Virgil Johnson (singer)
| Virgil Johnson | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Virgil Lewis Johnson |
| Born |
December 29, 1935 Cameron, Milam County, Texas, United States |
| Died | February 24, 2013 (aged 77) Lubbock, Lubbock County, Texas |
| Genres | Rock, Pop |
| Occupation(s) |
Singer Deejay Retired educator in Lubbock, Texas |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1959 – 2008 |
| Labels | Monument Records |
| Associated acts | The Velvets |
Virgil Lewis Johnson (December 29, 1935 – February 24, 2013) was an African American deejay, formerly at radio station KDAV in Lubbock. He was the lead singer of The Velvets, a 1950s and 1960s vocal quintet from Odessa, also in West Texas. They are best remembered for their 1961 hit "Tonight (Could Be the Night)", which peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard pop charts. The song refers to a young woman waiting to fall in love or perhaps for her intended to propose marriage and present her with a ring of commitment. The Velvets can be heard chanting "doo-wop" as a refrain in a song. Doo wop is considered to have originated in 1955 with The Turbans' "When You Dance". However, the Velvets were a special type of doo-wop group because their sound was highly polished, and the backing usually included stringed instruments.
KDAV calls itself the Buddy Holly Station, and Johnson during his tenure there was known as "V.J. the D.J." Prior to his retirement from KDAV, Johnson broadcast on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. KDAV is heard through the Internet. The station plays primarily rock and roll songs from the 1950s, the 1960s, and – recently – the first half of the 1970s.
Johnson was born in Cameron, the seat of Milam County in east central Texas. The family relocated to Lubbock, and Johnson graduated there from the historically black Dunbar High School, an institution known for its outstanding academics and reputation within the community. Later he would be principal of his alma mater and obtained a graduate degree from Texas Tech University in Lubbock. He was teaching eighth-grade English at Blackshear Junior High School in Odessa, the seat of Ector County, in 1959, when he recruited four of his students to form a singing group. They were Mark Prince (bass), Clarence Rigsby (tenor), Robert Thursby (first tenor), and William Solomon (baritone). The quintet performed at school dances, with then 24-year-old Johnson as lead tenor singer.
...
Wikipedia