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'{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2015}} {{Refimprove|date=May 2015}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Louis Johnson | image = Louis_Johnson.jpg | caption = Johnson in 1980. | image_size = | background = non_vocal_instrumentalist | birth_name = | instruments = {{hlist|Vocal|bass|double bass|[[Fender bass]]|[[bass synthesizer]]}} | birth_date = {{Birth date|mf=yes|1955|4|13}} | birth_place = [[Los Angeles, California]], U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|mf=yes|2015|5|21|1955|4|13}} | death_place = [[Las Vegas, Nevada]], U.S. | occupation = {{hlist|Musician|record producer|bass guitarist}} | genre = {{hlist|[[R&B]]|[[funk]]|[[Soul music|soul]]|[[jazz]]}} | years_active = 1973–2015 | label = {{hlist|[[A&M Records|A&M]]|[[Capitol Records|Capitol]]|[[Star Licks Productions]]|[[Hal Leonard|Hal Leonard Publishing]]}} | website = }} '''Louis Johnson''' (April 13, 1955 – May 21, 2015) was an [[United States|American]] musician and bass guitarist. Johnson was best known for his group [[The Brothers Johnson]] and his [[session musician|session playing]] on several hit albums of the 1970s and 1980s including the "best selling album of all time" ''[[Thriller (Michael Jackson album)|Thriller]]''.<ref name="Bogda">{{cite book|last1=Bogdanov|first1=Vladimir |last2=Woodstra|first2=Chris |last3=Erlewine|first3=Stephen Thomas |title=All Music Guide to Soul: The Definitive Guide to R&B and Soul|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o552g5xRRiwC&pg=PA81&dq=%22Louis+Johnson%22+thriller&hl=en&ei=CZV-TOKGGIO78gam_-3fAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22Louis%20Johnson%22%20thriller&f=false|accessdate=September 1, 2010|year=2003|publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation|isbn=9780879307448|pages=81–82}}</ref> His signature sound was from the [[Music Man StingRay]] bass which [[Leo Fender]] especially made for him to first use and promote, and from his [[Slapping (music)|slapping]] technique. He is ranked number 38 on ''Bass Player'' magazine's list of "The 100 Greatest Bass Players of All Time".<ref name="The 100 Greatest Bass Players">{{cite web|title=The 100 Greatest Bass Players of All Time|url=http://www.bassplayer.com/artists/1171/the-100-greatest-bass-players-of-all-time/61989|website=bassplayer.com|publisher=NewBay Media}}</ref> == Biography == His work appears on many well-known records by prominent artists. Johnson played on [[Michael Jackson]]'s albums ''[[Off the Wall (album)|Off the Wall]]'', ''[[Thriller (Michael Jackson album)|Thriller]]'' and ''[[Dangerous (Michael Jackson album)|Dangerous]]'', and hit songs "[[Billie Jean]]" and "[[Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough]]". He also played on [[George Benson]]'s ''[[Give Me the Night (George Benson song)|Give Me the Night]]''. He was one of three bassists on [[Herb Alpert]]'s 1979 album ''Rise'', which included its top-10, [[Grammy]]-winning disco/jazz title-track. Due to his distinctive style, Johnson was nicknamed "Thunder-Thumbs".<ref name=BassPlayer.com>{{cite news|last=Leslie|first=Jimmy|title=Louis Johnson|work=[[Bass Player (magazine)|Bass Player]]|issue=Slap Masters|url=http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/newbay/bp_slapmasters/index.php?startid=24|accessdate=June 28, 2013|page=24|date=Summer 2011}}</ref> His slap bass playing arrived soon after [[Larry Graham]] brought it into the mainstream,<ref name=BassPlayer.com /> and both are considered the "grandfathers" of slap-bass playing.