On October 19, 2010, The Numero Group will release Syl Johnson: Complete Mythology in a four CD + six LP box set (both formats, one package). Four years in the making, this is by far the most exhaustively researched and meticulously presented work from The Numero Group to date. Encompassing the first fifteen years of a career that spans half a century, Syl Johnson: Complete Mythology not only covers his obvious hits but shines a light into the dark corners of a true musical visionary.
Born Sylvester Thompson in Holly Springs, Mississippi, Johnson sang and played with blues artists Magic Sam, Billy Boy Arnold, Junior Wells and Howlin' Wolf in the 1950s, before recording with Jimmy Reed for Vee-Jay in 1959. His break was to come recording for Twinight Records of Chicago in 1967. Johnson dominated the label as both a hit maker and producer, providing such hits as "Come On Sock It to Me", "Different Strokes" (one of the most heavily sampled songs in the history of recorded music--paid homage by Public Enemy, N.W.A., Kid Rock, Michael Jackson, J. Dilla and dozens more), "Is It Because I'm Black" (which reached Number 11 on the Billboard R&B charts in 1969), among many more.
Included on Complete Mythology are re-mastered versions of no less than twenty eight singles from the Twinight, Federal, Cha-Cha, Tmp-Ting, Special Agent, and Zachron labels, facsimiles of the Dresses Too Short and Is It Because I'm Black albums, ten previously unreleased tracks and detailed track by track notes from acclaimed music historian Bill Dahl. The fifty-two page booklet contains a thirty-five thousand word essay, scores of previously unpublished photos, a sampling index, and complete discography--all presented in a lavish hardbound box. For the uninitiated this is history, for those familiar this is respect for one the greatest musical artists of our time.
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