The Fantastic Johnny C facts for kids

Johnny Corley, born on April 28, 1943, is an American soul singer. He is best known by his stage name, The Fantastic Johnny C. He had four songs that became hits on the US music charts. His most famous song, "Boogaloo Down Broadway," reached the top ten in 1967.

Early Life and Music Start

Johnny Corley was born in Greenwood, South Carolina, in the United States. He went to Brewer High School but left early to join the armed forces. 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 at the Macedonia Baptist Church. While he was practicing, a neighbor named Jesse James heard him sing. Jesse James was a record producer and songwriter. He convinced Johnny to try singing popular music instead of just gospel. Jesse then became Johnny's manager.

Music Career Highlights

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 with talented musicians. Some of these musicians later formed a famous band called MFSB, including the drummer Earl Young.

When Johnny's friends heard his recording, they said it was "fantastic." This led Jesse James to release the song on a local record label called Phil-L.A. of Soul. They decided to call Johnny "The Fantastic Johnny C" on the record. "Boogaloo Down Broadway" became a huge hit. It reached number 5 on the Billboard R&B chart and number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 on December 23, 1967.

More Hit Songs

After "Boogaloo Down Broadway" became popular, The Fantastic Johnny C had three more hit songs in 1968:

• "Got What You Need"
• "Hitch It to the Horse"
• "(She's) Some Kind of Wonderful"

"Hitch It to the Horse" was inspired by another successful song called "The Horse" by Cliff Nobles, which Jesse James also helped create. "(She's) Some Kind of Wonderful" had been recorded by other groups before, like Soul Brothers Six, and was later sung by Grand Funk Railroad.

Album and Later Years

The Fantastic Johnny C released one album, also called Boogaloo Down Broadway. A music reviewer from AllMusic said it was a "mini-masterpiece of gritty soul." The album had many popular dance tunes.

He stayed with the Phil-L.A. of Soul label until 1970. ..... He continued to work with Jesse James and the same studio musicians. He released two more songs, this time just under the name Johnny C. However, these songs did not become big hits. After that, he left the music business. He only performed occasionally in later years. Johnny Corley later opened his own record store called J.C. Records in Norristown, Pennsylvania.