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**Syl Johnson** Born on July 1, 1936, in Holly Springs, Mississippi, U.S.A., Syl Johnson was an American funk, soul, and blues singer and music producer. He began his music career in the 1950s, singing and playing with various blues artists before recording with a label in 1959. That same year, he made his solo debut with a record backed by notable musicians. In the mid-1960s, Johnson started recording for a Chicago label, where he achieved his first hit with "Come On Sock It to Me" in 1967. He became a significant figure at the label, both as a hitmaker and producer. His music often explored themes of African-American identity and social issues, exemplified by the song "Is It Because I’m Black," which reached Number 11 on the R&B charts in 1969. In 1971, he was brought to another label, where he recorded three albums and several singles, producing notable hits such as "We Did It," "Back for a Taste of Your Love," and "Take Me to the River," which became his biggest success, reaching Number 7 on the R&B charts in 1975. Despite his artistic success, he was often overshadowed commercially by another artist at the label. After his years at Hi Records, Johnson produced two LPs for his own label, Shama, with the latter album, "Ms. Fine Brown Frame" (

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