The Friday Flashback: Syl Johnson

Howard Bedno and Peter Wright founded Twinight Records in 1967. The R&B/soul music label would go on to release fifty-five singles over the next five years, with five of them charting.

The label's undisputed star was Syl Johnson. The Mississippi native played with Magic Sam, Howlin' Wolf and Junior Wells, among others, before he launched his solo career with a series of Jimmy Reed-produced sides for Vee-Jay Records in 1959. Johnson's Twinight output often explored themes of African-American identity and the social problems of the era. Eventually, Hi Records head Willie Mitchell lured Johnson away from Twinight. At Hi Johnson recorded three very strong records but could never break free from the shadow of Al Green.

Johnson's best known song is the moving "Is It Because I'm Black," which Wu-Tang Clan had the good sense to sample many years later for their song "Hollow Bones." The compilation Chicago Twinight Soul does an excellent job of packaging together the strongest of Johnson's Twinight singles, and is worth a trip to Dusty Groove. For more about Twinight Records, Dan Bindert of Chicago Public Radio has a wonderful audio history here, and local DJ Bob Abrahamian also has a series of interviews with other Twinight recording artists on his website.

Listen: Syl Johnson - "Is It Because I'm Black"