b. Johnny Sayles, 9th February 1937, Winnsboro, Texas, U.S.A.
d. 17th August 1993, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
Johnny Sayles was an R&B singer from Texas.
By the time he was 18 years old, Johnny relocated to St. Louis and worked with Eugene Neal’s Rocking Kings.
He also performed with Ike Turner in his group the Kings Of Rhythm in 1958.
Between 1959 and 1961, Johnny had his own band (The Johnny Sayles Band), which performed at Chuck Berry’s Paradise Club.
Johnny took a break from music in 1962, studying in Houston.
The following year he joined the Five Dutones, performing on their Review tour.
Johnny took on the role of ‘Little’ Johnny Taylor, who had an R&B number 1 hit with ‘Part Time Love’.
don't turn your back on me b/w you told a lie - 1963 / my love's a monster b/w never let me go - 1965
He signed for the Mar-V-Lus imprint in 1963, releasing a debut 45 entitled ‘Don’t Turn Your Back On Me’ b/w ‘You Told A Lie’.
Johnny’s follow up single ‘You Did Me Wrong’ b/w ‘Got You On My Mind’ was released in 1964.
Further Mar-V-Lus releases followed, including ‘Tell Me Where I Stand’ and ‘The Girl That I Love’.
Johnny then joined a Lou Rawls show in Alaska, and switched labels to the Chi-Town imprint, working with the producer Monk Higgins.
His first Ch-Town 45 was ‘Nothing But Hard Rocks’ b/w ‘The Concentration’ in 1965.
i can't get enough (of your love) b/w hold my own baby - 1967 / food stamps b/w food stamps rap - 1983
Johnny went on to record for several other labels, including St Lawrence, Dakar, Chess and Minit Records.
At Minit, he released ‘Anything For You’ b/w ‘Deep Down In My Throat’, with ‘Anything’ going on to be popular on the U.K.’s Northern Soul circuit.
At Dakar, he released the single ‘Somebody’s Changing My Sweet Baby’s Mind’ b/w ‘You're So Right For Me’ in 1969.
man on the inside - 1973 / reissue with fred hughes 'baby boy' - 1999
Later, at Dakar, Johnny released his only LP, ‘Man On The Inside’, in 1973.
A further single, entitled 'Food Stamps', was released in 1983 on the Now Sounds Records imprint.
Sadly, Johnny Sayles passed away from a heart attack in 1993.
Several excellent retrospectives of his back catalogue have been released in recent years.
singles:
Mar-V-Lus 6000 - Don't Turn Your Back On Me / You Told A Lie – 1963
Mar-V-Lus 6000 - Don't Turn Your Back On Me / You Told A Lie – 1963
Mar-V-Lus 6001 - Got You On My Mind / You Did Me Wrong - 1964
Mar-V-Lus - I'm Satisfied -1965
Mar-V-Lus - Tell Me Where I Stand - 1966
Chi-Town 001/002 - Nothing But Hard Rock's/ The Concentration - 1965
Chi-Town 003 - My Love's A Monster / Never Let Me Go - 1965
Minit 32003 - Deep Down In My Throat / Anything For You - 1966
St. Lawrence 1024 - I Can't Get Enough (Of Your Love)/ Hold My Own Baby - 1967
Chess / Lakeside 2012 - Teardrops / Hold My Own Baby - 1967
Chess 2033 - Lilly Mae / I'm Just What She Wants - 1967
Dakar 607 - Somebody's Changing (My Sweet Baby's Mind) / You're So Right For Me - 1969
D. H. C. 104 - Lilly Mae - 1969
Brunswick 55473 - My Love Ain't No Love Without Your Love / Good Golly - 1972
New Sound 8310 - Food Stamps / Food Stamps - 1983
albums:Man On The Inside (Dakar Records 1973)
