States, he is frequently confused with his contemporary and near namesake Johnnie Taylor, especially since the latter made a cover version of the song that Little Johnny Taylor was most famous for, "Part Time Love×Part Time Love1997 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Part Time Love3:392You're Gonna Need Another Favor5:473True Lovin'3:134Future3:225I Can't See Myself as a One Woman Man3:576I Don't Want It All4:187Hard Head3:548Found a New Love4:529Junkie for Your Love4:0810When Are You Coming Home3:08" (1963), and the fact that both men began their careers as gospel singers.
Little Johnny Taylor moved to Los Angeles in 1950, and sang with the Mighty Clouds of Joy before moving into secular music. Influenced by Little Willie John, he first recorded as an R&B artist for the Swingin' record label.
However, he did not achieve major success until signing for San Francisco-based Fantasy Records' subsidiary label, Galaxy. His first hit was the mid-tempo blues "You'll Need Another Favor," sung in the style of Bobby Bland, with arrangement by Ray Shanklin and produced by Cliff Goldsmith. The follow-up, "Part Time Love", written by Clay Hammond and featuring Arthur G. Wright on guitar, became his biggest hit, reaching number 1 in the U.S. Billboard R&B chart, and number 19 on the pop chart, in October 1963. However, follow-ups on the Galaxy label were much less successful.
By 1971, Taylor had moved to the Ronn subsidiary label of Jewel Records in Shreveport, Louisiana, where he had his second R&B Top 10 hit with "Everybody Knows About My Good Thing×Everybody Knows About My Good Thing1972 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracksA1Baby Get Hip to Yourself2:40A2How Are You Fixed for Love2:48A3How Can a Broke Man Survive2:39A4Keep on Keeping On2:58A5Everybody Knows About My Good Thing - Part 13:15A6Everybody Knows About My Good Thing - Part 22:43B1There's Something on Your Mind2:46B2You've Got the Love I Need3:38B3It's My Fault Darling2:52B4Make Love to Me Baby2:46B5Sweet Soul Woman3:54". The following year, he had another hit with "Open House at My House×Open House At My House1973 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracksA1Open House At My House, Part 12:40A2You're Not The Only One Baby (That's Got Someone Across Town)2:47A3My Special Rose3:30A4A Thousand Miles Away3:05A5I Can't Stop Loving You2:30A6What Would I Do (Without You)2:55B1Open House At My House, Part 23:51B2You're Savin' Your Best Loving For Me3:19B3As Long As I Don't See You3:37B4Strange Bed With A Bad Head3:21B5I’ll Make It Worth Your While2:59". While at Ronn, Taylor also recorded some duets with Ted Taylor (also unrelated).
Though he recorded only sparingly during the 1980s and 1990s (mostly for Ichiban Records), he remained an active performer until his death, at the age of 59, in May 2002 in Conway, Arkansas, where he lived.
In 2016 The Rolling Stones covered "Everybody Knows About My Good Thing" on their album Blue And Lonesome.