"Don't Lose The Feeling", Ms. Beverly Johnson

"Don't Lose The Feeling", Ms. Beverly Johnson
By Entertainment Correspondent, John Frazier

For those of you who know me or perhaps getting to know me, the one thing that I love is music. I was going through my record collection and came across a LP, with Ms. Beverly Johnson on the cover. I jumped up and down, thank God no one lives below me and its 2:30 am. But its one of those nights when you reflect. With "gay pride" coming up, I can't help but reflect, so I went to my record shelves, that's when I found this treasure in my hands.

On the cover, she's dressed in a wonderful gold jumpsuit, and she's looking straight into the camera, doing that thing that Tyra's always talking about, "Make your eyes smile." Well Ms. Johnson is doing just that.

The list of songs is not like its today, where artist will release a 14- 15 - 16 songs on my CD and that will last for at least two years of mixing, remixing, special editions etc., back in the day, the artist would record only 7 or 8 on each album. Ms. Johnson picked some interesting songs, as such Mick Jaguar's "Under My Thumb" and Ms. Nancy Sinatra's, "These Boots Are Made For Walking". But for the most part it was a "chill out", album. With the right remixing and videos, if her album were done today, that's no telling what the success could be.

It's a new day, but I must go back and celebrate the success of Ms. Beverly Johnson.

The beautiful business woman was born on October 13, 1952. Ms. Johnson made history as she became the first Vogue cover (in America) paving the way for today's top models and former models, such as Ms. Campbell and Ms. Banks.

Ms. Johnson was born in a middle class family in Buffalo, NY. In later years friends told her that she should be a model, she went after it and was quickly assigned to appear in "Glamour" fashion magazine 1974. Before long she had appeared on more than five hundred covers. When you goggle the legend, Ms. Johnson, I was amazed of her life's journey. She's done movies, written books and has done some television. Now understand that Ms. Johnson may throw her hat into the ring and be a part of a reality series, "She Got The Look" which is on the TV Land channel.

Vanessa Williams and model Beverly Johnson
Ms. Johnson was honored for her accomplishments at the Oprah's Legend's Ball and will go down in history as the first, number one. Besides being the first for "Vogue". she was named, by the New York Times, to be one of the 20th Century's most influence in fashion. As we look back again, in 1979, Ms. Johnson was signed on as a recording for Arista Records, yes the same Arista Records that signed Ms. Whitney Houston a few years later.

What I'm impressed with, is some of the people that sang background vocals for Ms. Johnson, as Ms. Bette Wright (Clean Up Woman & Where Is The Love? Fame) and a special thank you to Wanda Hutchinson of sister, group, "The Emotions". I would have loved to have been presence in that conversation. Perhaps the vocal's weren't Ms. Houston sounding, the beautiful of this woman, this lady. She even had the gay boys second guessing themselves. Ms. Johnson's success, at that time, was equal to Ms. Tara Banks.

The LP cover of "Don't Lose The Feeling" the photo was taken by fame photographer, Bette Wright produced, Hair Stylist: Andre Douglas and Ronnie Grant. I stand corrected, the LP was marketed & distributed by Arista, but the label was "Buddah". Don't want to have anyone reading me.

Now its been a long time since I've listened to treasured LP. Mmm, how much would I get for it on E-bay? Nah, just kidding with that, however, LP is in good condition, almost mint, so I played it on my turntable. And you know what, it wasn't a bad album, especially if you compare it to some of today's artist.

I can't stop looking at the cover, such a beautiful lady.

 

 

 


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