- Recorded a dozen albums for the Chicago label Twinight in the 1960s and '70s. His 1968 debut album was "Dresses Too Short".
- In 2010 Numero Group released a career retrospective box set of Johnson's work, "Complete Mythology". The release earned Johnson his first two Grammy nominations: for Best Historical Album and Best Liner Notes.
- He was the subject of a documentary 'Syl Johnson: Any Way the Wind Blows" which featured an original score by Yo La Tengo and interviews with RZA, De La Soul's Prince Paul, and Jonathan Lethem among others.
- He was the brother of blues guitarist and singer Jimmy Johnson and bassist Mack Thompson.
- He and his family appeared on the American reality television series "Iyanla: Fix My Life", at the request of his daughter Syleena to help her mother's alcohol addiction.
- In 1992 he found out that his song "Different Strokes" had been sampled by several rappers, including Wu-Tang Clan, Public Enemy, Kool G Rap, MC Hammer and the Geto Boys. This stimulated his interest in making a comeback in the music industry. He recorded the album "Back in the Game", released by Delmark Records in 1994, which featured the Hi rhythm section and his youngest daughter Syleena Johnson.
- The producer Willie Mitchell brought Johnson to Hi Records, for which the two recorded three albums, which generated a number of singles. Produced in Memphis with the Hi house band, these albums contained the hits "We Did It", "Back for a Taste of Your Love" and "Take Me to the River", his biggest success, reaching number 7 on the R&B chart in 1975. Mitchell also chose to use mainly in-house compositions rather than Johnson's original songs.
- He began recording for Twilight/Twinight of Chicago in the mid-1960s. Beginning with his first hit, "Come On Sock It to Me", in 1967, he dominated the label as both a hit-maker and a producer. His song "Different Strokes", also from 1967, is included on the breakbeat compilation album, Ultimate Breaks and Beats (SBR 504).
- Around the mid-1980s, Johnson mostly retired from performing, making only occasional appearances at blues clubs. At that time, he opened a chain of seafood restaurants and began investing in real estate.
- His family to Chicago in 1950 where blues guitarist Magic Sam was his next-door neighbor.
- After his years with Hi ended, Johnson produced two LPs for his own Shama label, the second of which, the soul/funk "Ms. Fine Brown Frame" (1982), was picked up for distribution by Boardwalk Records. The title track of that album was Johnson's last hit record.
- He appeared in an episode of the TV One reality series R&B Divas: Atlanta, in which he offers advice and encouragement to his daughter Syleena before she gives a live performance.
- He sang and played with Magic Sam and other blues artists, such as Billy Boy Arnold, Junior Wells and Howlin' Wolf, in the 1950s.
- He recorded with Jimmy Reed for Vee-Jay in 1959, and made his solo debut that same year with "Teardrops" on Federal, a subsidiary of King Records of Cincinnati, backed by Freddie King on guitar.
- His album "Is It Because I'm Black" reached number 11 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1969.
- His albums include "Dresses Too Short", "Is It Because I'm Black", "Back For A Taste Of Your Love", "Uptown Shakedown", "Suicide Blues" and "Bridge To Legacy".
- Compilations
2000: The Complete Syl Johnson on Hi Records (Demon, UK)
2010: Syl Johnson: Complete Mythology (Numero Group)
2012: Backbeats Artists Series: Syl Johnson: Mississippi Mainman (Backbeats).
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