Louis Johnson Tribute

[@mikeycapp1]

Louis Johnson was a MONSTER on the bass. Gone too Soon, may you Rest In Peace!

[@thebionicbassplayer]

Michael Coppola Amen to that!

[@sabreenabdulrahmaan4057]

They were my friends in High School. I miss them . They were the Johnson 3 + 1. Amazing. Rest in Peace Louis. ❤

[@garythomas4431]

I listened to the Brothers Johnson in the 70s. Strawberry Letter 23 kicked my beginning guitar into high gear. I loved their diversity. As a skinny long haired white kid playing in a rock band, I would hang out with black musicians to learn their awesome approach to music. RIP Louis. We hear you when it thunders.

[@thebionicbassplayer]

Hi praise indeed! Thank you for commenting.

[@tonymickens8803]

If Brother Louis were alive and someone asked Him, When did you start Slapping, He would have said "Start doing What!" Oooooh, You Mean Thumping and Plucking!

[@richardmasters2045]

He was not only a brilliant musician he was a REAL MAN!!!! Take notes kids, this is how you are supposed to live a life. RIH my super funky hero!

[@jackv2244]

Louis was the stankinest Bass player ever! Continue to rest in peace

[@roninmarketingproductions]

Puts music today to MASSIVE shame. Would love love to have seen him live.

[@thebionicbassplayer]

I agree! I never saw them live as well. However, my sister saw them when they were starting out with Quincy Jones and she says they were amazing then. (Circa 1975)

[@11bakazuya]

I met "Thunder thumbs" Osaka, in Japan about 25 years ago. He was very warm hearted and so much talented. I love his slapping style. Miss him so much. R.I.P Louis Johnson

[@HWolfeIII]

What an honor! I never personally met Louis, but I met his daughter Keiko online and his friend and bandmate Richard Heath.

[@mr.melody5225]

Thanks for posting this tribute. As a fellow bass player, Louis was the by far the baddest during my lifetime. I'm sad to see him go but as a Christian, I know he's in a better place. His time is up here but his music will always be "Right on time."

[@thebionicbassplayer]

+Dewayne Sullivan Yes, Louis was one of the greatest of all time and he and Stanley Clarke are two of my all time favorites. Jaco Pastorious was my 3rd favorite, so yes it's sad to see two legends go what seems prematurely, but I agree he is in a far better place.

[@thebionicbassplayer]

My sentiments exactly!

[@robertnelsonjr846]

Not taking anything away from Guitarist But Bass players dont get enough credit and recognition they Deserve

[@thebionicbassplayer]

This is very true. Bass players are many times the leaders of bands because they play the Foundation of the song.

[@jasen1971]

@@thebionicbassplayer Not the shame genre but look at Steve Harris of Iron Maiden, Geddy Lee of Rush, Les Claypool of Primus , and ofcourse the Great Larry Graham. The Father of slap

[@thebionicbassplayer]

@@jasen1971 All great bass players, especially Larry Graham, I'm familiar with all their work.

[@dslapster64]

Simply the master . RIP LOUIS

[@thebionicbassplayer]

Yes, a rare combination of virtuosity and innovation. God bless.

[@jerryj920]

April 13th: Happy birthday R&B-Funk-Soul-Jazz Musician Louis "Thunder Thumbs" Johnson of The Brothers Johnson (1955-2015) Grammy Award: Best R&B Song. Thank you and God bless. RIP. Thanks for the upload, Bass in Your Face. Blessings

[@thebionicbassplayer]

Jerry Johnson Thank you Sir, I was just listening to the Brothers Johnson live in Amsterdam. God bless you.

[@shannonk.6528]

RIP Louis Johnson. The baddest bass player who ever played. Gone way too soon. Fly with the angels.

[@thebionicbassplayer]

Hi, I agree...the best!

[@tonymickens8803]

GREATEST BASSEST EVER PERIOD!

[@thebionicbassplayer]

It's subjective but I tend to agree, he is my favorite!😎

[@carmanthomas8144]

It's time for an R&B Hall of Fame.

[@thebionicbassplayer]

He isn't already? Louis was definitely an R & B legend, but he was someone so versatile that he defied being put into one category.

[@gregoryburton1241]

Saw them back in the 70's and 80's. AWESOME group and Louis was a Baaad Man on the bass! RIP LJ

[@thebionicbassplayer]

You are a blessed man. Unfortunately I never got a chance to see them live. Ironically I have an older sister, who saw them perform with Quincy Jones way back when he first introduced them in 1975.

[@antonioscolotti8558]

They were the headliners at the first concert I ever went to. Very special time I'll never forget.

