Johnny Griffith

Pianist Johnny Griffith could be noticed on traditional Motown sides, in addition to about recordings from additional Detroit-area labels. Like Motown’s additional pianists, Joe Hunter and Earl Vehicle Dyke, Griffith’s got a thorough musical history. He kept musical levels from Wayne Condition College or university and the College or university of Detroit. His musical affects included Oscar Peterson, Glenn Gould, and Bud Powell. Authorized to Motown’s Jazz Workshop label, he documented the albums Detroit Jazz and THE PROPER Part of Lefty Edwards. Once the march from the Motown strikes began, Griffith began playing on classes for his or her R&B/pop acts. But instead than indication a work-for-hire agreement with Motown like additional musicians, Griffith continued to be a freelancer, performing other times and classes in NY and close by Chicago. The Motown strikes that Griffith performed on consist of: Marvin Gaye’s “How Lovely IT REALLY IS (TO BECOME Loved By You)” (number 4 R&B, quantity six pop, early 1965), his celeste trills are noticed on “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)” (number 1 R&B for 14 days, number 4 pop, summer season 1971), adding Wurlitzer electrical piano on both Gaye’s “I Noticed It With the Grapevine” (number 1 R&B/pop for seven weeks, past due 1968) as well as the Temptations’ “Ain’t As well Happy to Beg” (number 1 R&B for eight weeks, summer season 1966), organ for the Supremes’ “Stay in the Name of Like” (number 2 R&B for a month, number 1 pop for 14 days, early 1965), and body organ and shotgun results on Junior Walker as well as the All Superstars’ “Shotgun” (number 1 R&B for a month, number 4 pop, early 1965). Griffith’s non-Motown strikes are Edwin Starr’s “Agent Double-O Spirit” (amount eight R&B), “Great Jerk” with the Capitols (number 2 R&B, amount seven pop), Jackie Wilson’s “(Your Like Keeps Raising Me) Higher and Higher” (number 1 R&B, amount six pop) for Chicago spirit manufacturer Carl Davis, the Artistics’ “I’m Actually Gonna Miss You” (amount nine R&B), the Chi-Lites’ “PERHAPS YOU HAVE Seen Her” (number 1 R&B for 14 days, number 3 pop), and Young-Holt Unlimited’s “Soulful Strut” (number 3 R&B, number 3 pop). Griffith acquired his own strike for RCA Information with Johnny Griffith, Inc.’s “Grand Central Shuffle” in early 1973. Within the ’90s, Griffith was still energetic on the Detroit membership scene.