{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}} His slap bass lines figure prominently in his work with [[Stanley Clarke]] on the ''[[Time Exposure (Stanley Clarke album)|Time Exposure]]'' album, his work with [[Grover Washington, Jr.]] (''Hydra''), [[George Duke]] (''Guardian of the Light'', ''Thief in the Night''), [[Jeffrey Osborne]] (''Jeffrey Osborne'', and ''Stay with Me Tonight''). The bass line for Michael McDonald's "[[I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)]]" has been sampled as a backing track for dozens of rap songs. An excellent example of his thumb playing can be heard on the [[Earl Klugh]] song "Kiko"{{Citation needed|date=February 2010}}. Without any plucking at all, Johnson sets a complicated funky bass line using a combination of counterpoint slapping with right hand using right thumb, counterpoint with left hand middle finger as a mute tec., called a slap choke, thus creating a percussive sound like drums, adding to the bass notes. His style incorporated more funk plucks in combination with his thumping, which along with the Music Man StingRay sound gives a very funky, unique sound.<ref name=BassPlayer.com /> He was the bassist on Earl Klugh's 1976 jazz/pop album ''[[Living inside Your Love]]'' and 1977 jazz/pop album ''[[Finger Paintings]]'', as well as [[Quincy Jones]]' 1975 ''Mellow Madness''. ==Death== Louis Johnson died on May 21, 2015 at the age of 60.<ref>[http://theboombox.com/louis-johnson-dead-60/ "Louis Johnson, Legendary Bassist, Dead at 60", ''The Boombox'']. Retrieved May 22, 2015</ref> ==Collaborations== Louis Johnson recorded and performed with the following artists ''(list in alphabetical order)'': {{columns-list|colwidth=20em| *[[Andrae Crouch]] *[[Angela Bofill]] *[[Anita Baker]] *[[Aretha Franklin]] *[[Billy Preston]] *[[Bill Withers]] *[[Björk]] *[[The Brothers Johnson]] *[[The Controllers (R&B band)|The Controllers]] *[[The Crusaders]] *[[Dave Grusin]] *[http://www.daviddiggs.com David Diggs] *[[Deniece Williams]] *[[Donna Summer]] *[[Modern soul|Donn Thomas]] *[[Earl Klugh]] *[[Gábor Szabó]] *[[George Benson]] *[[Gordy Records|Gene Van Buren]] *[[George Duke]] *[[Grover Washington, Jr.]] *[[Harvey Mason]] *[[Herb Alpert]] *[[Herbie Hancock]] *[[Hiroshima (band)|Hiroshima]] *[[Irene Cara]] *[[The Jacksons]] *[[James Ingram]] *[[Jeffrey Osborne]] *[[John Mellencamp]] *[[Karen Carpenter]] *[[Kent Jordan]] *[[Kenny Loggins]] *[[Lee Ritenour]] *[[Leon Haywood]] *[[Lesley Gore]] *[[Makoto Izumitani]] *[[Michael Jackson]] *[[Michael McDonald (singer)|Michael McDonald]] *[[Natalie Cole]] *[[Patti Austin]] *[[Paul McCartney]] *[[Peabo Bryson]] *[[Peggy Lee]] *[[Phil Collins]] *[[Pointer Sisters]] *[[Quincy Jones]] *[[A&M Records|Randy Badazz]] *[[Rene & Angela]] *[[The Ritz (quartet)|The Ritz]] *[[Rufus (band)|Rufus]] *[[Sérgio Mendes]] *[[Side Effect]] *[[Sister Sledge]] *[[Stanley Clarke]] *[[Stevie Nicks]] *[[Stevie Wonder]] *[[Sweet Comfort Band]] *[[Temptations]] *[http://www.toshiki-kadomatsu.jp Toshiki Kadomatsu] *[[Vanity 6]] }} == Solo releases == {|class=wikitable |- ! Year ! Title ! Format ! Label ! Additional info |- | '''1981''' | ''Passage'' |Album |[[A&M Records|A&M]] |Gospel-directed album by this group, including Louis Johnson, Valerie Johnson (ex-wife) & former Brothers Johnson-percussionist/vocalist Richard Heath |- | '''1985''' |"Kinky"/"She's Bad" | Single | [[Capitol Records|Capitol]] | Europe-exclusive solo release by Louis Johnson<br>Co-written by [[Tony Haynes]] |- | '''1985''' | ''Evolution'' |Album | [[Capitol Records|Capitol]] | Europe-exclusive solo release by Louis Johnson |- | '''1985''' |''Star Licks Master Sessions'' |VHS Video | [[Star Licks Productions]] | Louis Johnson instructional video re-issued on DVD by the [[Hal Leonard]] Company <ref>[http://www.halleonard.com/hlFlashViewer.jsp?clookId=00320476&clFileName=louisjohnson.flv Hal Leonard Corporation – Closer Look Video]. Halleonard.com. Retrieved on 2011-08-13.</ref> |} == References == {{Reflist}} {{The Brothers Johnson}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Louis}} [[Category:1955 births]] [[Category:2015 deaths]] [[Category:A&M Records artists]] [[Category:African-American musicians]] [[Category:American double-bassists]] [[Category:American jazz bass guitarists]] [[Category:American funk bass guitarists]] [[Category:American rhythm and blues bass guitarists]] [[Category:American session musicians]] [[Category:Grammy Award winners]] [[Category:Guitarists from Los Angeles]] [[Category:Burials at Rose Hills Memorial Park]]'