[@thebionicbassplayer]

Man how cool. Unfortunately, I never saw them perform live, They didn't come to Detroit often . However, my sister saw them when the Brothers toured with Quincy Jones, she said she knew they would be great even then.

[@francescoleman7359]

My Later Brother John E.Coleman Love The Way Louis Play The Bass

[@JustK009]

One of the best to ever do the damn thing..a inspiration, a innovator, a legend..God bless!

[@brendakeys7306]

Damn they are so good looking I loved and still love these brothers Louis R.I.P. and GEORGE I pray life is treating you good you and your brother have always been my favorite family duo group I listened to everything you all sang still do today it hurted when Louus died wow I wanted to marry him every guy I dated back then knew they had to compete with him and they didn't mind made them better dressed men and good looking trying to be him to please me I miss my king

[@thebionicbassplayer]

Thanks for watching! The Brothers were definitely role models and I saw in an interview where George said they did not want to do music that disrespected women and was one reason they begin to take a break in the late 80's.

[@cehayes74]

Bass in Your Face! Tall Salute 2 them !!!!

[@thebionicbassplayer]

@@cehayes74 I apologize for sleeping on your comment, thanks, Bro!

[@cehayes74]

@@thebionicbassplayer-Hey it’s all good !!!

[@thebionicbassplayer]

Agreed...and there have been alot of great bass players...

[@PrinceEnki2112]

I had always loved their music but the more I find out about their musical background the more impressive they become. What an amazing band, thank you for uploading this material!

[@thebionicbassplayer]

You're welcome, I feel the same way., What really impressed me is they started as children, had the passion and discipline to stay with the music all their lives.

[@MadMax-cf9uu]

Love U brother ! in Christ and in music for EVER !

[@thebionicbassplayer]

Thank you Brother! God bless U

[@robertnelsonjr846]

He killing that Bass

[@jonathanblack99]

EXCELLENT TRIBUTE

[@thebionicbassplayer]

Thank you, greatly appreciated.

[@bettyjohnson901]

Very nice tribute!

[@HWolfeIII]

Betty Johnson Thank you...

[@felixgarcianazco9496]

MEJOR BAJISTA DE TODOS LOS TIEMPOS GRACIAS AMIGO¡¡

[@morrisman64]

Thank you for this video

[@HWolfeIII]

Thanks Morrisman, almost felt a sense of duty to do it.

[@morrisman64]

great job

[@lawrencenjawe1935]

Incredible dexterity on Bass... Been into Popular Music for ages but shamelessly ignored the Talent and Wizardry of this Ace of Bass.....WOW..!!!!!

[@thebionicbassplayer]

Don't feel bad, never too late to discover different players and techniques.

[@byjuu246]

That Stingray sounded so good at the beginning, the rest of the band was acting like they were crazy!!!!

[@thebionicbassplayer]

Bands in that era were highly skilled and could play instruments, sing and had tight choreography.

[@maureencora1]

Good Show, R.I.P.

[@felixgarcianazco9496]

MAESTRO DE MAESTROS

[@edwardlong2478]

Mold was broken after him……as with every musician….. everyone is different .. played who he was……. , his time in history, stage presence, his timing ( ie bass solo at the end ⚡️⚡️⚡️🎶🎶🎶 💥 ) Musicman as well…. MPOV he put Musicman on the map

[@thebionicbassplayer]

So true, Leo Fender put the Stingray in LJ's hand to promote the bass and the brand and he accepted the challenge and put the instrument on the map to this day.

[@jlh1637]

straight fire.

[@thebionicbassplayer]

Yes!

[@greatwhite61967]

