The Fantastic Johnny C facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Fantastic Johnny C
|
|
|---|---|
| Birth name | Johnny Corley |
| Also known as | Johnny C |
| Born | April 28, 1943 Greenwood, South Carolina, United States |
| Genres | Soul |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | c.1965–1971 |
| Labels | Phil-L.A. of Soul, ... |
Johnny Corley, also known as The Fantastic Johnny C, is an American soul singer. He was born on April 28, 1943. He became famous in the 1960s for his hit songs. His most popular song, "Boogaloo Down Broadway," made it to the top ten on the music charts in 1967.
Johnny C's Early Life
Johnny Corley was born in Greenwood, South Carolina, in the United States. He went to Brewer High School. However, he left school early to join the armed services. After his time in the military, he moved to Norristown, Pennsylvania. There, he started working with heavy equipment.
Johnny also joined a local gospel singing group. This group was connected to the Macedonia Baptist Church. While he was practicing with the group, a neighbor heard him sing. This neighbor was a record producer and songwriter named Jesse James. James thought Johnny had a great voice. He convinced Johnny to start singing popular music instead of just gospel. Jesse James then became Johnny's manager.
The Fantastic Music Career
Johnny Corley began performing in Philadelphia. He even shared the stage with famous singers like Sam Cooke and Joe Simon. Jesse James wrote a special song for him called "Boogaloo Down Broadway." This song was recorded in Philadelphia.
When Johnny's friends heard the recording, they said it was "fantastic." This led Jesse James to release the song on a record label called Phil-L.A. of Soul. The record was credited to "The Fantastic Johnny C." The song quickly became a hit. It reached number 5 on the Billboard R&B chart and number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1967.
More Hit Songs
After the success of "Boogaloo Down Broadway," The Fantastic Johnny C had more hits in 1968. These included "Got What You Need" and "Hitch It to the Horse." "Hitch It to the Horse" was inspired by another popular song called "The Horse" by Cliff Nobles. He also had a hit with "(She's) Some Kind of Wonderful." This song had been sung by other groups before.
Later Music and Life
The Fantastic Johnny C released one album, also called Boogaloo Down Broadway. This album had many popular dance tunes. He continued to work with Jesse James and the same musicians. He released two more songs, this time just as "Johnny C." However, these songs did not become big hits.
After that, Johnny C decided to leave the music business. He only performed sometimes in later years. Johnny later opened his own record store in Norristown, Pennsylvania, called J.C. Records.