Its an absolute crime that when this man, the one & only Louis " Thunder Thumbs " Johndon sadly passed away & there was next to no mention or documentaries on to celebrate what he brought to music, i was sickened & angered... Is this going to happen again when we eventually lose William " Bootsy " Collins & Larry Graham!.. Believe me i mean no disrespect to Larry or Bootsy as we all end up passing way at some time & its what we did in life that matters & that goes to every day honest every day people staying straight & doing the right thing... I've heard many friends say that yes they were sad at a famous person passing away but what about all of us from all over the world who lose loved one's & i couldnt argue that point... Bootsy/Larry & Louis were the 3 trail blazers that changed how a bass guitar could be played & yes you could actually say it was James Brown that was the first to start the Funk movement but it was these 3 men who made it happen as they had a special gift... I started out on the usual various instruments at secondary school but i truly sucked when it came to playing those instruments but at that time i was just passing time in my Music Class at Secondary School & i wasnt really interested in making music but i loved listening to those who made it... But it wasnt until i dropped all those classical instruments & moved on to drums thsat i actually felt somthing inside me that actually loved just playing drums whether i felt i was good or bad i couldnt care less as i just loved it & it was not until my friend kept bugging me to pick up the bass guitar, as it was the usual in that no one wanted to play bass guitar back many decades ago, & after months of constantly nagging me i bought a preowned seriously beat up Columbus Jazz Bass from the bass player of a well know punk band in my city... Once they split up he just left his bass in the cupboard & i went to ask him if he'd sell it as they'd been split for 10 years & we were fast heading into the tail end of the 80s & he sold me it for more than i wanted to pay but i figured I've got to start somewhere... The strings were way too heavy but i didnt know any better with regards to different gauges of strings & when i first started messing around with that beat up bass guitar that shredded my fingres as i played it but once i did start to play it i can only describe it as a calling to play bass guitar... As i feel playing bass guitar is exactly that, i could go on to explain why but musician's & no doubt general listeners of music will understand what i mean even if that particular instrument wasn't their favourite... The rythm section in any band is your most important starting point as they provided the beat for others to play off of while we stay locked in the pocket & as much as drummers get a huge amount piss taken out of them via jokes for just being drummers they are the very first player that you need to get right & that he or she has to be spot on or your wasting your time & by the time you add the bass guitar player who also has to be top grade thats when you can then truly lay down some serious music based around the rythm section which I've always referred it to as the " engine room " of any band & then everything will fall into place... We shouldnt have to go on media sites to post comments about ignoring such talented bass players but weirdly its a part & price we are willing to accept & let the singer & lead guitarist get all the adulation but music lovers know its the drummer & bass player that are the vital players that will make or break a band & to all the bassists & drummers out their im glad to be associated with such talented musicians... I could go on about when a famous actor/director or singer passes away the world mourns & theres plenty of news coverage but not for bass players & drummers & as long as we know what we put in to create such music thats fine by us but i truly am saddened such greats like James Jamerson/Lous Johnson & Mick Karn & many more bassists pass away as i know what we provide to make hits but some acknowledgements & respect isnt to such greats isn't asking too much but in the end we bassists know & really dont care as we are their to serve the music that we love... RIP Louis Johnson RIP Mick Karn In light of this still ongoing coronavirus outbreak stay safe and healthy wherever you are in this world... A Happy New Year for 2021 to You All & may we eventually see this virus finally under control but i think it will take longer than many think so be patient & stay healthy... Ps I completely forgot to mention the loss of the late great Bernard Edwards & if that wasnt bad enough we also lost the other member of the rythm section from " Chic " when Tony Thompson sadly passed away also... Now those 2 were a rythm section made in heaven & they both went on to collaborate with many other solo acts or bands... RIP Bernard Edwards RIP Tony Thompson .....

[@thebionicbassplayer]

Thanks for sharing your story. You accurately described why I put this Louis Johnson tribute together. Bass players were vastly underappreciated until innovators like; Thunder Thumbs, Bootsy Collins, Larry Graham and Stanley Clarke (to name a few) hit the scene. Ironically, I debated about playing drums first as well, but I decided on bass, because these guys were all in their prime when I began.

[@greatwhite61967]

@@thebionicbassplayer It was the least I could do & this was something I've posted in a few comments here on KZbin about this & other matters i felt should be or at least be talked about in some way or another, instead of endless nonsense by people who react like children when they post comments on these sites... Try taking a mobile few or a laptop of todays generation & they start to freak out & act almost like a drug attack that needs their constant daily fix & its a sad thing to see them behave this way Its the people of our generation & onwards that need to speak up about such talented bass player's to keep their legacy alive & hopefully bring in as many younger generation of kids as we can & try to open their eyes as to what they are missing but I blame a certain part of this on modern technological devices as too many are addicted to the Internet & social media sites for the wrong reasons... Try this the neck time your are out & about & look around you on any given day & see how many people who are on these phones but aren't chatting to anyone as they are addicted to these trivial sites... I only found Facebook handy for getting back in contact with friends I hadn't seen in years & to keep in touch with family members & friends if I couldn't get a hold of them via my phone... After some time had passed I just got bored with it & people talking about what they are doing at that particular moment & instead of enjoying & staying in the moment in real life they felt they had to share it with everyone & i got a feeling that if you didn't put it up on Facebook to those that use it, it feels or felt like it never really happened unless they post comments about it on these social media sites... Though I do feel saddened that so many generations missed ut on what we grew up with as the music industry is nothing but a pale shameless image of itself & most people would rather post videos of them playing an instrument, which is great, but they don't bother to go out of their way to form a band, even if it was just for fun, as todays music industry glory days are well & truly over & I never thought that this would happen in my lifetime or ever... All The Best To You From Scotland... Thank you for again posting this video about one of the many musicians who made great music in all genres & the instruments they played & it would be great to at see bands playing pubs & clubs just for the fun of playing music but there seems to be too many things distracting them but then again so did we... In light of this still ongoing coronavirus stay safe and healthy wherever you are in this world... Slainte Mhath... .....

[@thebionicbassplayer]

@@greatwhite61967 God bless you Sir! You are spot on! Be safe and we're going to try to keep real music alive.

[@RitchieRosson]

8:04 what is this titanic song called?! What a bass line 😮 😃 🎶 🎸

[@thebionicbassplayer]

The song is called, "I See the Light" by Louis Johnson ' s group Passage .Their self titled album consisted of very funky and dynamic contemporary Christian music, especially for the time period (1981). Louis Johnson did the bass, vocals and other instruments and composed most of the songs along with his then wife, Valerie Johnson and Brothers Johnson bandmate, Richard Heath.

[@TheresaSmall-sl6kb]

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son whosoever believe in him should not parrish

[@bikescarsandeverythinginbe7309]

I was 2 years older than MR. JOHNSON. I also played the BASS, the furthest I got was hang on sloppy and wild thing.

[@thebionicbassplayer]

Yeah bass playing is not as easy as Louis Johnson made it seem. In his Star Licks video, he talks matter of factly on how he busted up his thumb on several occasions doing his playing techniques.

[@DAYONO]

Great video 🙏🏽 thank you. Rip Louis 🙏🏽 Where I can get the instrumental at 2:07 min?

[@HWolfeIII]

Hi Dayono, Thank you for the kind words and for subscribing. Yes, Louis is probably my all time favorite bass player, right along with Stanley Clarke. The track was actually ripped from a video Louis was playing on, I believe he was in Europe at the time. I'd have to send you a link to it.

[@DAYONO]

Thanks a lot.🙏🏽👍

[@ginomassari5157]

Please send me the link.

[@thebionicbassplayer]

@@DAYONO kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHzOlomCr5iqh80

[@thebionicbassplayer]

@@ginomassari5157 kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHzOlomCr5iqh80

[@cheifbeefloco]

Sorry, do you have the full concert when Louis wears the white cowboy tassels shirt? I've seen clips but would like to purchase the full thing.

[@thebionicbassplayer]

I'm afraid not. However, there are several Brothers Johnson concerts on You Tube. One of my favs is when they are live in Japan and Gerry Brown is the drummer.

[@TheLeoneprimo]

can we have more info about Jack Tennis, The Light? thank you

[@weirdal706]

Yuh

[@tedkay3750]

No LARRY GRAHAM ,NO LOIUS JOUHNSON. LJ took it to the next level....DAM!

[@thebionicbassplayer]

This is true, Larry Graham himself admitted that.

[@thebionicbassplayer]

Yeah, thumpiing is what LJ called it, that's old school.

[@earlhowardiii8277]

is that Jerry Hey 3rd from the left?

[@Kyrath]

Hi man, nice video! What's the song name at 4:27?

[@HWolfeIII]

Thank you, I'm unsure if that is one of Louis compositions or not, but I know he's playing the bass on top of the track.

[@funkypeople1000]

It aint Louis on this track. Maybe they put it in the vid as a sign of inspiration of Louis to others - I dont know but its not him playing there

[@dazza42UK]

Great tribute. Can you tell me where the audio which starts at 2.10 is from? Many thanks.

[@RitchieRosson]

What is the group at the beginning? Thank you for posting this funk gold. Louis Johnson is the best!

[@thebionicbassplayer]

Thank you for the kind words.. The group is The Brothers Johnson Band around 1979.

[@TheresaSmall-sl6kb]

❤ Jesus said the souls that sin shall die

[@rickb1266]

7:38

[@kayrobbie5840]

Think this was a beautiful tribute. But the majority of these videos George is overlooked and he's has alot of talent as well. That's my opinion. Which I'm entitled to.

[@thebionicbassplayer]

Thank you! You're absolutely entitled to your opinion and that's your right.

[@TheresaSmall-sl6kb]

Jesus Christ said the wagges of sin is death Jesus Christ said unless the wicked man repent he will surely die

[@thebionicbassplayer]

Very true, however here's a command most people sleep on, Acts 2:38 "And Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost". If you're not in a church that preaches and DOES this, I recommend that you find one such as Truth of God.

[@mikailsaboor6473]

We had And sti

[@mikailsaboor6473]

Rea😅jambas On The Planet 🌞😊😊❤

[@mikelkeith2115]

LJ , LG who was the best, for who that don't know, LG played for Graham Central Station.. Oh don't forget about George Clinton's bass player ,and give me some Bootsy.